BLACKWATCH PUPPY FEED PROGRAM

I have used this feed program for many years, and provide a copy for my puppy buyers.  Every component to this feed program has an important job to do, and is an integral part of keeping this dog healthy. To only use part of this program defeats the concept of wholeness and better health for your dog(s). This is particularly important because many are lost due to vaccine reactions or
bloat and this program is designed to give your dog a fighting chance, until vaccine protocols are changed and we understand the origins of bloat. This program has been used with success in a variety of breeds, and is endorsed by the GDCA in the Health and Welfare Manuel, but it is not to be considered "in lieu of" veterinarian advice or treatment.
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 BASIC FEED PROGRAM
1. Food -This is a list of what I consider better quality foods, based on my own lab tests and feed trials.
 NO OTHER BRAND OF DRY FOODS ARE ACCEPTABLE.

 Eagle Natural or Holistic   1-800-255-5959
 Precise and Precise Plus 1-800-446-7148
 Back to Basics  1-800-219-2558
 PHD (Perfectly Healthy Diet) 1-800-320-7062
Canidae -1-800-398-1600
 Innova 1-800-532-7261
 Wysong 1-800-748-0188
 Flint River Ranch   1-909-682-5048
Pinnacle 1 - 800-255-4286
 Regal   1-800-638-7006
 Wellness Formula 1- 800-225-0904
 Life's Abundance 1 - 609-893-5108
Natural Balance 1-800 - 829-4493
 However, think the best food to use for your puppy is Eagle Natural Formula - 23% protein 12% fat with human grade and organic ingredients, a meat based  (4) multiple proteins, yogurt cultures (probiotics) digestive enzymes,  prebiotics, glucosamine HCL for joint support, high quality sequestered minerals, no ethoxiquin, no BHA,BHT, only naturally preservative, vitamin
C  and yucca and balanced Omega 6:3 fatty acids.

 This is the ONLY dog foods ever tested on giant breeds and it was done on
 several litters before it became available to the public.

 To purchase Eagle Dog Foods:
 1 - Go to their website http://www.eaglepack.com
   Click here: Eagle Pack Super Premium Pet Foods
 2 - Find a distributor in your state/area

 3 - Call them and ask the where is the closest place to purchase Eagle Dog
 Food.

 Note: You can also call Eagle 800 -255-5959, they now have the ability to
 ship food UPS from the factory in Indiana. It goes out the day you order
it.
 The cost of shipping will pay for itself over the long haul, because you
will
 have less health care expenses than when you feed an inferior food.
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                                      TO PURCHASE FOODS ONLINE
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 Petpals will ship Eagle dog food - Californina based, but will ship anywhere in the US
 Click here: Pet Pals Discount Pet Food and Supplies
  http://www.epetpals.com/

 VIP-Pets will ship Eagle dog food - California based, but will ship anywhere in the US. The VIP phone number is 714-VIP-PETS (714-847-7387).

  Click here: Pet Food Supplies Dog Cat Bird ... PetFoodDirect.com
  http://www.petfooddirect.com/store/

  Click here: Waggin' Tails Pet Essentials - Natural Products essential to  your Pet's Health and Wellness
  http://www.waggintails.com/
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                                            EAGLE COUPONS
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 For coupons for Eagle Dog Foods go to this website:
  http://www.eaglepack.com/pages/coupons.html

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                                             REQUIRED FEEDING
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 1). Nzymes - Dietary enzymes in the form of granular (if you have many animals) or a chewable pet treat

 Why Nzymes ? - becaues dietary enzymes are in ALL foods, but they are heat sensitive and lost in processing/cooking of all commercial foods or making home cooked diets.

 What do dietary enzymes like the Nzymes do?

 Nzymes provide the body with the right nutrients to allow the body to make the chemicals necessary for the body to detoxify and repair itself. By doing so, Nzymes help prevent allergic reactions, seizures, vaccine reactions, they  clean residual toxins from medicines, help the thyroid to function properly as well as other hormonal systems and it flushes the toxins from flea and
 parasite preparations.  Nzymes boost the immune system, help to stop excessive shedding, and ear infections, bladder infections, yeast infection, hotspots and speeds healing time from injury, surgery (cropping/bloat/c-sections) and recovery time from anesthesia .

