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If you’ve got a big love for big dogs, IAMS™ has a large-breed puppy formula specially made for their nutritional needs.
Many large-breed puppies have a tendency to grow very quickly. Unfortunately, if this tendency is encouraged by overfeeding, developmental bone problems can occur. To avoid these problems, careful feeding management is necessary. This should include
Our specially formulated large-breed puppy formulas make feeding management easier because they are designed for fast-growing, large-breed puppies (those with an expected adult weight of more than 50 pounds).
A protein level approximating 26% in these formulas promotes healthy body condition and balances the protein with the reduced number of calories in the food. Research has shown that
The protein in our large-breed puppy formulas supports normal skeletal and muscular growth.
Fat contributes more than twice as many calories in a diet as proteins or carbohydrates do. As the fat level increases, the energy content of the diet also increases, making feeding management more difficult for large-breed puppies. Several studies have shown increases in developmental bone problems when a diet was overfed.2, 3
By reducing the fat content of large-breed puppy formulas to about 14%, the metabolizable energy (ME) of the diets can be kept to a low level of about 1,800 kilocalories per pound.
Fat contributes more than twice as many calories in a diet as proteins or carbohydrates
Our large-breed puppy formulas, such as IAMS ProActive Health™ Smart Puppy Large Breed, are made specifically for growing puppies with expected adult weights of 50 pounds or more. These puppy foods are unique because they are formulated with:
Reduced calcium and phosphorus levels with a normal calcium-to-phosphorus ratio to promote proper bone development in rapidly growing large breed puppies.
1 Nap, et al. Growth and skeletal development in Great Dane pups fed different levels of protein intake. J Nutr 1991; 121:S107-S113.
2 Hedhammer, et al. Over nutrition and skeletal disease: an experimental study in growing Great Dane dogs. Cornell Vet 1974; 64:1-159.
3 Lavelle. The effect of overfeeding of a balanced complete commercial diet to a group of growing Great Danes. In: Nutrition of the dog and cat. Burger and Rivers (eds). Cambridge Univ Press, 1989:303-316.
4 Hazewinkel, et al. Influences of chronic calcium excess on the skeletal development of growing Great Danes, J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 1985; 21:377-391.
5 Goedegebuure, Hazewinkel. Morphological findings in young dogs chronically fed a diet containing excess calcium. Vet Pathol 1986; 23:594-605.
6 Hazewinkel, et al. Calcium metabolism in Great Dane dogs fed diets with various calcium and phosphorus levels. J Nutr 1991; 121:S99-S106.
IAMS research has shown that some dog-food products are best formulated using a combination of carbohydrate sources. All IAMS dog foods are formulated precisely to meet the nutritional needs of your dog in his life stage. Such a combination offers optimal digestibility and helps maintain energy levels.
Our dog foods contain a variety of carbohydrate ingredients:
Barley: IAMS uses ground whole-grain barley that's cooked at high temperatures and finely ground in our dry dog-food formulas as part of our patented carbohydrate blend.
Corn: IAMS uses high-quality corn kernels that have been finely ground to break up the outside covering of each kernel, and then cooked at high temperatures to increase digestibility.
Grain sorghum: Also called milo, it is cracked, finely ground, and cooked before it is added to our dry dog foods. It is another carbohydrate source in our patented carbohydrate blend.
Rice flour: Our foods contain small kernels of white rice that have been separated from the larger kernels of milled rice, ground, and cooked at high temperatures to optimize digestibility.
Wheat: This is another high-quality carbohydrate source. In our biscuits, the wheat is an excellent, palatable carbohydrate source and adds a firm texture to the biscuit during the baking process.
Highly digestible diets are an important factor in the well-being of your dog. They deliver more essential nutrients more efficiently, so there is less waste.
Innovative and patented research by IAMS scientists has found that when the complex-carbohydrate sources grain sorghum and barley are used in a dog's diet, their breakdown is enhanced at another level.
These carbohydrate sources are all highly digestible, meaning your dog's body will still metabolize a high percentage of each for energy. What's unique about these grains is that they break down slowly and evenly, providing a stable source of energy.
The slow, even breakdown of grain sorghum, corn, and barley results in moderate, stable blood glucose levels after a meal. By minimizing swings in blood glucose, diets containing such a blend supply sustained energy. IAMS holds a patent on using grain sorghum and barley in a blend for dogs.
