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What is a “Grain Friendly” Diet?


February 19, 2018

Recently, the FirstMate team introduced a new pet food category; our Grain Friendly line. As many of our customers know, while FirstMate diets are not medical formulas, they are often a solution for food-based sensitivities, which include food allergies and sensitive stomachs, or improving the health of your pet’s skin and coat.

Our Grain Friendly diets are ideal for pets that thrive on wholesome grains including brown rice and oats.  In some instances, dogs with sensitivities may not find a solution with Grain Free formulas or have sensitivities to ingredients commonly found within Grain Free diets, such as legumes or potatoes.  In these instances, our Limited Ingredient Grain Friendly line can be a great fit.

Grain Friendly Dog Formulas:

  • Single Meat Protein
  • Limited Ingredient Formulas
  • Wholesome Grains: Brown Rice and Oats
  • Gluten, Potato & Pea Free
  • Average of 495K/Cals Per Cup (so you are using less)

Grain Friendly Cat Formulas:

  • A Combination of Chicken & Fish for Enhanced Palatability and Omega 3 & 6 Fatty Acids
  • Limited Ingredient Formulas
  • Wholesome Grains: Brown Rice and Oats
  • Gluten, Potato & Pea Free
  • Indoor / Weight Control Option

Each of these options provides a high inclusion of protein from meat instead of vegetable sources. If you have a Large Breed Puppy, we recommend our Wild Caught Fish & Oats Formula which has an ideal calcium and phosphorous ratio to promote the growth of your large breed puppy.

Do not hesitate to email us or comment on this post with any questions.

48 responses to “What is a “Grain Friendly” Diet?”

  1. Mechelle Oldham says:

    I started using your dog food about a month ago to get away from the peas and stuff in his previous dog food ( earthborn grain free with bison meal ) which is a good dog food but wanted to get away from the peas for protein. I am currently using your cage free chicken with oats and brown rice . The only thing negative that I have seen in him is sometimes his ears get yeasty. He is a seizure dog so I have to watch out for things in his dog food like large amounts of salt, because he is on potassium bromide pills for his seizures. How much sodium do you put in your dog food ? Also I have to stay away from things like rosemary.

    • FirstMate says:

      Hi Michele,

      Thank you for your comments; we are sorry to hear about your dog’s challenges with seizures. Our Cage Free Chicken with Oats has 0.3% sodium on a dry matter basis. This works out to approximately 88 mg per 100 kcal. However, our formulas also contain a small amount of rosemary. We use a product called Dadex, which does contain rosemary extract with mixed tocopherols, to prevent rancidity of the food.

  2. Roberta Hambly says:

    I have been searching for a healthy dog food without the peas and lentils , I want to try the Cage free chicken grain friendly and have ordered 5 bags , But I am now concerned that I do not see any Omega’s in the nutritional information.. Omega’s are of vital importance to a dogs health.. And also the including of Ash content is not something I see on other brands of dog food.
    Do you consider this food a good source of Taurine?

  3. FirstMate says:

    Hello Roberta,

    Thank you for your support of our FirstMate pet food. As a privately owned and operated manufacturer we take a great deal of pride in the quality, safety and performance of our products, and enjoy assisting fellow pet owners on making informed decisions about the quality of food they are feeding their cats and/or dogs.

    Our Grain Friendly Chicken and Oats contains 0.32% omega 3 and 2.76% omega 6 fatty acids.

    With respect to ash, this is not an ingredient added to the pet food, but essentially represents what would be left if the food were incinerated. Therefore, this value represents the minerals in the pet food. Many of our customers request this information and therefore it is included in our nutritional information panel.

    This formula is a good source of taurine. Dogs do not have a specific dietary requirement for taurine because dogs can synthesize taurine from methionine and cysteine. Therefore, dog diets must contain either adequate amounts of methionine and cysteine, or taurine. From a nutritional perspective, taurine only needs to be added to dog diets if the diets do not contain sufficient amounts of methionine and cysteine.

    Methionine, cysteine and taurine are all present in meat. Diets with a relatively high meat inclusion, including all FirstMate and KASIKS diets, have adequate levels of methionine, cysteine and taurine. However, we also supplement our diets with some additional taurine and we have tested our diets to ensure they met or exceeded 0.1% taurine on a dry matter basis.
    I hope this helps to address your questions.

    Sincerely,
    Dr. Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
    Director of Research and Development

  4. Beth Looper says:

    I am interested in the grain friendly dog food fish flavor but I need to know the sodium levels first? I have two cushings Schnauzers that need a lower fat and lower sodium dog food.

