I was considering buying a Leonberger puppy that's 8 weeks old, but the
pup's paws are turned inward. The breeder claims it was from the dog's
diet, which he's altered. Does this sound possible, and should I avoid
buying a puppy w/ this problem?

Is this a common problem w/ this breed, or large breeds?

Is this a sign of genetic defects?

Is it possible that changing the dog's diet will correct this problem
and that there won't be permanent damage?

The farmer said that he was feeding the pups potted meat with whole
milk mixed in. He's now placed them on adult dog food under advice from
his friend who is a groomer and breeder.

Any advice from people with knowledge on the subject, especially from
personal experience would be greatly appreciated!

"damandsave" wrote in message:
I was considering buying a Leonberger puppy that's 8 weeks old, but the
pup's paws are turned inward. The breeder claims it was from the dog's
diet, which he's altered. Does this sound possible, and should I avoid
buying a puppy w/ this problem?

It is possible, but it depends.

Is this a common problem w/ this breed, or large breeds?

HOD is a problem in giant breeds. This pup for example, has HOD
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...un14wks003.jpg

Is this a sign of genetic defects?

Again, without seeing the pup and having a diagnosis for the pup, it is hard
to tell. Some have anomalies due to poor breeding, others have growth
related bone diseases that could cause that.

Is it possible that changing the dog's diet will correct this problem
and that there won't be permanent damage?

Yes and yes, IF the problem is HOD. Giant breed dogs need to grow
sloooowly, and feeding them a high quality adult dog food (about 21%
protein, 12% fat) is recommended. When fed typical puppy foods or other
foods with higher protein/fat content, they can develop HOD. Treatment
involves rest, pain meds and switching to the right food. Whether the pup
gets over it or not (some are so bad they have to be euthanized) really
depends on the severity of the problem.

The farmer said that he was feeding the pups potted meat with whole
milk mixed in. He's now placed them on adult dog food under advice from
his friend who is a groomer and breeder.

If the farmer didn't know the appropriate food for the pups, didn't know
what the problem was when he saw it, and didn't seek out a vet consult to
fix it, I'm not sure if he would know how to breed healthy dogs with good
disposition. Considering that these dogs have a short lifespan anyway and a
plethora of health problems, I would be wary of buying dogs from someone who
appears to be pretty clueless.

There is some really good information here about how to go about finding a
good breeder for your Leo:
http://www.leonbergerclubofamerica.com/findpuppy.aspx

And here are the most common health problems in the breed:
http://www.leowatch.org/HTMLfiles/He...lth-Issues.htm

Suja

P.S. I was checking out some of the breeders listed on the LCA site, and
OMG, they make for *such* adorable puppies.
(http://bluebonnetleos.com/_wsn/page3.html)

On 27 Sep 2006 05:57:27 -0700, "damandsave"
wrote:

The farmer said that he was feeding the pups potted meat with whole
milk mixed in. He's now placed them on adult dog food under advice from
his friend who is a groomer and breeder.

It seems likely that this particular breeder/farmer does not know a
lot about nutrition and health issues. That makes it unlikely that he
looked after the health issues that needed to be looked after before
he even bred his dog. I wouldn't get a dog from this particular
breeder. Let him practice his first inexperienced breeding at someone
else's expense. I don't think this is just a matter of feeding kibble
over potted meat and whole milk, nor do I have any idea why anyone
with knowledge would have been feeding them potted meat and milk in
the first place. Run, don't walk, or this is likely to be just the
beginning of vet bills and unpleasant surprises.

--
Paula
"Anyway, other people are weird, but sometimes they have candy,
so it's best to try to get along with them." Joe Bay