# How long will it last?



## MrMathTeacher (May 18, 2015)

I have been researching foods for my puppy (when I get her). Based on availability in my area, and my budget, I am looking into getting Blue Buffalo Life Protection small breed puppy food. My question is, how long will a 15 lb. bag last??


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## lyndy (Jul 9, 2011)

You won't be able to use it all before it spoils. Always stick to the smaller bags with toy breeds  Every time you need a new bag, purchase a different flavor. Keeps their interest and helps avoid some food allergies.

If you have a small mom and pop pet boutique I would venture there and look into brands they carry. They usually have free samples, a great return policy and better food. You can also find some of the better brands on places like Chewy.com. I wouldn't buy more than 5lbs of kibble at a time.


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## MrMathTeacher (May 18, 2015)

The smaller option is a 6 lb bag. How long do you think it will last?


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## Dominic (Nov 4, 2012)

I'm puppy sitting 2 girls for 3 weeks. They went thru a 3lb bag of food in 2 weeks and they got a few treats for potty training and maybe snook some of my dogs food oh oh. Between food, health insurance, treats, grooming products... it is safe to say you need, at least, $100 a month to take care of a Maltese dog.


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## lyndy (Jul 9, 2011)

It will also depend on how big she is expected to be. You will go through a lot of food in the beginning when you are having to feed her 3xs a day. Also make sure you get whatever the breeder currently has her on. You will need to do a slow transition after she gets comfortable with you.

I can't give a definite how long a bag will last because my girl was on a mixed diet of canned and kibble. I always had to throw out part of the bag. I tried freezing it, but since Daisy is a diva she would not have any of that lol. I would say a decent guess once she is an adult is about 2 months.

Beatriz is right on about the monthly budget. As a momma of a maltese with health issues, ours is at least double. Make sure you budget health insurance. It is literally a life saver.


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

MrMathTeacher said:


> I have been researching foods for my puppy (when I get her). Based on availability in my area, and my budget, I am looking into getting Blue Buffalo Life Protection small breed puppy food. My question is, how long will a 15 lb. bag last??


If this variety has the "life bits" you may find that your pup picks them out or eats around them. Since those pieces are a source of nutrients your pup won't be getting a balanced diet.

If you want to feed kibble, I suggest you find a small "mom and pop" that carries Fromm. It's one of the better breed; my local feed store (as in all sorts of animal feed) carries it and a four pound bag is $13.


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

5 ish lb lasts my 6lb dog about a month. You don't want your bags to last longer than 6-8 weeks and keep in mind the fatty acids don't last even that long. We have VPI for insurance and it costs about $25 a month per dog. I do recommend insurance but it's up to you. I also recommend against grocery store dog food but again it's your dog. 

I do recommend daily brushing and also brushing the teeth. I do all my own grooming at home. My in laws only have their non shedding dog groomed every few months or so. Cost all really depends on you and how you choose to do things.

I highly recommend wellness or Fromm over blue buffalo.


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## MrMathTeacher (May 18, 2015)

According to their website, the closest retailer to me that sells Fromm is 86 miles. That definitely will not work. What do you recommend after Fromm if not Blue Buffalo??


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## Dominic (Nov 4, 2012)

MrMathTeacher said:


> According to their website, the closest retailer to me that sells Fromm is 86 miles. That definitely will not work. What do you recommend after Fromm if not Blue Buffalo??



Have you check chewy.com? They sell Fromm.


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## MrMathTeacher (May 18, 2015)

Yes and I am looking on Amazon. Neither site has small breed puppy kibble? Which do you recommend for my 12 wk old puppy? Which Fromm variety, that is. All chewy has is small breed adult.


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

MrMathTeacher said:


> Yes and I am looking on Amazon. Neither site has small breed puppy kibble? Which do you recommend for my 12 wk old puppy? Which Fromm variety, that is. All chewy has is small breed adult.


Product Guide - Fromm Family Foods 



Internet Retailers - Fromm Family Foods


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

Wellness is a good brand.


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## MrMathTeacher (May 18, 2015)

Ok everyone. I am having a difficult time deciding between Wellness and Fromm. Is one just as good as the other??


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## [email protected] (May 9, 2015)

Try both. Who knows what your pup's tastes are like...
Mine prefers veggies (especially cucumbers) than to any dried dog food/treat :blink:


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

MrMathTeacher said:


> Ok everyone. I am having a difficult time deciding between Wellness and Fromm. Is one just as good as the other??


I recommend Fromm above all other kibbles-however if you are having a hard time finding it, then I suggest wellness. Wellness is easier to find in stores-places like peto and pet smart carry it.