    • FirstMate says:

      Hello Beth,

      Thank you for your interest in our FirstMate pet food for your Schnauzers. We are happy to provide this information for you.

      Our Grain Friendly Pacific Ocean Fish and Oats Formula has 0.6% sodium on a dry matter basis.
      Please keep in mind that because we do not manufacture medically specific formulas there will be some natural variation in the nutrient content of our formulas.  Although this variation is minimal, it is likely more than seen in medically formulated diets for pets.

      Don’t hesitate to contact us if you or your veterinarian require any further nutritional information to help you select a food that will support your dog’s health and well-being.

      Sincerely,

      Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
      Director of Research and Development

  5. Tammara says:

    I recently purchased a bag of the cage free chicken and brown rice formula from my local holistic pet store. I have a 5 month old lab puppy, and I want to make sure this is an okay food for puppies or if she needs to be on a specific puppy food. Her vet pushes science diet and hills and I don’t want to do those.

    • FirstMate says:

      Hello Tammara,

      Thank you for your support of our FirstMate pet food for your puppy! We are happy to address your question for you.

      Our Grain Friendly Cage Free Chicken and Oats formula is not recommended for growth and development of large-breed puppies. For your lab puppy, we would recommend our Grain Friendly Pacific Ocean Fish and Oats. This formula has appropriate levels of calcium and phosphorous that will better support the growth of larger breed dogs.

      You may return your bag of food to your local pet store, even if it’s opened, and exchange it for a bag of the Pacific Ocean Fish and Oats.

      Best wishes to you and your puppy,

      Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
      Director of Research and Development
      WendyV@firstmate.com

  6. Toni says:

    I just started using grain friendly chicken meal for my 4 year old lab. I was told it was good corn dogs with food allergies. Is this food suitable for a large breed dog? Can you tell me what preservatives are in this food?

    • FirstMate says:

      Hello Toni,

      Thank you for your support of our FirstMate pet food for your dog. We are happy to address your questions for you.

      Our Grain Friendly Chicken and Oats formula is suitable for all life stages except growth of large breed puppies. Since your lab is fully grown, this formula would be appropriate for your dog.

      Our formulas contain Calcium Proprionate. This is used commonly in pet and human food as a mold inhibitor. We incorporate a small dose (0.1%) of this preservative into our dry kibble to ensure that no dangerous molds grow on the finished product, which could produce toxins with potentially serious health impacts. It is considered very safe to use for this purpose. We also use mixed tocopherols for the prevention of rancidity.

      We hope this addresses your questions.

      Sincerely,

      Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
      Director of Research and Development

  7. Tova Taller says:

    Hello, I have a 5 month old cavalier king Charles spaniel. He eats Fromm Puppy but not too excited about it. Before we tried Taste of Wild and it was same. Store recommended I try first mate lamb n oats.
    I just put 1TBL of it on his Fromm kibble. That made him eat everything!
    I wonder if to keep it as a “meal topper” or transition completely. The kibble pieces are big for a puppy but he was ok with that. Any feedback is welcome, thanks!

    • FirstMate says:

      Hello Tova,

      Thank you for sharing your feedback.

      We are incredibly pleased to hear that your King Charles Spaniel is enjoying our product. If your puppy is continuing to produce solid stool and not displaying signs of stomach upset, we would expect you could transition to our diets. Typically, it is recommended that the transition takes place over 10 days with an increase in the new food of 10% while cutting back the previous food, at the end of 10 days you would be feeding 100% of the new diet. However, we often receive feedback from customers where they have successfully transitioned to FirstMate over 3 – 4 days.

      Please do not hesitate to share any additional feedback or ask questions.

      – FM

  8. MAG says:

    I just started my 7 month old Golden Retriever on this food, he seems to have very sensitive skin and I am trying to avoid chicken and corn in his diet. He is 57 pounds today, what is the appropriate amount of the Grain Friendly Pacific Fish and Oats to feed him. We also have a 6 year old Golden that we will be transitioning to this food as well. He is 79 pounds and should likely be closer to 75 pounds.

    Thank you!

    • FirstMate says:

      Hello, and thank you for your support of our FirstMate pet food for your dogs! We are happy to provide some feeding guidelines for you.

      A good place to start for both dogs would be approximately 2 cups of kibble per day (each dog would get 2 cups of kibble). As your puppy grows, you may need to increase the food amount slowly.

