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Hi There! :D

1K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  Mom-n-Reiki 
#1 ·
Hello!

My name is Sophia. My husband and I are owned by four dogs in the Florida Keys. We have Ashley, the deaf great dane, Blueberry the Australian Cattle Dog, Misha, the cattle dog/border collie/dalmatian mix of insanity, and now Reiki the standard parti poodle! Reiki is two weeks old and we go to pick him out at the breeder Wednesday, then, of course, comes the long wait until he can come home. The litter is all partis, some are black and white, some are brown and white. Im looking at the largest male, who is brown and white, and the third largest, who is black and white. Im leaning more towards the latter, but I don't know who I'll pick until I meet them all. All three of our other dogs are rescues, so I am really looking forward to this experience. I'm hoping Reiki grows up to be a big boy so he can keep up with Ash.

I am going to have tons of questions, I'm sure, but right now I'm wondering about foods and what age to neuter him, and all the different ways I can groom him. I know eventually he's going to end up (at least) partially corded in a continental....(can you all tell I've wanted a poodle for ages?).

For food, what are good protein levels to look for? I feed Earthborne, which is 38% protein, and is grain free, but their puppy food has grain and is only 28% protein. What foods does anyone recommend?

Reiki will be my first poodle and first baby puppy so I want to make sure I do everything right.
 
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#3 ·
Welcome to you, your husband, and the gang!

The Florida Keys, I must say I am jealous. We are hoping to move to Florida in the near future...but not Florida Keys, I wish though.

That wait is so hard. My guys came home the day after Christmas. Until pick-up day you can enjoy hanging out here.

My two were fed Pro Plan at the breeders and I made the switch to Fromm (kibble) and Evanger's (canned). I will also be adding Honest Kitchen.

This forum is so very helpful. You will definitely get all your questions answered. I have been enjoying reading past threads and also trying to keep up with all the new ones. My house has been being neglected lately. ;)
 
#4 ·
Welcome to you and your pack, I understand how exited and impatient you are, I was to at this time last year since Sushi came home February 2012.

I would suggest you feed you big boy regular dog food instead of puppy food because standard grow really fast and a high protein food could make him grow even faster. Fast growth can create hips and or joints problems later. I was also told poodles can have kidney problems when fed with high protein food.

I would feed a good quality food with 25-28% protein level but also a food that your spoo will like! Sushi is a picky eater compared to all my non standard dogs and he gets bored easily. If you feed grain food choose one that contain only one type of grain and a good quality one like oat and brown rice (hypo-allergenic and low glycemic carbs grains). I do feed grain food because I think my dogs need carbs like I do when they come running, hiking or skijoring with me.

Can't wait to see pictures!
 
#5 ·
Hello and welcome!

Parti's are my absolute favorite :) Congrats on your new addition! Can't wait to see photos of the one you choose!

As for food, if you want to go grain free, Orijen has a grain free puppy food I think. Acana may as well which would be slightly lower protein. There aren't a lot of grain free puppy foods, but a good grain-inclusive puppy food (like the Earthborn) would be fine until the pup is mature.

I'm a firm believer in letting a dog mature before neutering. You will get LOTS of opinions on this, especially from your vets, but if I ever have a male, he will not be neutered before the age of 18 months so that he has time to grow and mature.

As for grooms, well, your imagination really is the limit. I'd LOVE to see a corded parti, don't think I've ever seen one.
 
#6 ·
Thanks!

I love the Keys compared to the rest of Fl....everything is much more laid back here. I will post pictures as soon as I get some! :D

I used to feed both those foods. Unfortunately dog food prices here in the Keys (even with my discount) are higher than most, and Orijen keeps going up. I tried Acana and did not like it, Ironically. Im considering using a grain inclusive food until he's older so he feels fuller and gets all the nutrients he needs.
 
#8 ·
Welcome to PF Sophia! Wow! you have a 'high energy' pack there!
As far as food goes, Google 'Dog Food Advisor'. I personally stay away from anything with wheat, corn, or soy. They are considered 'hot' grains for allergies. If you don't want to have to feed your pup separately, you can use an 'All Life Stages' formula for everybody!
Neutering.....lots of opinions on that one! (you can read past threads!)
Grooming is a must, no matter what 'style' you choose. Just remember, the longer the coat, the more the committed you must be! MORE coat MORE hours!!!!LOL! Needless to say, everyone here is helpful and I hope you will have fun with us !!:grouphug:
 
#9 ·
I love Dog Food Advisor! I used it to pick my latest dog food for my pack. You can bet they are high energy! My great Dane is so active I can't keep weight on him, so he still gets puppy food anyway (and Earthborn and raw eggs lol). I found out that my food is all ages, and even has DHA, but after bugging companies for their complex carb percentages and breakdowns, I'm going to go with Blue Buffalo puppy large breed. And probably some Earthborne if he turns out to be super active like the rest of them.

I was an apprentice groomer until I needed to make more money so I could get dogs and live off my paycheck (lol) and the first dog I ever groomed start to finish was the shop owner's standard. On days we were slow, and during lunch, I was constantly brushing out her coat. I'm hoping my obsession with poodles fur will help me maintain a good groom on Reiki. Raema was a pet, but was kept in a huge fluffy show clip....five hours with her on the table, I was still grinning like an idiot; I hope it's the same once I have my own dog to groom! :D
 
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