Ok, I'll admit, I'm dog food dumb.

[Thor's Pet]

Hey...
Brief background...I have a 4 month old puppy(He was born Nov 12), he's a papillon/Jack Russell terrier.
Right now he's on Nutrience...as that is what he was on, so I kept him on it.
Now I want to start thinking of what I can switch him to....a healthier brand. Altho a few co-workers of mine say Nutrience is good for him, good for puppies in general.
So it's confusing...I have my mom saying Puppy Chow, coworkers saying keep him on nutrience...and my bf saying it's all the same...and the pet store by my place(they sell just the supplies, not pets) saying their brands are best...like taste of the wild(lady's number one choice), and a few others...
So ya...for a small breed puppy, what would you guys recommend??
I also suspect he could possibly have a weak stomach, as just giving him puppy chow chewy treats makes his stool soft..but not runny, just uhhhh gouey for lack of better word...(I give him the treats to train him to his pads...and cause he likes them).
So I guess I'll ask as well...what are good treats for a small breed puppy?

Sorry if I sound super dumb here...but the last time I dealt with/was responsible for a puppy was nearly 16 yrs ago(My mom's dog Trixie who is a lhasa apso/poodle will be 16 in sept).
Angie

[SamIam]

No question is dumb. Dumb is when you have a question but don't ask it due to believing the risk of ridicule is more important than finding valuable information.

I am not a personal fan of Nutrience. Here is my recommendation:

Go with a grain-free, gluten-free, soy-free, render-free, artificial-preservative-free food. Protein should be 25-30% and fat 10% less than protein, give or take. Omega values aren't as important as the ratio, which should be 2:1 to 5:1, NOT 10 times as much O6 as O3 like you'll find in the cheaper brands. Go Canadian (safety of ingredients and reliable supply in case of border issues).

Many of these foods also have various added fruits and vegetables and herbs and omega fatty acids, but these additives will not make a low quality food high quality. Putting gravy on a flake of hay won't turn it into a baked potato.

In Edmonton, you will find the best selection at little neighbourhood supply stores, as well as the G&E, not usually at the major chain pet stores. You will also find better advice at smaller stores where the owners and a couple longterm employees take the time to get to know what is on their shelves, rather than relying on manufacturer visits and teenagers on their first job.

Expect to pay much more for your new food than you are currently paying for the Nutrience. First, you have a small dog who doesn't eat much anyway. Second, given a diet which suits your dog's digestive system better will save you vet visits.

The best treat would be the one of the same flavour and brand to the regular food you give. Also, if you are feeding meals, which you should, rather than offering a bowl of food available at all times, the right food itself can be used as nice-sized training treats.

I have small dogs and one medium, and am feeding Now! (petcurean) with excellent success all around, including my sensitive stomach "big" dog.

[Love4himies]

You may also want to look into starting your pup on a raw diet. It really is the equivalent to humans on a fresh fruit/veggie/meat diet as opposed to over-processed one. It is chemical free, so much better for your pup.

Also, it will keep you dog hydrated as he will be getting his fluids as nature intended.

[reanne]

Raw or a high quality kibble will be better than the Nutrience. Puppy Chow is not a good idea, and they are not all the same as your bf says. I agree with the above comments. I feed Acana to mine and they are doing well on it. It is from the same company as Orijen but a bit different formulation; both are made in Canada and all ingredients sourced in Canada. Very nice food.

[Chris21711]

Last year I was fostering a Papillon/Min Pin puppy....when he started eating solids I went with "NOW" puppy food and also Wellness canned puppy food (I didn't mix them together).....he fared quite well with no tummy issues.

[SamIam]

When you start the new food, do it slowly over about a week (longer is fine, too). First day mix a small part of the new food with mostly old. Every day more of the new food, less of the old until you are at 100% new. Even when switching from a poorer quality food to a better one, you want to give your puppy the time to adjust. Different foods place different demands on the digestive system, and you already know that your puppy's system is a bit delicate.

[Thor's Pet]

My mom "people food" feeds her dog...has for years...but more out of having to, then wanting to(Trixie will NOT eat dry dog food, and doesn't like wet dog food)...so mom just buys an extra steak, pork chop, veggies(Trixie LOVES veggies) etc, and Trixie eats when they do...she shares of "Daddy's" plate...as that is the ONLY way she'll eat! (When my dad was in the hospital for 5 days Trixie would NOT eat at all!...only a bite here, or there).
But that is the ONE thing my bf says is a NO GO...he was brought up in the way that dogs do NOT get people food(to him it's just a dog....altho he loves Thor, don't get me wrong, but to him he's just a pet...know what I mean?)
Altho, bf did put a kitchen table chair in our bedroom under the window, so Tucker(one of our cats) could jump up easier...cause "She was having trouble....she likes the window, so I put that chair there"....hehe. He's whipped and doesn't even know it.
So raw feeding or such isn't an choice right now...I'll work on the bf about that tho...
But ya...maybe I'll go back to the pet store by my place(it's a small store, locally owned, and the lady/owner seems to know what she's talking about) and see what's what.
I don't mind paying more, I already pay $25 for Taste of the Wild for my cats...which is the only brand besides Iams that they'll eat.(Well they'll eat whiskas...but I'm not a fan of that one). That's one thing my mom always told me "You'd pay more to feed yourself properly, so therefore you should be willing to do the same for your pet"....and I do.
I am the penny pincher, I'll admit that, if I can cut costs, I do...but I NEVER do on my pets food and such...their health is WAY to important to play with.
So would Taste of the Wild be a good brand then for him?
Do they even have one formulated for a small breed?(I only talked casually with the lady, before I even got Thor, when I was just curiously researching things on puppies when I was in there getting my cat food).
Or would NOW! be a better brand? (lady carries both if I remember correctly)...
Man, buying my food is easier then buying my pets' food...haha
As to the feed time....I'll admit, I'm a free feeder. His food is always down. Only because he's what I call a picker....aka, he goes has a couple peices...then plays...then goes back, has a few peices....etc. He only gets 1.5-2 cups a day tho....as was his routine before I got him(he use to get 3/4 a cup at 8am, and again at 5pm) So he is NOT over eating...he just eats slow is all....is that ok? Or should I force him to eat it all at once? I tried that when I first got him, and he wouldn't...so I caved and left it down, cause I felt like I was straving him...as he'd only have a few bites in that 30-60 min it was down before I'd put it up.
I knew puppies could be confusing...but wow...puppy food is way more confusing then when I was trying to figure out cat food! lol
I thank you all for your input tho! It helps so much!
I just want him healthy, and I thank you for helping me figure out the best way to do that for him.
Angie