      Keep in mind that these are just guidelines and are meant to be adjusted in response to your dogs’ ideal and current weight, activity level, breed, age, etc… Your veterinarian would be a great resource to show you how to monitor for healthy weight.

      Best wishes,

      Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
      Director of Research and Development

  9. Patricia says:

    Having just read the alarming article in the Seattle Times regarding new FDA links between grain-free dog food and Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) heart disease, I would like to transition to your Grain Friendly dog food for our 2-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback. Should I also rotate your different protein sources (lamb, fish, chicken)?

    Thank you!

    • FirstMate says:

      Hello Patricia,

      Thank you for your support of our FirstMate pet food for your dog.

      We have been closely following the research on diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy, and although there has not yet been a proven connection between grain-free diets and diet-associated DCM, we have many customers switching to our Grain Friendly line. We have an article on diet-associated DCM that you may be interested in reading, and we will be updating this article in light of the more recent data released by the FDA: https://firstmate.com/understanding-dilated-cardiomyopathy-dogs/

      Within our Grain Friendly line, each protein source is nutritionally balanced for your dog. Therefore, protein rotating would not be required from a nutritional perspective. However, if your dog does not have any sensitivities, we recommend rotating proteins to help minimize the chance of any protein sensitivities developing, and your dog would probably appreciate the variety as well.

      Sincerely,

      Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
      Director of Research and Development

  10. Debbie Sacco says:

    My 5 year old golden retriever has been on Royal Canin Gastrointestinal diet as we thought this may help his loose stools. Now his skin is very dry and he still can have very loose stools. His labs are fine.
    I worry about DCM but also would like a food that would help his stools and skin. Which brand would be good for him? I have samples of you lamb and oats. Thank you. Debbie

    • FirstMate says:

      Hello Debbie,

      We are sorry to hear about the gastrointestinal challenges you’ve been having with your Golden Retriever, and we thank you for considering FirstMate as an option to support his health and well-being.

      Our diets are limited ingredient with a single protein source and, in the case of our Grain Friendly Lamb and Oats, only two carbohydrate sources (oats and rice). This formula does not contain any corn, wheat, soy, peas, or potatoes and frequently does help support the health of dogs that may have food sensitivities.

      We have been closely following the research around diet-related DCM. You may be interested in reading an article that we posted last year when the FDA first released their notice: https://firstmate.com/understanding-dilated-cardiomyopathy-dogs/

      You can also read a statement from our President and Founder that explains why we are confident in the quality and formulation of our pet food: https://firstmate.com/dcm-message-from-the-president/

      As you transition to the new diet it will be important to do the transition slowly given your dog’s propensity for diarrhea. It will also be important to ensure that you don’t overfeed him; our kibble is nutritionally dense and it can be very easy to overfeed. Overfeeding can often be associated with diarrhea. Give the size of your dog, I would recommend starting with approximately 3 cups per day and adjusting as needed to maintain his optimal weight.

      Feel free to email me directly if you have any further questions.

      Sincerely,
      Wendy

      Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
      Director of Research and Development
      WendyV@firstmate.com

  11. Rick F says:

    How long does your grain friendly food last? It took 5-6 weeks for my dog to go through 25lbs. We keep it in the bag inside a sealed container but it just doesn’t seem as fresh towards the end and it’s already been several months since manufacturing. If we buy the 5lb bag we only get 15 lbs for the price of 25 lbs.
    Any chance you’ll be making a 15 pounder and split the price difference?
    I mean, he’s worth the higher price but…

    • Wendy Vandersteen says:

      Hi Rick, thank you for your support of our FirstMate grain friendly pet food! As long as the product is kept in the original packaging and rolled down tightly (using a package clip is recommended) it should keep well for about 30-45 days once you’ve opened it.  Refrigeration of the opened product can also help to prolong freshness. At this point we do not have plans for a 15lb bag, but I will pass along the request.

      Best wishes,
      Wendy

      Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
      Manager of Research and Development

  12. Sandy says:

    Hi, our daughter’s 5 year old afton pinscher has been eating raw food for a couple of years as he had itchy skin. We dog sit him so often we are hoping she will switch to dry food – or at least at our place. The raw food gets stuck in his beard and is gross! Which of your dog foods do you recommend and is there a method to switching them over to dry?

    • Wendy Vandersteen says:

      Hello Sandy,

      Thank you for your comment, and your interest in our Grain Friendly dog food for your daughter’s dog.

