Pro Plan Large Breed Adult vs. Performance - Any difference?

[caglatz]

Hi everyone - I know we may have touched on this before, but I am planning to switch my lab over from his current food (Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy) to a Pro Plan Adult Food. Without going into the merits of this "brand" or "age at conversion" - what would you recommend for a high charging, very energetic dog who will do a lot of hunting and training year round ? I'm sure there are other brands and combinations out there - I just really want to distinguish between the two for suggestions and if there really is a difference.

Pro Plan Large Breed Adult
protein 26%, fat 12%, fiber 4.5%, calcium 1.0%

Pro Plan Performance
protein 30%, fat 20%, fiber 3.00%, calcium 0.9%

[Ken Newcomb]

I would like to see how people feel about this. I used to feed a performance food to my pointer. My lab works hard but looks like a putz compared to the work the pointer used to do.

I also wonder if the Performance Pro Plan is needed for the labs.

[EdA]

Multiple studies have proved that the optimum diet for performance is 30% protein 20% fat, this ratio causes an increased number of cellular mitochondria and a significantly reduced rate of musculoskeletal injury.

An interesting blinded study on plantation Pointers by Iams showed a statistically significant increase in covey finds for dogs on Eukanuba Premium Performance vs 2 other popular performance diets

[Ken Archer]

I switched a couple months ago from Performance to Adult. I haven't seen any change in overall condition. The stools are less and more solid. They still have the glossy coat, but they have all been dropping coat like mad. I don't know if that is because of the change in food or the onset of hot weather following all the rain and relatively cool weather we had this Spring and Summer.

[ErinsEdge]

Performance. I take Euk Performance to my Pro for my competing dog because he feeds something else.

[Rick Hall]

Here's a link that may be of interest: Fat in the Dog's Diet

(For what it's worth, we've tried a number of feeds highly touted on these boards and now feed Pro Plan Performance during their hardest working months. Your milage may, of course, vary...)

[badbullgator]

I use the regular Pro Plan Adult only because all my dogs seem to like eating the smaller kibble better than the big. I use performance during December and January only because that is the peak of activity for my dogs between hunting, training and test. I don’t really think it matters much because my opinion is that most, even working labs, just don’t require it unless you have one serious training program and are doing road works as well as training hard.

[AmiableLabs]

Our dogs do MUCH better on the Performance than the Large Breed Adult.

SIGNIFICANT coat difference.

[WindyCreek]

I feed my 3 year old YLM Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy (28% Protein, 13% fat). The Protein and fat content are higher than adult food and for me it has worked well for training stamina and conditioning. Although not a major consideration it is a little cheaper than Performance.

[Gina]

Also many feed Performance to their lactating bitches. They bounce back faster and don't need the calcium in the puppy food.