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## LOVE_BABY (May 5, 2015)

*About Commercial dog food {& pet food}*

_......................
*The following is a link to some info about dog food safety:_*
Commercial Dog Food Facts & Labeling | Just Food For Dogs
*_If I am able to find even more links besides this one with more info about dog food safety I will be sure to post them here._

:eusa_hand: High five for putting so much thought & effort info preparing for your puppy to be :thumbsup:! As far as dog food is concerned, I have read up, and heard a lot about 'pet food safety' from others. According to what I've learned, Blue Buffalo is not healthy to feed your pets, along with many other commercial brands which are also dangerous to your pets health.

I have learned that there are virtually little to no regulations for the commercial companies making pet foods. I have learned that a lot of pet food companies use 'downed' {dead or diseased animals }, & euthanized pets from Vets offices to make dog food {there are companies that will buy the pets remains & make food out of them ...}. They also use the least desirable parts of livestock animals such as hair etc. and the things that are left after the best parts are taken for human consumption. 

The euthanized animals used get euthanized with a deadly poison, I think it was 'phenobarbital' if I recall correctly, and then the phenobarbital laced carcass 'scraps' are used in the pet foods . The scraps are cooked down into a sort of sludge which is then used in dog food, cat food, and other animal feeds,etc. As a result of my having found these things out, since then I have switched my fur baby to 'home cooked' and am now currently feeding him 'raw' although I hear that 'raw' may not be suitable for small puppies until they grow older {someone else here on the forum might know if raw is safe for puppies?}. I will try to find & post more links to anymore info I can find that backs this up. It's disturbing to me to think about what is in some commercial pet foods .....

_{*P.S. But Please note, of course there are numerous,varying, different opinions out there about what to feed dogs, my post just happens to be my own personal opinion so far after researching about it :biggrin:. As individual pet parents we all need to do whatever it is that we ourselves determine is best for our pets.}_


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

I used to feed mine Fromm kibble. It is good for all life stages and is very small bits. They do make a puppy formula that they sell at chewy.

Fromm Gold Holistic Puppy Dry Dog Food, 33-lb bag

It may be too high in protein for a Malt. It is important to keep lower protein levels when feeding dry food, because it can cause liver or kidney issues in pet breeds.

You may begin to feel a bit overwhelmed...we all do. Choosing the best food for your pup is not easy and requires a LOT of research. Plus every dog is different. Mine did not do well on Wellness, but were fine with Fromm. I tried a lot of different things, but am now doing frozen Primal raw.

PS Fromm puppy food does come in six pound bags.


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## LovelyLily (Mar 26, 2013)

Hi! I know you have now decided against Blue Buffalo for your new pup, but just wanted to give attention to the Purina/Blue Buffalo lawsuit about BB false advertising and Blue Buffalo's recent acknowledgement of chicken byproducts making up a significant portion of their food (despite advertising that there are no byproducts):

The Inquisitr News

Given that, I would definitely steer clear of Blue Buffalo. I think Fromms is a great choice, in my experience. 

I started out with Blue Buffalo as one of the foods I tried when mine was really young, and it was a fail. There were tiny bits that were supposed to contain a lot of nutrition and she wouldn't touch them (were a harder consistency, probably did not appeal to her). Since she was only eating part of the food seemed like she would not get proper nourishment.

I then tried Wellness toy dog puppy food and the kibble was a wonderfully small size, but she was not a fan (had to really really work with her to get her to eat it) and her tear staining got really bad. Vet thought it might have been the beets in the food, if I recall properly. But who knows what caused the staining. Could have been teething or so many things. Anyway, I switched her again. Staining remained, though not as extreme. 

In her puppyhood ended up going with Fromms kibble eventually--she was and is a major fan of their five-star grain free pork and pea variety. Likes several others of their five-star grain free choices too, but not any with salmon or other fish.

When she was under a year I started feeding her the Stella and Chewy's dehydrated raw patties as her main food and used the Fromms for treats for treat balls, puzzle games, etc. Continue to do so today. Also supplement with bits of chicken breast that is boiled, some vegetables, and now and then some homemade food from the Just Food For Dogs recipes online.

The Stella and Chewys is great, and with a small dog is much more affordable than with a large dog (totally crazy prices for a big dog).

Best of luck with your new arrival! I bet you will like Fromms. They have such a nice range of varieties. I remember reading on here that they have not had a recall, unlike so many of the other companies. Can order on Amazon with free shipping if you have Prime. 

Linda


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## LovelyLily (Mar 26, 2013)

Somehow I goofed up with that link, but if anyone is interested in checking it out can find it by googling four words: Purina Blue Buffalo lawsuit

Sorry about that!

I think it was something like May 15th that Blue Buffalo acknowledged that their food contains the byproducts, after having previously denied it.