      Although it is often recommended that dogs not be fed raw and kibble food at the same meal, many dogs tolerate having raw one meal and kibble the next. A long transition may not be required, and the dog’s current veterinarian may also be a good resource for providing advice more customized to your daughter’s dog.

      Our Grain Friendly line has the option of either Pacific Caught Fish, Chicken, or Lamb as the single source protein, with only rice and oats as the source of carbohydrates. If the dog does not have any meat sensitivities, then choice of formula can be selected on dog preference, or you could rotate all three.

      Let us know if you have any further questions.

      Sincerely,
      Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
      Manager of Research and Development

  13. Pat says:

    Hi there,
    I have a 2 month old lab puppy. I am curious to what the difference in your puppy breed formula vs the grain friendly Pacific fish and oats food was, since the later is recommended in your website for a large breed puppy. I am very keen to try the fish formula as I feel it may be good for her sensitive skin as well.

    • Wendy Vandersteen says:

      Hi Pat,

      Thank you for your interest in our FirstMate pet food. Relative to our puppy formula, the Grain Friendly Wild Caught Fish and Oats formula has an optimal balance of calcium and phosphorous to support healthy growth and development of large breed puppies. Our fish formulas do contain natural sources of omega fatty acids that would be very beneficial for skin health.

      Let me know if you have any further questions.

      Sincerely,
      Wendy

      Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
      Manager of Research and Development

  14. Vanessa says:

    I have a 40 lb 1 year old border collie /golden retriever mix. I recently purchased your grain friendly chicken & oats kibble after being super impressed by the ingredients. I was told to by my vet to introduce slowly and do a 90% old food 10% First Mate ratio at first. I did that but now she has had non stop diarrhea. Advice? I don’t want to go back to her old food. Also I was told by pet store it is 500 cal/cup how much would I feed my 40 lb girl? I bought the large bag but probably should have bought the smaller one just to try it out first in case it’s not for her.

    • Wendy Vandersteen says:

      Hello Vanessa,

      Thank you for your support of our FirstMate pet food for your dog. We are sorry to hear about your challenges with diarrhea. Typically this can happen if your dog is receiving more food than they need to meet their caloric needs. At 40lb, your dog should be getting about 1 and 1/2 cups total per day, depending on her activity level (being a border collie / golden retriever mix, I’m assuming she’s fairly active). How does this compare to her current feed ration?

      If reducing the amount of food provided per day does not help with the diarrhea, than please know we have a 100% guarantee and you are able to return the opened bag for a full refund.

      Please keep us posted on how she’s doing.

      Best wishes,
      Wendy

      Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
      Manager of Research and Development

  15. Mia Gamboa says:

    Hi, been feeding my GSD/Husky mix you lamb and rice formula and he has had explosive diarrhea for over 2 weeks. I have read that maybe the fish blend is better for puppies, not sure if he might be allergic to first mate food or if the blend is not good for him. Im being cautious of over feeding just not sure whT to do next!

    • Wendy Vandersteen says:

      Hello Mia,

      Thank you for your support of our FirstMate Grain Friendly food for your dog. We are sorry to hear about the challenges your dog is experiencing with diarrhea, and appreciate you reaching out to us with your concerns.

      Has your dog been experiencing diarrhea since his switch to the Grain Friendly Lamb and Oats, or is this a new issue? How old is your dog, and what is his approximate weight? What was he eating prior to the switch to the Lamb and Oats?

      I look forward to your reply.

      Sincerely,
      Wendy

      Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
      Manager of Research and Development

  16. Jennifer Ramirez says:

    I switched from Nulo grain friendly food to your grain friendly fish food. I made the switch two weeks ago and my dogs vomiting has gotten worse as well as his diarrhea. I gradually switched it over a week. He’s 42 lbs and I feed him one cup in the morning and one in the afternoon.

    • Wendy Vandersteen says:

      Hello Jennifer,

      Thank you for trying our Grain Friendly Wild Caught Fish and Oats formula. We are sorry to hear that your challenges with diarrhea and vomiting have not improved.

      First, has your dog been taken for a veterinarian check up to ensure that there are no underlying health issues?

      If your dog is otherwise healthy, I would then recommend that you try reducing his ration. Unless he is a puppy, he should be getting between 1 and 1 1/2 cups total per day. If this does not help, then it is possible that he may require a different formula.

      Let us know if you have any further questions.

