Need a little opinion.... - YorkieTalk.com Forums

motheru · 09-03-2014, 06:05 AM

Hi all. Thanks in advance for any info.

I got my Parti Yorkie and her name is Hazel. She is lovely and sweet!

When the breeder brought her for her first shots she was 1.4 lbs at 7 weeks old. She is now 11 weeks old. At 10 weeks she was still 1.4 lbs though she eats (though picky) 3 to 4 times a day and poops just as much. At the vet for her booster yesterday she was 1.6 lbs. She is happy, healthy and nothing wrong.

As I have another Yorkshire terrior who is 7 years old and has eaten and done super well on Merrick dog food.....I put puppy on Merrick Puppy. She doesn't love or attack the food...but I can get her to eat it 3 times a day with some softening etc though she is perfectly capable of eating it hard.

The vet wanted me to purchase Royal Canin Development Puppy food. I purchased a bag and she eats it no problem. However, it makes her super bloated and lots of gas.

When I look at the ingredients list of the Merrick Puppy and the Royal Canin Development Puppy....it seems to me that Merrick is a better food. Can someone verify this or correct me if I'm wrong?

THe first ingredients in Merrick are: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Potatoes, Peas, Sweet Potatoes.

The first ingredients in Royal are: Chicken by product meal, Brewers rice, corn, chicken fat, wheat.

Thoughts?

The fact that she is so small the vet claims I can't deworm her. I assume this contributes to the lack of gaining weight? This also confuses me and I will be making another appointment at a different clinic to get another opinion.

Thanks!

Maximo · 09-03-2014, 09:09 AM

There are many people who feed both Royal Canin and Merrick and their pups do well on them. The best food is the one your pup does best with. There is no consensus on what the best food is.

I'm not knowledgeable about deworming for such young and small pups. You may want to start a separate thread for that question to make sure plenty of people see it.

Lovetodream88 · 09-03-2014, 11:34 AM

I would have anxiety about feeding merrick because of all the problems they have had. You might need to try another type of puppy food rather then the merrick or the royal Canin to try and find something she likes and does well on.

motheru · 09-03-2014, 11:43 AM

Oh! What kind of problems has Merrick been having?? My other yorkie has been eating that for 7 years!

tokipoki · 09-03-2014, 12:11 PM

I think both brands you mentioned are decent foods. I've fed the canned Merrick and their more economical line Whole Earth Farms and haven't had any issues with them personally. If your pup is doing well on that Merrick Puppy Plate (decent appetite, good body condition, energy, stools, etc.) and not having the same issues like the bloating/gas she has on RC, I'd keep feeding the Merrick puppy if you're comfortable with that. I will say it is not always easy to tell which food is "better" based on the ingredients list alone...there are other factors and one formula that may work for one dog may not work for another...doesn't necessarily mean it's a poor food. I'd judge the food more based on how my pup did on it. Good luck finding the right food! Sorry I don't have any advice on the deworming part of your post.

Yoshismom1969 · 09-03-2014, 12:35 PM

My little girl was 15 oz at 8 weeks old and I know she was dewormed every few weeks starting at 6 weeks with no issues.

