Vitamins for Puppies? Best food? Help!!!
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Hi Everyone,
I'm getting my first Basenji named "Manah" next month and I want to do everything that's right and good for my new puppy. Is it a good thing to give her supplements at 8-9 weeks, or is it too soon? Also, which brand of supplements is best for puppies and adults? AND, is Merrick's the best brand of food for puppies? Do I give my puppy wet food also, or should I give her raw meat? So many questions and too many choices!
Any advice would be appreciated!
Tabatha - soon to be a Basenji owner, and can't wait!!!
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Who are you getting your puppy from? Typically your breeder will tell you what is best (or what they are using for their Basenjis)… Food is a personal choice... as many of us have had "heated" discussions... :-)....
There are a number of great foods, but you want to pick ones that do not preserve with chemicals... look for "natural"... and with a good quality food you should not need supplements (IMO)...
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Thanks Pat. I'm getting my Basenji from a breeder named Keith Hill from OK; have you heard of him?
I'm thinking I will eventually go with Merrick's after I wean her off Puppy Chow (which I don't care for).
I have not ever heard of him… does he have a kennel name? Are his pups AKC registered?.... and as I posted on your other thread, hopefully all the heath tests have been done on the Sire and Dam of the litter... And yes, I would run far away from Puppy Chow... :)
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My husband found the puppy, and surprised me with her for our 3rd year wedding anniversary, and my 1 year cancer free anniversary. I was really excited about her because the breeder I was originally going with, lost some of her puppies during birth, and was unable to give me a puppy. I was number 4 on the waiting list (3 were born)… I just talked to my husband and he told me: the breeder he got her from has a health guarantee and the puppies are AKC registered. It's a family run kennel and they also breed Bassett Hounds. My husband says he doesn't have a kennel name.
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I first don't mean to laugh but I had to, I have a brother-in-law with the same name. But I know for a FACT not same person. But where in Oklahoma is the breeder.
Okay back on subject, if you feed a good high quality food then you shouldn't need any suppliments. I will warn you a head of time though when you swtich from a lower quality food to a higher, there can be a detox phase, this is where they may have loose poop for a while, sometimes there will be mucus in the poop, it's not a sign to really worry unless the pup isn't acting right.
Merricks is a good food, you can feed canned and dry if you want, it's all up the the individual and how the dog does on it. I feed my guys Solid Gold, another high quality food.
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I just want to want to repeat what Pat said about making sure the parents have had the DNA Marker Test for Fanconi Syndrome. The disease is truly devastating. Please check out this link, http://eldoradobasenji.com/Images/tailsUp.pdf, the author lost her beloved basenji at the age of 6 to this disease.
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My husband found the puppy, and surprised me with her for our 3rd year wedding anniversary, and my 1 year cancer free anniversary. I was really excited about her because the breeder I was originally going with, lost some of her puppies during birth, and was unable to give me a puppy. I was number 4 on the waiting list (3 were born)… I just talked to my husband and he told me: the breeder he got her from has a health guarantee and the puppies are AKC registered. It's a family run kennel and they also breed Bassett Hounds. My husband says he doesn't have a kennel name.
I know that we will sound like we are harping.. but it is really important now that we have a DNA test for Fanconi that you make sure that DNA testing (along with other health tests) are done. As far as a health guarantee, it is only as good as the paper is it written on.. and if there has been no testing, it really doesn't mean much… as Lisa said, Fanconi is a horrible, horrible affliction and is late onset (usually over the age of 5, but sometimes sooner, sometimes later).... Please, please make sure that this is done before you get your puppy..... Family run kennels doesn't mean they are responsible breederss.... if you visit www.basenji.org and then go to the section "Is a Basenji for me" (not yet updated about the DNA Fanconi test, but soon will be) you can find a list of questions that everyone thinking of getting a Basenji should ask their breeder.
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