right now I am feeding my 5 month old 50 pound cane corso mastiff pedigree dog food as well as tuna or salmon, chicken and veggies a couple times a week. I was looking at other brands in the pet store (canada) and their ingredients and all that, what do you think is the best kind of bagged dog food for a cane corso?
When looking for a food you want to stay away from by-products, ground yellow corn, and any artificial flavors or colors. You want to get a premium food (basically a food that you HAVE to go to a pet specialty store to buy). When feeding a premium food, you may pay more per bag, but you will feed less and have less yard clean up (a big plus!) so in the long run it is actually cheaper.
Nutro makes excellent food. they have 3 lines: Max, Natural Choice, and Ultra. with all three lines you will get an all natural, human grade food with added vitamins and minerals; no ground yellow corn, which is a filler and a big allergen among pups; no by-products, which can include heads, feet and intestines; and no artificial flavors or colors. Nutro also has the highest levels of essential fatty acids (Omega 3 & 6) to help promote healthy skin and coat and also reduce shedding. Max is your basic premium food and from what I’ve seen the lowest priced premium food on the market. Natural Choice has taurine added and is made more for specific needs (i.e. sensitive skin, sensitive stomach, etc.). and Ultra is a holistic food with more fruits and vegetables, also known as super foods, which help with your pups immune system, joints, heart, vision, brain, etc.
I recommend getting him off Pedigree. It's quite low quality and does not offer proper nutrition for a growing giant breed. your puppy requires a careful balance of nutrients, particularly calcium and phosphorus, in order for his bones to develop properly.
Here's an unbiased, scientific review of Pedigree:
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_…
I don't know which formula you're using, so I just chose the regular puppy formula. as you can see, it's full of flaws.
Here's a great list of mastiff-friendly kibbles:
http://www.mastiffonlinecommunity.net/vi…
My favorites from that list include Fromm Four-Star (which is available in many flavors, but might not be easily available in Canada) and Canidae all Life Stages.
Like someone else mentioned, Innova EVO and other grain-free kibbles are quite good. however, they're not suitable for your puppy, or any other large or giant breed puppy. The companies even state as much on their websites, and on their products. Grain-free foods tend to be too high in calcium and phosphorus for healthy joint development in large and giant breeds.
a good food ive seen is wellness large breed puppy food and then at one yr old wellness large breed adult
natural with no corn, by product or fillers
my dogs love it n never looked better
wellnesspetfood.com for more info and store locater
and if u joijn the mailing club, they send out coupons every month
this brand may seem a lil expensive, but since it doesnt contain fillers dogs tend to need to eat less kibble to feel full and thus having the food lasting longer and actualy saving money
exp- i buy the small breed 12lb bag for 26 dollars ( with coupon) for TWO small dogs n it last me almost 3 months, thats less then ten bucks a month that im spending on food
good luck!
Pedigree is good for young pups but it is very high in calories, so I suggest in a few months to switch over to one in low calories since big breed dogs always eat a lot more such as Iams. =]
Blue Buffalo. My dog LOVES it, and it's one of the best on the market.
for a dog that likes salmon and veggies? Taste of the Wild.
I really like Blue Buffalo and my dogs love it!
B8 scott briggstelegraph-journal
By valeri on July 16, 2010 Under puppy training