 Nzymes are a natural anti-inflammatory, therefore are beneficial for arthritis pain in joints on old and young growing puppies (HOD, OCD, Pano) and other orthopedic injuries or diseases such as ACL, Hip Dysplasia and Wobblers). If one wants to avoid some of the risky arthritis medications
on the market (Rimadyl), Nzymes are a great alternative to this treatment.  Nzymes are nutrients from foods so do not conflict with your diet or any medications.  I have used the Nzymes for 16 years for my animals and I take the human product for 11years and have seen remarkable changes our health.

 By incorporating Nzymes into the diet, you are putting back the "living component" into the modern processed/cooked diets which gives the body the tools it needs for repair and good health.
 Website for Biopet Nzymes for Dogs and Cats
  http://www.nzymes.com/

 Call and talk to Stan at Nzymes, he is a wonderful and caring man, and he will provide you with assistance for your particular problem.  877- 816- 6500 - 8:00-6:00 PST
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                                            REQUIRED FEEDING
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  Daily Greens Plus -  This product fills the "holes in every diet", processed or raw. It contains  your daily dose of:
   Yogurt Cultures - friendly bacteria or probiotics in the form of Lactobacillus Acidophillus and other
 cultures.
   Fruits - Vitamin C in the form Ester C-1500 mg per dose of DGP
   Veggies - Barley Grass -your daily salad.
   Digestive enzymes, needed when using process and raw diet.

 This product has a different job from the anti-oxidant enzymes in the BioPet Nzyme product. The work together very well.

             To order: 800-937-1104 OR Order online:
                   http://home.earthlink.net/~healthytekinc/

     If you feed Eagle Dog food you only need 1/2 recommended dosage per day.

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                                                Vitamin C
 Use 1000 mg daily of Ascorbic Acid or Ester C
 If you are using the Daily Greens Plus (listed above) you do not need any  Vitamin C Supplementation.
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                                      Yogurt, Fruits. Veggies
 These include yogurt, fruits and veggies, not necessarily in large amounts, a  little is better than none, raw or cooked. Grapes, berries melons, apples,  banana, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, oranges, squash, sweet potato, green beans, zucchini, garlic. NO raw onions
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                                     Optional: Canned Dog Food
 I use canned Eagle dog food for variety, I mix a couple of tablespoons of canned meat with tepid temperature water and make a gravy. Since you are using this only to add variety to the diet, and not necessarily for nutritional purposes, there are several brands you can use. Wellness,
Nutro, Eukanuba etc, I would try to steer clear from grocery store brands.
Homemade soups work well for variety too.
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 DO NOT USE HOT OR WARM WATER ON YOUR KIBBLE, IT WILL DESTROY THE INTEGRITY
OF THE YOGURT LIKE CULTURES AND VITAMIN/MINERALS ON THE FOOD.
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 A word about BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food)and the giant breeds.
It seems to be a very difficult diet to manage for the giant breeds. I get emails/calls weekly for growth problems because of unbalanced diets. I suggest for the giants, stick to a high quality kibble, and other supplements I suggest. That combined with fresh fruits and veggies makes for a very high quality diet and does not compromise the animal in any way, yet avoids growth problems in the long run.
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 BASIC GUIDELINES FOR FEEDING DANE PUPPIES

     As a general rule of thumb: (For Danes Puppies) This chart is base the assumption that a dog may be crated or less active during the day while the owner  is at work. Use this guideline to help prevent growth diseases.
         2 months    2-4 cups per day
         3 months    3-5 cups per day
         4 months    4-6 cups per day
         5 months    5-7 cups per day
         6 months    6-8 cups per day
         7 months    7-9 cups per day
         8 months    8-10 cups per day
         9 months    9-11 cups per day

These amounts based on a moderate caloric food. This is only a general guideline so they do not consume too many calories before 6 months of age disrupting their growth patterns causing accelerated growth and potential bone problems. Keep the puppy lean, but not skinny. If he is too lean, feed 1 cup more per day.

Young adult males may eat as much as 12- 14 cups per day until mature.   If this is so, you should switch up to a higher protein for example use a 25% protein 15% Fat and they will have to process less food.

 I feed my mature bitches approximately 6 cups per day and mature males  approximately 7-10 cups per day. Older dogs and bitches approximately  5-6 cups per day. Remember this is based on a moderate protein food and in my case the Eagle Natural Pack 23% protein/12% fat is considered moderate.