      Sincerely,
      Wendy

      Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
      Manager of Research and Development

  17. Pawan says:

    Hi,

    I have a 7 month old Miniature Pinscher. We’ve tried many different foods but he continues to have soft stools in the evenings. His stool is fine in the morning but get softer as the day goes on. Our vet recommended Royal Canin Gastrointestinal high energy wet food which has helped but not completely resolved the issue. This food has rice in it, so I wonder if I should try your grain friendly recipe. Can you please make a recommendation? I prefer to support local businesses and I trust a factory in BC over anything made in the USA. Many Canadian pet brands are formulated in Canada but made in USA.

    thanks
    P

    • Wendy Vandersteen says:

      Hello Pawan,

      We are sorry to hear about your dog’s digestive issues, and appreciate your consideration of our FirstMate Grain Friendly canned food.

      I would recommend trying our Cage Free Chicken and Rice formula. The guaranteed analysis for this formula is the closest to that of the Royal Canin formula.

      If you would like some feeding guidelines, I would be happy to provide some for you. I would just need the current weight of your dog.

      Best wishes,
      Wendy

      Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
      Manager of Research and Development

  18. Hunter says:

    Hi,

    I was reading your website because I really want to try your dog food but I want to know if you changed your formula. I ask because this page says all your grain free diets are potato free. I looked at the ingredients of your dry grain free foods, which I’m wanting to get, and every single one of them not only isn’t potato free, potatoes make up the majority of the food percentage when you figure they’re the second and third most included ingredient. Did your formulas used to not have potato in them and you changed the diet but forgot to change the website or were you hoping that people looking for a potato free diet (which we are due to a potato allergy) would not look at your ingredients and only take your word for it that your dog food isn’t at least 50% or so potato?

    • FirstMate says:

      Hello Hunter,

      Thank you for your comment and interest in our diets.

      We produce Grain Free diets that are inclusive of potato and others that exclude potatoes.

      If you are interested in a Grain and Potato Free formula, our KASIKS diets meet that criteria. We have outlined our 3 primary food categories and would be happy to make a recommendation based on your dog’s specific nutrition needs.

      FirstMate Limited Ingredient Diets:
      – Single Meat Protein
      – No Grain, No Peas/Legumes
      – Includes Potato

      KASIKS Grain Free Diets:
      – Single Meat Protein
      – No Grain, No Potato
      – Includes Peas & Lentils

      FirstMate Grain Friendly Diets:
      – Single Meat Protein
      – No Potato, No Peas
      – Includes Oats & Brown Rice

      We look forward to hearing from you and encourage any additional questions.

      – FirstMate Pet Foods

  19. Aaron says:

    Hi
    I want to change foods and I found the friendly grains formula on Chewy. I have 4 month old pit Bull mix puppy who is 38 pounds and a 3 year pit Bull mix who is 63 pounds. For economical purposes I would like to feed them from the same bag. Which formula should I use? Thanks.

    • Wendy Vandersteen says:

      Hello Aaron,

      Thank you for your interest in our Grain Friendly product line. We appreciate you contacting us and are happy to provide some suggestions for you.

      While your puppy is growing I would recommend feeding our Wild Caught Fish and Oats formula to both of your dogs. Once your puppy is fully grown you can switch up to a different protein within this product line, or even rotate among all the protein options.

      Best wishes,
      Wendy

      Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
      Manager of Research and Development

  20. Becca says:

    Hi!
    I have a 3 year old border-collie/aussie mix with gastrointestinal issues. He’s been on Royal Canin Gastrointestinal High Fiber Dog Food for 2 years, but I’m hoping to switch his diet for economic reasons. Do you think this would be a good option for him? Is grain friendly similar to high fiber?

    Thank you,
    Becca

  21. Ken says:

    Hi.

    I am looking to transition our 6 month old lab puppy to your grain friendly Wild Caught Fish and Oats formula. He is currently eating another fish formula with a lower in kcal/cup (100), albeit higher recommended daily intake. Would you have recommendations with respect to transition.

  22. Leslie Carr says:

    Hello,
    I have a 5mo old great dane and we were feeding Royal Canin great dane however due to manufacturing issues the local pet store suggested your Chicken and Oat formula based on the comparison of the RC. I saw some comments here about the pacific fish line as it had better ca and phos levels for large breed but what about giant breed puppies? Also, I am reading your formula is more nutrient rich so hes 80lbs how many cups should he be getting per day?
    Thanks excited I found your brand as he did fine on RC but stools were always somewhat loose.

  23. Wendy Vandersteen says:

    Hello Leslie,

    Thank you for your choice of FirstMate to support the growth and development of your Great Dane. We appreciate you contacting us with your questions.

