[deonk1]

Hi Folks!
I am so excited that in a few weeks I will have a new baby running about our new house! It has been years since I lost my dear Harley and thus I've been out of the game for a while. Providing the health testing is clear my little Zarco will be home March 3. Also Harley had severe food issues so I'm trying to retrain my brain to not panic about food. So I know many things have changed in the last 7-8 years.

So...
Zarco will be coming home with royal canin which is going immediately after he comes home (gradually of course) I've had many bad experiences with this food and do not want to buy more once it runs out.

1. Is Go! Still a good food? Then which one to choose? I'm leaning towards Go! Because they have limited ingredients and grain free options. My thoughts are to pick one that matches the same protein in the food he comes home with. Also given Harley was allergic to everything I gave him as a puppy, I'm going to reserve a few proteins just in case an allergy comes up.

2. To grain or not to grain? When I had Harley we fed grain free. I've seen some mixed info lately where certain grains are being recommended. Thoughts?

3. Raw or not? Again Harley was on strict elimination diet so he only got freeze dried raw lamb. I fed K9 Naturals and loved it, but at the time it was one of the only ones on the market. There is a part of me that would love the convenience of a dog on kibble. But I also know raw has great benefits. Thoughts?

4. Mixing raw- I was instructed by a holistic vet back then that dogs digest raw and processed foods at different rates and therefore they should not be mixed. I'm seeing a lot of people who mix raw or use raw as a topper to kibble, has the science changed? Would this be a good way to get benefits of raw while keeping the kibble convenience?

5. Raw and puppy. If I do opt for raw I've noticed very mixed reviews on raw for puppy. What age should I switch if I do go raw?

Looking forward to everyone's thoughts. I'm super nervous right now cause I just want a healthy and happy pup (Harley spent 3 of his 4 years very ill). I've done extensive research on this breeder and we are health testing up the wazoo, so now it's time to get ready for his arrival and set him up for success.