Yorkiemom1 · 09-03-2014, 01:28 PM

Royal Canin knows just a little about making dog food and nutritional requirements for your puppy/dog. I have been feeding it for many, many years, based on what I know about the company, the trials and clinical putcomes they have, the caliber of people they have working/advising them, and the research they do.
"Royal Canin bases the production of its feeds on scientific research and set up its initial research centre dedicated to this in St-Nolff in 1973; a subsequent research centre was established in Missouri in the late 1980s, and there is also a research facility in Brazil. Products are tested on a "focus group" of eighty cats and two hundred fifty dogs. Dr Daniel Cloche was one of the scientists first working at the company's French research facility and he has been described as "one of the pioneers in researching bone–related disorders and diseases among dogs".
In-depth research enables the company to manufacture products geared towards an animals needs in respect of its breed, health requirements, age and exercise levels. Henri Laguarde was chairman of the company during the 1990s and was the driving force behind implementing three core policies. These were that the physiology and biology of pets should be studied to increase the company's knowledge base; all products had to address specific needs, which was further endorsed by the Research and Development section having mandatory instructions that "no veterinarian or university should be able to refute any of Royal Canin's nutritional arguments"; and finally, animals and their nutritional requirements were to be treated with "knowledge and respect" rather than being humanised. The company theme became "knowledge and respect". There are teams of trained veterinary technicians to help and advise breeders and other professionals. The company coined a new description for its teams of trained sales staff as "cynotechnicians", who were already well established and passionate about the canine world; some were show judges or had gained an international reputation for their breeding skills. With the help of academics, the company also produce encyclopaedias about dog and cat breeds, which have been translated into fifteen languages. There are also books on breeding, nutrition and publications aimed at breeders and veterinary surgeons. Royal Canin also published the scientific quarterly titled FOCUS which was circulated to in excess of seventy thousand veterinarians worldwide in eleven different languages. FOCUS is now called Veterinary Focus magazine. This is in addition to the one thousand four hundred fifty veterinary literatures produced for the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition,. Royal Canin, the leader in cat and dog health nutrition, introduced a first-of-its-kind therapeutic diet to help cats and dogs maintain emotional balance. Available exclusively through veterinarians, this innovation in health nutrition is complete and balanced, and can be fed seasonally or year-round as recommended by a veterinarian. Every Royal Canin Veterinary Diet is guided by science and gives priority to the cat and dog, focusing on nutrients to support a pet's overall health and special needs. For additional information on Royal Canin, as well as special rebate offers, visit Home Royal Canin USA - Royal Canin.
"Today there is more veterinary specialization in behavioral issues, a variety of options for behavioral modification and recognition of medical causes for behavioral issues -- all which have offered owners help," said Dr. Brent Mayabb, veterinarian and director of corporate affairs at Royal Canin. "Nutrition, one of the most important factors for our pets' health, can also play a role in addressing special needs; veterinarians can recommend a therapeutic diet to support a pet's emotional balance."
Royal Canin USA is a forerunner of nutritional and technological advancement in dog and cat food. With more than 40 years of experience in the animal health and nutrition industry, the company prides itself on putting knowledge and respect for the animal first. Royal Canin collaborates with nutritionists, breeders and veterinarians from around the world on impartial and relevant research to ensure dogs and cats receive the best nutrition. For more information, find Royal Canin at www.Facebook.com/RoyalCanin.us or visit Home Royal Canin USA - Royal Canin. "
This outlines briefly, the knowledge, research and scientific evidence as well as positive clinical trials and outcomes, that I base my decision on giving my dogs RC.

LunarBerry · 09-07-2014, 08:19 AM

I feed my girls Wellness, currently a mix of Core and the Small Breed Puppy formula. Currently, even the older dogs are getting the puppy formula cause there's not much point in separating foods for them in this household as they'll find a way to get into each others bowls lol they are all doing beautifully (even helped my jack russells with their coat problem). I agree though that what works best for your babies is the best food.

SirTeddykins · 09-08-2014, 07:50 PM

Teddy started on Royal Canin for Yorkshire Terriers. I think they are heavily advertised here and work with breeders for support of their brand. I don't feel one way or another about that since RC have a good reputation.

However, Teddy did not do well on RC and when I compared the ingredients of RC to other brands, I found it lacking.

So, I feed Teddy Acana for puppies and will just now be starting him on Acana for small breeds as he's one year next month.