Older dogs and puppies should NEVER be placed on a lite or restricted protein/fat diet. The only time an animal should be fed a restricted protein or fat diet is due to a specific disease.Cut back the amount you feed rather than switch to a lower protein and lower fat. They need the nutrients and their brains, organ functions and coats will suffer dramatically.
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 BLACKWATCH LARGE/GIANT BREED PUPPY GUIDELINES

1. Do not let your puppy get too heavy during the growth stages. They should be well covered but lean until their bones set at 2 years.

 2. No forced exercise, jogging or road-work, until the dogs are 2 year old  and the bones are set. Puppies are just that until at least 18 months of age, when dealing with the giant breeds. They are fragile and need supervised exercise in a fenced in area or daily walks with you. The key is
moderation and common sense in raising these "exotic" animals. The amount of food
 calories is directly related to the amount of exercise the animal gets per day. (see feeding program listed below.)

 3. Your puppy should not be crated more than 6 hours at time during the course of a daytime, and less is better. They should have a very large crate, one that an adult male can stand up and turn around in. I prefer the  "colossal" crate over the "Dane crate" size. This is their den, and never  punish and then put them in a crate; it should be their safe place. Their crate should be in a place where there is family activity so they don't feel they are being punished. If your puppy is crated during bedtime, and in the day time, 12 hours of his day is spent in a crate.   You must keep that in mind when feeding. The amount of calories consumed and the amount burned off in the course of a day is directly related to the  amount you need to feed (see chart below). For strong bones they need normal moderate exercise in order to develop the proper muscle to support the
bone.

4. NO FREE CHOICE FEEDING. (leaving food down all the time) Some dogs over consume, some pick all day long and don't ever get hungry enough to consume the proper amount of nutrition necessary.

5. Elevate your dog's food and water as they grow. No great scientific reason, it is just more comfortable for them and no, it does NOT cause bloat.  Stress is the trigger for bloat, and an unbalance in the pH of the gut, due to stress and/or overuse of antibiotics without replenishing the gut with beneficial bacteria (Probiotics) causes bloat. 
 (Write me for a copy of my article on Bloat.)

6. NO CALCIUM (MINERALS) OR VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS or I will break your fingers.
  The only exception to this rule is:
    1 - Nzymes, because they replace what is missing in process foods.
    2 - Vitamin C, because dogs do not graze like in the wild and need veggies
    3 - Probiotics (friendly bacteria) which is found in yogurt, Daily Greens  Plus    BacPacPlus or Fastrack.
 These listed above only enhance the diet, and will not upset the balance of the diet.

7. Use a Heartworm preventative, for Danes use Interceptor. This breed is a cross between a sighthound and a Mastiff (hundreds of years ago). But if your puppy has a system like the sighthound side of the pedigree, they will be sensitive to many things. Interceptor is better for Danes than Heartguard, and it takes care of other worms except tapes. Never use a flea spray on a Dane.

8. Watch the amount of "treats" you give your puppy, the calories add up.  Break the Milkbone into several pieces instead of feeding 5 a day. Use carrots, a slice of apple, or a couple of grapes as treats. This will not disrupt the balance of the diet nor add too many calories to the diet.

9. Feeding Time: Allow your puppy a safe, non stressful environment to eat in. I feed in a crate. Allow 10 minutes, if they do not eat in that time remove the food, and refrigerate until next time. They will not starve, do not try to beg them to eat. You are developing a bad habit if you entice
them into eating. Do not let them linger or be distracted. My dogs eat in less than 5 minutes. If they don't I know something is wrong, (in season, false pregnancy, pyometria, tummy ache). Monitoring their food this way is an excellent way of telling when they are not feeling well.

 FORCE FEEDING IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. YOU ARE ASKING FOR BLOAT/TORSION BECAUSE THE  FOOD THAT IS CONSUMED, IS DONE SO WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF ADEQUATE AMOUNTS OF HYDROCHLORIC ACID AVAILABLE TO THE GUT, WHICH WOULD NORMALLY BE GENERATED WHEN AN ANIMAL EATS ON THEIR OWN.

