New Puppy Feeding

[Luna2026]

Good Afternoon All.

We are getting a new cocker puppy early June (Luna). It is 18 years since i last had a puppy so it feels like a new world!

I was just wondering any recommendations for food, i have found a local pet shop that supplies Hickorys (dry) as below, could i ask for opinions on this? they sell quite a lot of it in our local feed shop.

The next question is on raw/wet food, what is the general opinion on feeding both? or is it better just to stick to dry?

COMPOSITION: Rabbit & Turkey 50% (including Freshly Prepared Rabbit 30%, Dried Turkey 18.5% & Turkey Gravy 1.5%), Sweet Potato (21.5%), Peas (9.5%), Potato, Beet Pulp, Linseed, Omega 3 Supplement, Minerals, Blackberry (0.22%), Fructooligosaccharides (FOS, 95 mg/kg), Mannanoligosaccharides (MOS, 25 mg/kg

My last dog lived on just dry for 15 years!

Thank you all in advance.

[Jaysmumagain]

Hi and welcome to COL.

Congratulation on the pending arrival.  As for the feeding question.  My Harry is just over 3 years and I was very much guided by the breeder.  She gave me the name of the food and how much she was feeding him. It was called Beta and must admit being an anxious Mum I was not impressed on contents and being a fan with my previous cocker of another - I decided to change him to that!!!

But you do have to be so careful and it was several weeks before I started the process and it has to be done very carefully, gradually mixing the old with about 10% of new and so on over 2 weeks.

After six months I moved to young adult same company and did I have problems, it just didn't suit him and after some searching I settled on another which he has today but with added protien.

Hope this helps and hope someone else comes along too.

[bizzylizzy]

Hi and welcome!
I bet the time?s going SO slowly at the moment,   it doesn?t seem 5 minutes since we were counting the days until Humphrey?s arrival, can?t believe he?ll be 11 next month!
As Jaysmumagain has suggested, you?re probably best feeding whatever the breeder suggests, at least for the first few  or so until he?s settled in and then take it from there.
I think the general standard of most foods on the market these day is good but the final choice depends on the dog and its often a case of trial and error,  but as Jaysmumagain says, it is adviseable to make any changes slowly.
Humphrey started on dried food but I changed over to raw at around 6 months. I?ve adapted it a bit lately as he?s got older, he doesn?t get as much protein and I cook the vegetables to make them more digestable, but on the whole he?s done well on raw.
My previous two dogs had dried food mixed with tinned, ( there wasn?t so much information around in those days to confuse us! ) and both lived to 15.

Do keep us updated, COL is great for moral support when the socks start disappearing and your best shoes are perforated by little teeth marks! Enjoy your last few weeks of peace!
  Jayne and Humph?

[MIN]

18 years since puppyhood. Hope you are prepared because you won't remember a thing.You only remember  the latter years of the old dog. We got miss Molly ( our 2nd spaniel Jan 2024. Around 30 year since we had a puppy. What a shock. It was as if we knew nothing.  Not only older, but less agile as well.  But we are winning.
Again keep with the breeders food for a while and if thriving on it, find another with the same protein ice chicken, salmon etc.   our girl came with a chicken based food ( he used it for all his pups with no problems) but it never suited Molly ( ghastly poops)  eventually we suspected a chicken allergy so we keep away from anything poultry based, treats included.
  Looking forward to hearing your  stories to come.  Welcome to the rollercoaster ride, spaniel ownership brings. LOVE IT