Okay, so I'm having a bit of an issue right now. Actually, I've been having it for quite a while, but in all honesty I don't trust the vet's opinion as some dog people here may know...they push brands that fund them such as Science Diet. Mine pushes both Science Diet, and Royal Canin. And frankly, I like the fact my vet praises me for having Ori and Jas are on Royal Canin, but I still feel they do it for business as well...I've been hearing more bad things about it than good. To the point even I'm ashamed to tell others what they're on and I won't even recommend it to others myself.
However, I've been looking at two other brands since, and comparing, but for a number of reasons. Jasmine being 15 months old now, is not growing properly. I've tried asking my vet what in the world is going on, and they keep telling me that because she's on Royal Canin, she's fine. However her head is way too small for her age and breed, while her height is pretty standard and expected, she's not "stocky" like her line is supposed to be as an English Cream.
I don't know how to explain it, and photos really do not help as she looks different in reality than she does on film...but her head is half the size of Ori's and he's of a different bloodline which isn't a "stocky" line. So I just know something is going awry here. I've been thinking of switching her back to the puppy variety just for a few months, as she was switched to "adult" a little earlier than the recommended 15 months of age. However, if I do switch back...I'm thinking of it being to something else. Only that the only "better" and more recommended brands I know and like are almost impossible to find in Australia. Taste of the Wild being one, which is only found in one store in the whole country, and sadly...nowhere near me. The other being Blue Buffalo, which despite searching, doesn't seem to be here at ALL.
There's two holistic brands I've just enquired about, but neither are grain-free (not that Royal Canin is grain-free anyway, but still) and I haven't a clue anything about them, except that one is Canadian and the other is Australian-made. Which I have to say, the latter makes me a little wary because I'll admit, Australia's knowledge on a lot of dog or pet care in general isn't anywhere NEAR where it is in the US from what I've seen. Even most of the vets make me terribly nervous because I honestly don't think they know or care very much. Yes, I'm probably slightly paranoid. Lol. The fact that NONE of the pet supply stores or vets sell grain-free foods should tell just as much, though.
So I need some advice if people could. Should I just stick with Royal Canin and switch Jasmine back to puppy variety for a short while? The woman I spoke to on the phone at the pet supply store did say she could be on the puppy variety for up to 2 years old and that might give her the growth spurt she so desperately needs at her age now. Or should I still keep looking elsewhere?
I'm not entirely sure that it's the food causing the problem but I can just tell something is off, and the vet refuses to listen to any of my concerns. Their excuse is either that she's female, or that she'll be a smaller Golden...but annoyingly her parents aren't as small as her, when Ori was her age he WAS fully grown. I mean, as least he had an endearingly "fat head" when he was hitting the 5 month mark.
Jasmine and Ori are really the only two dogs I've raised from puppies to adult, so I'm still VERY new at this and normally I wouldn't worry if Jasmine wasn't as old as she was now...but she should not be this small at her age. Her parents, grandparents and great grandparents were fully built and proportioned, she comes from champion lines and she was NOT the runt. So what the heck is the deal and how can I boost her up?
Height-wise, she's fine. But her head is small compared to what it should be, her tail still looks like it hasn't "bushed-out" and she's VERY lanky for her more "stocky" supposed-to-be stature. If I didn't know any better (which I do, thankfully) I'd say she was looking like a scrawny mutt or she was still in her 5-month-old awkward stage.
Okay, I'll leave these here so I don't ramble on any more...
