With so much dog food on the market, it can be overwhelming to figure out what to feed your new Weimaraner puppy.
I (Kim) personally feel like marketing and packaging for dog food has spun way out of control. Hand picked! Minimally processed! Contains strawberries picked at the peak of ripeness!! Succulent blueberries!! That’s all cool and all, but at the end of the day, we’re feeding a species that evolved from scavenging and digging through trash. And even today, Weimaraners enjoy counter surfing and stealing loaves of bread.
There’s really horrendous food out there. And then there’s creatively packaged food that looks fancy and costs a small fortune. Then there’s “something in between.” That’s where we like to be. Above all else, we like to feed what makes sense. Our three rules are: Does our dog do well on it? Can we afford it? Can it be delivered to the house? Let’s talk about all three rules:
- Dogs must thrive on the food they’re fed. So much of how a dog tolerates food ingredients is pre-determined by his DNA. Weimaraners are susceptible to a lot of autoimmune issues, and many of the symptoms manifest in food allergies and sensitivities. Knowing this, every Barrett breeding has taken into account the overall health of not only the parents, but also aunts and uncles, cousins, older siblings if there are any, grandparents, great grandparents, their littermates, etc. A line with a high prevalence of dogs with autoimmune issues is a non-starter for me and just something we won’t breed into. Because of this, we’ve been pretty good about breeding out autoimmune issues in our Weimaraners. We can’t guarantee that your dog will be void of it (no one can), but we can say with good confidence that whatever protein source you choose to feed, it will probably be okay. (Note: We’re lucky that our dogs come from a long line of dogs who have stomachs of steel. They’re not allergic to anything (that we know of), and they rarely have unexplained upset or sensitive stomachs).
- Dog food shouldn’t cost a fortune. The dog market has exploded over the last few decades, giving manufacturers a lot of room to one-up each other on who can provide the best dog food. Additionally, many Americans today just want what’s best for their dog and have zero qualms about paying whatever it takes. The result: Lots of room on the open market for people to spend a lot of dough on food. But is it really necessary? We don’t think so. There are plenty of nutrient-dense foods on the market that Weimaraners do fine on, and they’re well under the $90/bag price range. For funsies, here’s a range for stupid expensive down to decently priced foods:
- Orijen Regional Red, 25 lb bag = $114.99
- Acana Singles Limited Ingredient Diet Beef, 25 lb bag = $82.99
- Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Lamb and Blueberry, 26.5 lb bag = $79.95
- Natural Balance Duck and Potato, 24-lb bag = $56.89
- Taste of the Wild High Prairie, 28-lb bag = $51.99
- Purina Pro Plan Lamb and Rice, 35 lb bag = $49.98
- Diamond Naturals Lamb and Rice, 40 lb bag = $38.99
- Delivery is the key to efficiency. With three generations of Weimaraners in the house, I (Kim) don’t have time to swing through Costco or Tractor Supply every 5-7 days for another load of dog food. Instead, we get our food delivered through Chewy on an auto-ship basis. This 1) saves 5%, and 2) cuts out the work of guessing when we need more food.
The most important thing to consider is that any food change should be gradual. We’re not talkin’ a few days or even a week or two. A dog needs to slowly transition into their new food over the course of 30 days for you to really know if there’s an issue. (Fun fact: ANY new ingredient introduced for the first time will cause an upset in the GI tract. This is normal. It’s how the dog’s system acclimates to the new ingredient over time that is the key.)
All foods endorsed by Barrett Weimaraners below are formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for growth.
The 2022 California Litters are weaned onto a combination of Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy Lamb and Brown Rice (26% protein) and Purina Pro Plan Focus Puppy Lamb and Rice (28% protein). The purpose of a puppy formula is to provide a more calorie-dense food to support growing bodies. (Our adult dogs at home eat lamb.) Puppies should transition into adult-formulated food between 6-9 months of age. Scroll down to the bottom of this post to find more information about ordering this food through Chewy. In early 2022, the Purina is and $52.48 for a 34-lb bag, and the Nutro is $55.98 for a 30-lb bag through Chewy. Additional supplements are provided as follows:
- NuVet vitamin wafers. One daily wafer goes into breakfast to boost nutrition. NuVet wafers may be purchased through www.nuvet.com/26861 or calling 1-800-474-7044. Use the order code: 26861, which is connected to the Barrett Weimaraners account.