09-03-2014, 06:05 AM	#1
motheru Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: mitchell, manitoba Posts: 20	Need a little opinion.... Hi all. Thanks in advance for any info. I got my Parti Yorkie and her name is Hazel. She is lovely and sweet! When the breeder brought her for her first shots she was 1.4 lbs at 7 weeks old. She is now 11 weeks old. At 10 weeks she was still 1.4 lbs though she eats (though picky) 3 to 4 times a day and poops just as much. At the vet for her booster yesterday she was 1.6 lbs. She is happy, healthy and nothing wrong. As I have another Yorkshire terrior who is 7 years old and has eaten and done super well on Merrick dog food.....I put puppy on Merrick Puppy. She doesn't love or attack the food...but I can get her to eat it 3 times a day with some softening etc though she is perfectly capable of eating it hard. The vet wanted me to purchase Royal Canin Development Puppy food. I purchased a bag and she eats it no problem. However, it makes her super bloated and lots of gas. When I look at the ingredients list of the Merrick Puppy and the Royal Canin Development Puppy....it seems to me that Merrick is a better food. Can someone verify this or correct me if I'm wrong? THe first ingredients in Merrick are: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Potatoes, Peas, Sweet Potatoes. The first ingredients in Royal are: Chicken by product meal, Brewers rice, corn, chicken fat, wheat. Thoughts? The fact that she is so small the vet claims I can't deworm her. I assume this contributes to the lack of gaining weight? This also confuses me and I will be making another appointment at a different clinic to get another opinion. Thanks!

09-03-2014, 09:09 AM	#2
Maximo ♥ Maximo and Teddy Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 25,041	There are many people who feed both Royal Canin and Merrick and their pups do well on them. The best food is the one your pup does best with. There is no consensus on what the best food is. I'm not knowledgeable about deworming for such young and small pups. You may want to start a separate thread for that question to make sure plenty of people see it. __________________ Kristin, Max and Teddy

09-03-2014, 11:34 AM	#3
Lovetodream88 Yorkie mom of 4 Donating YT Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: LaPlata, Md Posts: 23,247	I would have anxiety about feeding merrick because of all the problems they have had. You might need to try another type of puppy food rather then the merrick or the royal Canin to try and find something she likes and does well on. __________________ Taylor My babies Joey, Penny ,Ollie & Dixie Callie Mae, you will forever be in my heart!

09-07-2014, 08:19 AM	#8
LunarBerry YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: GA, USA Posts: 693	I feed my girls Wellness, currently a mix of Core and the Small Breed Puppy formula. Currently, even the older dogs are getting the puppy formula cause there's not much point in separating foods for them in this household as they'll find a way to get into each others bowls lol they are all doing beautifully (even helped my jack russells with their coat problem). I agree though that what works best for your babies is the best food. __________________ R.I.P. Mick & Mandy (before 2010), Mila - 4/3/15, Chloe - 2/18/16, Kimchi - 6/2/2021

09-03-2014, 11:43 AM	#4
motheru Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: mitchell, manitoba Posts: 20	Oh! What kind of problems has Merrick been having?? My other yorkie has been eating that for 7 years!

09-03-2014, 12:11 PM	#5
tokipoki Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Garner, NC Posts: 1,485	I think both brands you mentioned are decent foods. I've fed the canned Merrick and their more economical line Whole Earth Farms and haven't had any issues with them personally. If your pup is doing well on that Merrick Puppy Plate (decent appetite, good body condition, energy, stools, etc.) and not having the same issues like the bloating/gas she has on RC, I'd keep feeding the Merrick puppy if you're comfortable with that. I will say it is not always easy to tell which food is "better" based on the ingredients list alone...there are other factors and one formula that may work for one dog may not work for another...doesn't necessarily mean it's a poor food. I'd judge the food more based on how my pup did on it. Good luck finding the right food! Sorry I don't have any advice on the deworming part of your post.

09-03-2014, 12:35 PM	#6
Yoshismom1969 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: North Carolina Posts: 227	My little girl was 15 oz at 8 weeks old and I know she was dewormed every few weeks starting at 6 weeks with no issues.

