[PyrNet-L] Canine Nutrition

["ARIEGE" <ARIEGE@xtra.co.nz>]

I would just like to offer a small warning to owners of young Pyrenean
Puppies.  If you are going to feed any foods rather than the puppy food
specially formulated for the Large Breed Puppies then please be extremely
careful with the supplements you add to try and ensure you give the correct
balance of calcium, protein, Vit D, phosphorus and what ever else is
recommended if preparing your own puppy diets.  The general idea with large
breed puppies is to slow the growth rate down not accelerate the growth rate
and sadly some people make the mistake of not listening and the puppy
suffers the consequences.  I am not recommending any particular diet, I know
and like what I feed my puppies and the lack of problems with the growth
these days.  If you are going to make a choice to feed your puppy a "home
prepared diet" then be very aware of the damage you may cause.

For an adult who has finished their growing then the home prepared meal is
probably fine, they don't need the extras.  Adults don't normally suffer
from OCD, HOD but sadly puppies do. I am not saying these problems are diet
induced, what I am saying is for the average puppy owner such as myself it's
very difficult to gauge how much of what to give, less is best, prepared
puppy food maybe even better for the young ones while their growing  is at
the danger level unless you can guarantee 100% that you know how to
'measure' all their requirements.

Jan
Jan Chaplin Ariege-Roussillon Pyreneans. Visit my sites at
http://www.geocities.com/janellachaplin/ and
http://msnhomepages.talkcity.com/PetsPl/pyreneanmountaindog/ and my latest
Site http://msnhomepages.talkcity.com/HobbyCt/postcardcollections/
 the site of PMDC http://www.geocities.com/pyreneans