    As you indicated, our fish formulas do offer a more appropriate balance of calcium and phosphorus that helps to support the growth of large and giant breed puppies. Once your dog is fully grown then you can rotate among any of our protein options within the product line.

    As a feeding guideline, I would recommend about 3 ½ to 4 cups total per day. If you find that your dog’s stool is still loose than decrease this by about ½ cup and reassess. Don’t hesitate to contact me directly if you have any further questions as you begin the transition to FirstMate.

    Sincerely,
    Wendy

    Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
    Manager of Research and Development

  24. STDEKAGR says:

    I have an English Cocker who produces a large amount of gas. Both burping and flatulence. Which of your dry and wet foods do you recommend for this issue? Otherwise her stools are normal!

  25. Wendy Vandersteen says:

    Hello! Thank you for your interest in our FirstMate pet food for your dog. I’m not sure what your dog is eating currently, but you may want to consider our Limited Ingredient grain free Duck with Pumpkin formula. The inclusion of pumpkin in this diet can provide some digestive support. If you wish to feed a Grain Friendly formula, than I would recommend either our Chicken and Oats or our Duck and Oats formulas. For a canned option, I would suggest our Chicken formula since it has a good balance of protein and fat. Our canned Salmon could be another good option as it is relatively lower in fat compared to our other formulas, and this may help to ease her digestive issues.

    I hope these suggestions help.

    Best wishes,
    Wendy

    Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
    Manager of Research and Development

  26. Laurie says:

    My dog is in a salt restrictive diet and I want wondering how much sodium you FirstMate Chicken with Rice Wet Dog Food has ?

    • Matt Wilson says:

      Hello Laurie,

      Thank you for your interest in FirstMate to support the health and well-being of your dog.

      Our canned FirstMate Chicken with Rice formula is 0.2% sodium as fed (0.9% on a dry matter basis).

      Don’t hesitate to let us know if you or your veterinarian require any further information to see if this formula will be suitable for your dog’s needs.

      Sincerely,
      Wendy Vandersteen, PhD
      Manager of Research and Development

  27. Joan Massaro says:

    Hi, my 2 dogs are currently on kasiks grain free and I would like to switch them to first mate grain friendly. Do I need to transition them slowly or can I simply switch over immediately to first mate kibble?

  28. Rica Talay says:

    Hi Joan,

    Thank you for your comment and continued brand support.

    When switching between product lines we recommend a 4-day transition period for your dog where you increase the FirstMate product by about 25% per day and decrease the KASIKS by about 25%. Once you have transitioned to the new product line (the Grain Friendly) then you should be able to rotate flavours without a transition period if you desired.

    If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us directly at customerservice@firstmate.com.

    -FM Team

  29. Lisa says:

    Hello,

    Could you please recommend which of your foods would be best for a 5-month-old Dachshund? She is roughly 5lbs and currently on your grain-friendly lamb recipe but Im wondering if there is a better option for a growing puppy. Also feeding amount recommendations, 1/3 seems like so little per day compared to other foods.

    Thank you!

    • Rica Talay says:

      Hello Lisa,

      Thank you for trusting FirstMate to support the health and development of your puppy. We appreciate you reaching out to us with your questions.

      Since your puppy is not a large breed, any of our Grain Friendly flavours would be appropriate: Cage Free Duck, Wild Caught Fish, Cage Free Chicken, or the Free Range Lamb that you are currently feeding. If your puppy does not have any food sensitivities then rotational feeding could be a good option. Since these options have similar formulations aside form the source of protein, you could rotate among the different flavours for each new bag that you purchase. This can help to keep your dog excited about their food and expose them to more variety.

      While your puppy is young, you should follow the more specific puppy feeding guidelines, which I’ve included below for your reference. The feeding guidelines on our bag are more general, and provide recommendations for Senior, Adult, and Puppies. The challenge is that the “Puppy” stage covers such a development range that one column cannot provide a great estimate for puppies throughout their growth cycle. Younger puppies do have higher caloric needs relatives to older puppies of the same size. For your puppy’s age and size, you should target about ½ cup total per day.

      It’s important to keep in mind that feeding guidelines are just guidelines, and are meant to be increased or decreased as needed to maintain optimal weight and growth. If you find your puppy is losing weight you can increase the ration slightly; if you find your puppy is gaining weight too quickly and/or has loose stool, you may want to decrease the daily ration.

      For any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us directly at customerservice@firstmate.com

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