premium Dog food vs Other

[cali]

Ok boxer lovers i have a couple ofquestions?


Does a boxer that is fed large breed type food grow slower & smaller than lets say a boxer who gets fed regular type dog food that doesnt control his growth rate? whats the diff. really pros and cons?



2. breeding type question, not gonna breed just curious
what would be the best way to get boxers here in the US to be like the ones from germany? I know I could just buy one but Im talkin about breeding wise. Im not tryin to say i dont like the american type but when you see a Boxer who conforms to german standards they look very imposing, strong and fearless. american Boxer do too but compare a german boxer to a american boxer and you can spot tthe diff. american much lighter and taller not as thick so I like the german standard and i know some like the american.

plz dont get offended just very curious and trying to learn more about breeding traits and how to get what your looking for in your dog lines, best site for this question lots of smart boxer owners on here......:cool:

 

[kobesmom]

Sorry, I can't help you with either of your questions. My pup is on Nutro Large Breed Puppy food. But, I've read here several times that Boxers aren't actually large breed dogs, but medium breed. So, I'm considering switching to regular puppy food but I need to do some more research first because Kobe is already showing signs (according to the vet) that he's growing faster than his joints can keep up with. The Nutro LBP has glucosomine (sp?) in it that is for joints. I don't know yet if the regular Nutro puppy has that in it or not. Kobe is now 3 months old and was 20lbs. the last time we were at the vet. He may be a couple of pounds more now. I think that's probably average for size, I'm just concerned about his joints.

Hope someone else can help you!

 

[JulieM]

A puppy that is on adult food will generally grow more slowly than a puppy that is on puppy food. Puppy formulas do not "control" growth, they promote it. A puppy on a large-breed puppy food might grow more slowly than a puppy on a all-breed puppy food, but it depends on the food, as some large-breed puppy foods have just about as much protein and fat as other all-breed puppy foods.

The way to get a US Boxer to look like a German one is to find a US Boxer that conforms to the standard, and keep it in peak condition. The standards are not that different. (If you'd like, you can find a US Boxer that is no taller than 0.2 inches below the US standard (0.3 inches for a female) so that they would be sure to exactly meet the FCI ("German") standard (provided they don't go below the bottom height, which is exactly the same for both).)