- Purina Pro Plan FortiFlora. We also add a packet of Purina Pro Plan FortiFlora with each dinner to boost gut health. These can be purchased through Chewy.
The 2022 Arizona Litters are weaned onto onto raw food. Stacy will provide owners with specific details regarding how to transition your puppy’s diet.
Many of the 2021 CA litters were weaned onto Natural Balance Limited Ingredients Lamb and Brown Rice (24% protein). The cost in late 2021 was $54.98/24-lb bag. Ultimately, puppies were switched to another brand due to this food consistently being out of stock. We’ll come back to it in the future if it becomes reliably available again.
The 2020 Kirby x Mattie Litter was weaned onto Purina Pro Plan Focus Puppy Lamb and Rice (28% protein). The purpose of a puppy formula is to provide a more calorie-dense food to support growing bodies. At about 6-9 months, puppies transition into the adult formula. Scroll down to the bottom of this post to find more information about ordering this food through Chewy.
Josie is a third generation Barrett dog who is currently thriving on a raw diet. For the uninitiated, you can read an article from Stacy about raw feeding, here. For those who have the monetary resources and the time to provide their dogs with raw food, know it’s the best of what’s out there for your dog. There are many different health benefits that come with raw feeding. Bravo to those who are able to do it!!!
Maggie is a fourth generation resident of the Barrett brood and is currently eating Merrick Backcountry – Raw Infused Puppy Recipe (30% protein). Protein sources include chicken, turkey, and salmon. The purpose of a puppy formula is to provide a more calorie-dense food to support growing bodies.
Mango is a third generation resident of the Barrett brood. She has good genetics going for her; her gramma Friday and pappa Boulder both have iron stomachs; they can and do eat anything they want and are allergic to nothing. Mango is currently eating one and a half cups of Fromm Chicken a la Veg (24% protein), two times per day. It’s what she’s been on since she was a puppy, and it works well for her, so we’ve just never bothered to change it. Unfortunately, as of mid-2017, Chewy was bought out by PetSmart and Fromm (a family company) removed themselves from mass distribution. We now get our Fromm delivered through PetFlow.
Boulder (Mango’s dad) is in training and conditioning mode so he can compete on the field trial circuit. His activity level is much higher than that of an average dog, so he’s on Purina Pro Plan Sport 30/20 (30% protein and ) to support his high activity level. boulder has been doing well on this food for the last seven years.
Britta and Friday (Boulder’s mom) are both 12 years old. We’ve had to adjust their protein intake over the years, but currently find that Purina Pro Plan Savor Lamb and Rice (26% protein) works well for both of them. Britta and Friday have previously been on Wellness Core, Taste of the Wild, Merrick, Acana, and Orijen. (We’ve toyed with lots of brands over the years.)
All dogs at home get morning supplements.
- Coconut oil. We add 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil to maintain the coat on our dogs. Coconut oil can be purchased anywhere; The local supermarket, Costco, Amazon, etc.
- NuVet vitamin wafer. One daily wafer goes into breakfast to boost nutrition. NuVet wafers may be purchased through www.nuvet.com/26861 or calling 1-800-474-7044. Use the order code: 26861, which is connected to the Barrett Weimaraners account.
- Purina Pro Plan FortiFlora. We also add a packet of Purina Pro Plan FortiFlora with each dinner to boost gut health. These can be purchased through Chewy.
Supplements. The kiddos also get occasional supplements like raw eggs, cooked eggs, and other treats, but that’s a different topic.
How Much to Feed. Please do NOT feed your dog based on recommended guidelines on the bag. Go with what your look LOOKS like, and adjust accordingly. Note that what your dog needs will change based on the time of year, recent weather, current activity level, etc.
Where to Buy Dog Food.
Raw
Southern California:
Phoenix, Arizona:
Dry Dog Food
Note: We don’t get any kickbacks from Merrick, Fromm or Purina. We just happen to like their products, and so do our dogs.
Cheers! – Kim and Stacy
Further Reading:
- How to Choose the Best Dry Dog Food
- Hallmarks of Quality Dog Food
- Selecting the Best Quality Dog Food
- Identifying Better Products
Last updated: January 2022
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