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## MrMathTeacher (May 18, 2015)

Thank you all very much for sharing your insight! I have decided on Fromm. But, now I am concerned that it may be too much protein??? http://www.chewy.com/dog/fromm-gold-holistic-puppy-dry-dog/dp/29117


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

Why not consider a Fromm grain free for all life stages. I would suggest adding warm (filtered) water. Grain free can be difficult to choose, because many contain a good amount of potatoes. I think that brown rice is much more nutritious than potatoes, and certainly not such high (and rapidly metabolized) sugars. But, grain free has become popular with the desire to stay away from corn, wheat and glutenous grains. See what I mean about difficult choices?

Look at this, and some of the other Fromm recipes that are for all life stages.

Fromm Four-Star Nutritionals Grain-Free Lamb & Lentil Recipe Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

Fromm puppy gold is 27% protein which is absolutely fine! I would suggest adding warm water to any dry dog food for two reasons. First, it brings out the aroma and makes it more desirable and second it ensures that your pup will take in enough liquid to assis the kidneys in processing the dry dog food. 

As she grows older you may consider changing to grain free, but the important thing is to have her on a quality food. 

On a different note, have you spoken with the person you're getting her from about keeping her longer? My guess is that you're getting her from what we call a "back yard breeder" who doesn't do a lot of research on lines and genetics. If you're going that route because of cost, I'd actually suggest you think about a rescue rather than buying a puppy from a questionable source.


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## MrMathTeacher (May 18, 2015)

No, the breeder is keeping her for 12 weeks. I am just trying to get my ducks in a row now. Thanks for your concern though.


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## [email protected] (May 9, 2015)

You can also supplement your puppy's meal with fruits and veggies as treats. My Sophie loves cucumbers and prefers them to her commercially made treats.
It also cuts down on food budget.


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

[email protected] said:


> You can also supplement your puppy's meal with fruits and veggies as treats. My Sophie loves cucumbers and prefers them to her commercially made treats.
> It also cuts down on food budget.


That's a great suggestion as a replacement for commercially bought treats! My girls love carrots and bananas. You don't want to add too many, though, as filling up on treats, even if it's fruits and veggies, means she may not be eating enough of a balanced diet to get the protein, vitamins and minerals needed for good growth. Just like with skin kids, balance is the key. You wouldn't want to feed cucumbers and bananas to human kids all day and not give them any protein or dairy!

Make sure she's eating her food - most of us feed about 1/2 cup divided throughout the day - and then add the healthy treats!


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

*sigh*

Ok. Here we go again. Protein is not evil. Protein is bad for dogs when it is of low quality. Many dog food manufacturers use ingredients like bird feathers and beaks and such to get their protein-this, along with a lack of water, makes it very difficult for the body to digest.

As long as you have a good quality food, such as Fromm, who sources good ingredients, then the protein is not such a concern. Also, wet foods-or whole foods are even better because they contain more water. You are fine to feed the grain free varieties (4 star line) of Fromm to your puppy. You might even want to water down the kibble a bit, or mix it with some Fromm gold canned food. (The 4 star canned is obscenely priced). It's also good to rotate proteins to help your dog build up different amino acid profiles.

However, if you want to go with the Gold Puppy formula, that's fine. It's still a great food, I just don't want you to think that you are doing some harm to your puppy if you go with the grain free all life stages. Some of the 4 star formulas do actually have grain as well.


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## [email protected] (May 9, 2015)

Just like humans, everything should be taken/given in moderation.:thumbsup:
...Don't to let them hypnotize you in giving them your burger and fries...Maltese have this special ability to look extremely cute and beg for human junk food when you're eating. Advert your gaze!B)


maggieh said:


> That's a great suggestion as a replacement for commercially bought treats! My girls love carrots and bananas. You don't want to add too many, though, as filling up on treats, even if it's fruits and veggies, means she may not be eating enough of a balanced diet to get the protein, vitamins and minerals needed for good growth. Just like with skin kids, balance is the key. You wouldn't want to feed cucumbers and bananas to human kids all day and not give them any protein or dairy!
> 
> Make sure she's eating her food - most of us feed about 1/2 cup divided throughout the day - and then add the healthy treats!


Also, when feeding your furry friend, it should be done before you cook and eat your meal(s). The smell of human food can be extremely inciting and they may lose interest in their doggie food. 


shellbeme said:


> *sigh*
> 
> Ok. Here we go again. Protein is not evil. Protein is bad for dogs when it is of low quality. Many dog food manufacturers use ingredients like bird feathers and beaks and such to get their protein-this, along with a lack of water, makes it very difficult for the body to digest.
> 
> ...


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

shellbeme said:


> *sigh*
> 
> Ok. Here we go again. Protein is not evil. Protein is bad for dogs when it is of low quality. Many dog food manufacturers use ingredients like bird feathers and beaks and such to get their protein-this, along with a lack of water, makes it very difficult for the body to digest.
> 
> ...


:goodpost:


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## MrMathTeacher (May 18, 2015)

Thank you all again very much for all of your insight and suggestions! It is going to be a long next couple months waiting until I can get my new puppy!!!


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