What do you feed your pug?

[shebriqua]

I just recently adopted my first pug puppy the other day, Carlos. :) Want to make sure I am feeding him the best, as he was being fed Beneful (NOT my choice!) by the person I got him from. Wanting to start transitioning him to a healthy food, what do you feed your pug?

[Luckylyn]

Our breeder was using a high quality grain free (Blu Buffalo), but I switched Maisie to Natures Variety Instinct Raw as soon as we brought her home at 11 weeks. From what I understand, Blue Buffalo is a good brand - I just felt raw was better for her, and I knew I wasn't up to making homemade raw.

I like the Natures Variety Instinct Raw. It is frozen - I put about 2-3 days worth in a container and thaw in the fridge. It comes in bites (size of kibble, but soft when thawed), medallions (kind of like little pattiess), and larger chunks. I buy the bites as she's still a puppy. When I feed her, I add some warm water to warm it up a little and to try to get more water into her.

Pros: she loves the taste, it is good for her, it smells fine, it seems to help her poos and no farting
Cons: it is expensive, not all stores carry it as the store has to have a freezer case, having to remember to thaw more as the fridge container runs low

[pugtown]

I feed a variety of things, not one kibble, not one canned food, etc. Variety, variety, variety! Check out DogFoodAdvisor.com and look through there 4 and 5 star foods lists and try some out. I have Brothers Complete, Nature's Logic, Nutrisource, Nutrisca (lamb only), canned foods: Merrick, Wellness, Tripett, Weruva, Hound and Gatos, Nature's Logic. Freeze dried/dehydrated foods: Vital Essentials, Honest Kitchen, Addiction (with added protein), Sojo's (with added protein), Big Dog Natural (this is the added protein). And the dogs have their own upright freezer full of raw food including GreenTripe.com products and a local raw source. They love, love, loooooove raw tripe. They get a tripe-stuffed cow hoof sometimes and when they're done eating the tripe out, they gnaw on the hoof for days. For a healthy pug, feed a variety of foods. This will help him build up several different strains of beneficial organisms in his gut. And you know, the gut is where the immune system lives. I give my dogs a colostrum supplement too periodically. My general rule is: low carb, moderate fat, white potato-free, and gluten free.

The Benefits of Rotation Feeding : Urban Paws Houston | Pet Lifestyle Magazine

[pugtown]

Cons: it is expensive, not all stores carry it as the store has to have a freezer case, having to remember to thaw more as the fridge container runs low

I've used Primal and Stella & Chewy's in the past too. For when you forget to thaw, use the freeze dried raw as back-up.

[CSollers]

You've been given very good advice above, I have nothing to add other than concurrence.

[Luckylyn]

I've used Primal and Stella & Chewy's in the past too. For when you forget to thaw, use the freeze dried raw as back-up.

Good idea - I'll have to pick up some freeze dried next time. Wish I had seen your post an hour ago - I just made an emergency run to pick up up more as I realized none left in freezer and only enough for tonight's dinner in fridge :) I could have gotten some freeze dried at the same time.

[pugtown]

Good idea - I'll have to pick up some freeze dried next time. Wish I had seen your post an hour ago - I just made an emergency run to pick up up more as I realized none left in freezer and only enough for tonight's dinner in fridge :) I could have gotten some freeze dried at the same time.

LOL! Emergency run for food! The pugs do think it's the end of the world when there's no food!! Other "back-up plans" I like are the dehydrated foods like Vital Essentials freeze dried nibbletts (freeze dried raw), The Honest Kitchen, etc. Shelf stable, make as much or as little as you need. And I have several canned foods as well. Tripett is one of them.

[Luckylyn]

LOL! Emergency run for food! The pugs do think it's the end of the world when there's no food!! Other "back-up plans" I like are the dehydrated foods like Vital Essentials freeze dried nibbletts (freeze dried raw), The Honest Kitchen, etc. Shelf stable, make as much or as little as you need. And I have several canned foods as well. Tripett is one of them.

I can only imagine her reaction if there was no breakfast :) do have some freeze dried chicken treats - she'd have whined and cried till we gave her those for breakfast!

[Hellas]

We feed ready made raw and are very happy with the results. The brand we use is not available in the US.

[CSollers]

I can only imagine her reaction if there was no breakfast :) do have some freeze dried chicken treats - she'd have whined and cried till we gave her those for breakfast!

There would be hell to pay in our house, lol.