 Force feeding is extremely stressful on the animal, and does not allow for hydrochloric acid/digestive juices to kick in and digest food properly. Remember "stress" is the trigger for bloat and force feeding a dog means you are stressing this animal OR the animal is already stressed and therefore it does not want to eat. No matter what is the situation, this is the right
conditions for bloat. Next time you force feed a dog, think how it would feel if you were not hungry, and someone stood there and shoved food down your throat.

 NEVER SOAK or microwave dog food, soaking a food does not prevent bloat, that is a myth and not based in any science. Soaking/cooking this destroys the nutrients and probiotics sprayed on the outside of the kibble and destroying these can cause a nutritional imbalance, suppressed immune systems and actually serious deficiencies in a diet.

 10. Do not allow lots of running and exercise for 1-2 hours after a meal. This will aid in digestion. This has nothing to do with bloat. It is just common sense, you would not eat a big meal then go out and jog......ugh!!  That would feel awful. Well the same for your dog. Also, young growing puppies should not be running up and down a full flight of steps several times a day. This is very hard on their shoulder joints and can cause serious injury.

11. Always keep lots of fresh water available outside and inside so the animal knows there is water around, and is less apt to over-consume being worried it won't be there at some point. Some breeders withhold water to house break a dog. This is cruel and ignorant. It sets up bad drinking habits (gorging) and bladder infections, potential dehydration which can cause muscle cramping. (and what is the largest muscle in the body?- the heart).  know of a whole litter of 5 week old puppies who died because the breeder was trying to keep their area clean and presentable for buyers, so she kept withholding their water. How would you like to not be able to get a drink when you wanted one?  Again use common sense. If they are playing hard and start drinking, monitor them; tell them "hey, take it easy," just a little and when they have
calmed down they can have a little more.......just like a horse, you don't water a horse until it has cooled down. I don't leave water in a crate with a puppy during the nighttime when they are sleeping, they always spill it. But during the day they have it available all the time, clean fresh non-slobber water.

12. Amount to feed: This will be discussed per individual puppy or I have a chart listed below which is a guide for moderate protein/fat/calorie foods. A high protein/fat/calorie food does not mean a bigger animal. It may mean your puppy will develop nutritionally caused bone diseases (HOD, OCD or Pano). NO PUPPY or PERFORMANCE FOODS as they are high in calories and promote accelerated growth. It is important these dogs grow slow and even, so the bone develops at the same rate as the muscle. If not they may have growth deformities and early arthritis. By the same token NO LOW PROTEIN FOODS, they are not high enough in calories.

13. Toys/Bedding/Playtime. You have to think like a dog, which things are you more apt to get into trouble with here! I use fleece beds for my crates, never use carpet, they are attracted to the glue and a continuous loop carpet can cause their bowls to strangle if they eat it. No cedar, pine bedding it causes allergies. No detergent, Carpet Fresh, Lysol, Murphy's oil soap, fabric softener or anything that is a pine derivative. You are asking for allergies and respiratory problems. Wash bedding in a mild solution of bleach, it will dissipate when dry, leaving no residue. Same with cleaning crates, make sure you are well vented!! Use only dog shampoo, nothing else for a bath. No pig ears, raw hide, string toys, booda bones or cooked bones. Keep safe toys around so they are not eating furniture and your best shoes. The pet toy industry is not regulated so there are many things out there available to pets, which are a serious health hazard. For safe Dane or
large breed toys I suggest you go to the www.Doglogic.com website for her recommendations.
My reasons for no rawhide chewies are many.  First, the majority are processed with lye, something your dog does not need in his/her stomach. Also, they are not digestible and can lay in the stomach or intestines and not pass through, causing an obstruction or causing pathogenic bacteria to grow. Something we do not need with animals that are prone to bloat and gastric torsion is encouraging pathogenic (bad) bacteria to develop in the gut. They are also a very serious choking hazard. So to be on the safe side, for nutritional and safety reasons, I suggest something other than rawhide chewies.  As for pig ears/snouts/cow snouts and cow hooves.  There are two reasons for not using these, Salmonella (bad bacteria) and the fact that the ears/snouts will splinter and can puncture an intestine and the same is for the cow hooves. Frequently, vets are removing them because they cause an obstruction.