09-03-2014, 01:28 PM	#7
Yorkiemom1 Rosehill Yorkies Donating YT Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Houston Texas Posts: 9,462	Royal Canin knows just a little about making dog food and nutritional requirements for your puppy/dog. I have been feeding it for many, many years, based on what I know about the company, the trials and clinical putcomes they have, the caliber of people they have working/advising them, and the research they do. "Royal Canin bases the production of its feeds on scientific research and set up its initial research centre dedicated to this in St-Nolff in 1973; a subsequent research centre was established in Missouri in the late 1980s, and there is also a research facility in Brazil. Products are tested on a "focus group" of eighty cats and two hundred fifty dogs. Dr Daniel Cloche was one of the scientists first working at the company's French research facility and he has been described as "one of the pioneers in researching bone–related disorders and diseases among dogs". In-depth research enables the company to manufacture products geared towards an animals needs in respect of its breed, health requirements, age and exercise levels. Henri Laguarde was chairman of the company during the 1990s and was the driving force behind implementing three core policies. These were that the physiology and biology of pets should be studied to increase the company's knowledge base; all products had to address specific needs, which was further endorsed by the Research and Development section having mandatory instructions that "no veterinarian or university should be able to refute any of Royal Canin's nutritional arguments"; and finally, animals and their nutritional requirements were to be treated with "knowledge and respect" rather than being humanised. The company theme became "knowledge and respect". There are teams of trained veterinary technicians to help and advise breeders and other professionals. The company coined a new description for its teams of trained sales staff as "cynotechnicians", who were already well established and passionate about the canine world; some were show judges or had gained an international reputation for their breeding skills. With the help of academics, the company also produce encyclopaedias about dog and cat breeds, which have been translated into fifteen languages. There are also books on breeding, nutrition and publications aimed at breeders and veterinary surgeons. Royal Canin also published the scientific quarterly titled FOCUS which was circulated to in excess of seventy thousand veterinarians worldwide in eleven different languages. FOCUS is now called Veterinary Focus magazine. This is in addition to the one thousand four hundred fifty veterinary literatures produced for the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition,. Royal Canin, the leader in cat and dog health nutrition, introduced a first-of-its-kind therapeutic diet to help cats and dogs maintain emotional balance. Available exclusively through veterinarians, this innovation in health nutrition is complete and balanced, and can be fed seasonally or year-round as recommended by a veterinarian. Every Royal Canin Veterinary Diet is guided by science and gives priority to the cat and dog, focusing on nutrients to support a pet's overall health and special needs. For additional information on Royal Canin, as well as special rebate offers, visit Home Royal Canin USA - Royal Canin. "Today there is more veterinary specialization in behavioral issues, a variety of options for behavioral modification and recognition of medical causes for behavioral issues -- all which have offered owners help," said Dr. Brent Mayabb, veterinarian and director of corporate affairs at Royal Canin. "Nutrition, one of the most important factors for our pets' health, can also play a role in addressing special needs; veterinarians can recommend a therapeutic diet to support a pet's emotional balance." Royal Canin USA is a forerunner of nutritional and technological advancement in dog and cat food. With more than 40 years of experience in the animal health and nutrition industry, the company prides itself on putting knowledge and respect for the animal first. Royal Canin collaborates with nutritionists, breeders and veterinarians from around the world on impartial and relevant research to ensure dogs and cats receive the best nutrition. For more information, find Royal Canin at www.Facebook.com/RoyalCanin.us or visit Home Royal Canin USA - Royal Canin. " This outlines briefly, the knowledge, research and scientific evidence as well as positive clinical trials and outcomes, that I base my decision on giving my dogs RC.

09-08-2014, 07:50 PM	#9
SirTeddykins aka ♥SquishyFace♥ Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: n/a Posts: 1,875	Teddy started on Royal Canin for Yorkshire Terriers. I think they are heavily advertised here and work with breeders for support of their brand. I don't feel one way or another about that since RC have a good reputation. However, Teddy did not do well on RC and when I compared the ingredients of RC to other brands, I found it lacking. So, I feed Teddy Acana for puppies and will just now be starting him on Acana for small breeds as he's one year next month.