 What is safe?  Edible Nylabones but if you use a similar or cheaper brand,  make sure they say NO PLASTIC! You do not need your animals gut cut up from pieces of plastic which is not safe to eat.  Their website: www.tfh.com or  732-988-8400
These are easy to find at most pet stores or online pet supply businesses. Again.......Lynnie at www.Doglogic.com has a list of recommend products.

As for Playtime - do not play tug of war games, no chasing games or wrestling on the floor games with your dog. These are all dominance games that will only encourage the dog to challenge you at some point in their development.  These are not games that teach your dog to be a good citizen and an embassador of the breed.  Use common sense, do not act like a dog when playing with your dog, act like the human who is the leader of the pack. No rowdy behavior is allowed in
the house, that is for outside with games of chasing after a stick or a ball.  DO NOT LET YOUR DANE JUMP UP AND PUT THEIR FEET ON YOUR SHOULDERS!  Some people think this is cute, experienced Dane owners realize this is - 
         1) terribly damaging to the fragile joints of a dog and can cause permanent orthopedic damage, the surgery costs for repair are enough that you will have to get a second mortgage on your home.

         2) if you allow them to jump, then the next person they try this with could be an elderly person or a child, and that could result in someone getting hurt. Plan on an additional million dollar insurance rider on your policy, if you do not train your puppy to be a good citizen. I always require puppy  obedience classes for my puppy buyers.

14. Two drugs you should avoid with Great Danes (this can apply to other breeds) Sulfonamide Antibiotics (Ditrim, Trimethoprim, Primor, TMZ, Tribrissin and TMP/SDZ) Keflex Antibiotic (Cefa-Tabs, Cephalexin). I will not use any Sulfonamide drugs. If I have to use Keflex, which is a
good broad spectrum antibiotic, I watch very carefully for any kind of reaction.   The symptoms from antibiotic reactions are like HOD (fever, achy joints (polyarthritis) swelling of joints, animals in pain, lack of mobility, depression and anorexia.) If this occurs, it can happen from 24 hours up
to 2 weeks. Depends on the animal. It is treated with Dexamethsone, and stop the antibiotic.

15. An Important word about Vaccines, far to many Vets are giving rabies too early (10- 16 weeks) and it is causing severe immune problems in this puppies. The reaction mimics that of HOD symptoms, achy joints, high fever, lethargy. I choose to wait until my puppies are 6 months or older to get their rabies vaccine and make sure they are always on their Vitamin C and Nzymes
product (see below). YOU and the vet have to make the ultimate decision, but remember this is
such a big problem in the breed that the Great Dane Club of American is helping to fund Vaccine Reaction research at Purdue University. So this is not to be taken lightly. Discuss this with your vet and have him contact Dr. Harm HoganEsch or Dr.Glickman at Purdue about appropriate vaccine protocols for the giant breeds. I do not give, Lepto, Carona, Lyme vaccines. If you are in an area of the country with a large Lyme problem, it is still best not to combine the Lyme vaccine with any other shot. Likewise  your rabies. Later is better, because the immune system is starting to building up and can handle it these vaccines better, especially if one at a time. Personally, I would Never allow my vet to give a Rabies at the same time as the other shots, and this will often mean a battle with the vet. In many states the law states it must be done at 12 weeks, so the decision is
between you and your vet. All multivalent vaccines, when given together are compromising the immune system on your dog, so you and your vet have to determine what is best to
do. 
Here is an option I provide for my puppy buyers.
Recommendations for Blackwatch Puppies to help prevent Vaccine Reactions:

 Vaccine reactions or vaccine mediated responses are nothing new in dogs.
 Vaccine manufacturer's refuse to acknowledge there is a problem with we are losing dogs daily to adverse reactions.  Over the past two years I have come to learn how far reaching this problem
is in other breeds as well as my own. This regime is what I recommend to my puppy buyers and individuals who contact me for advise. The combination of these two things give us a much better chance of avoiding vaccine reactions, nothing in life is a guarantee, but this is a step in the right direction. 

 These two products together work synergistically to help prevent vaccine response.
        1)    Biopet Nzymes (TM)- a metabolic enzyme and detoxifying neutrciutrial     (877-816-6500)  website: www.nzymes.com

         2)   Vitamin C 1000 - 1500 mg or   Ester C = give the equivalent If you use Daily Greens Plus, it has adequate amounts of vitamin C in it.