Author Topic: I am feeding enough?  (Read 8340 times)

Offline apple25

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I am feeding enough?
« on: November 24, 2008, 12:26:04 pm »
Hi everyone,

It has been a while since I last posted, but I still visit regularly to see what's all on the go :)

I have a question - Petra is now 7 months old and about 55 or 60 pounds . . . I haven't weighed her in a few weeks.  I have been feeding her Eagle Pack holistic large breed dog food - 4.5 cups a day split into 2 feedings.  I water down her food because she seems to like it better.  My question is this - she eats it really fast - it is gone in less then 10 minutes.  I just read for puppies you should let them eat as much as they want for 20 minutes.  I'm afraid if I switch to that she'll overeat.

What have other people done in the past?  I don't want to overfeed, but I also don't want her hungry.  She does have (obviously) a healthy appetite - should I up her to 5 to 5.5 cups a day??

Thanks! 

Offline shangrila

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Re: I am feeding enough?
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2008, 12:36:45 pm »
I'm not sure what the recommended feeding amount is on that brand, but you should have a rough idea how much to feed based on her weight if you look at the serving suggestion chart on the bag. And you can tell if she's getting the right amount by feeling her rib cage - she should have a thin layer of fat over her ribs.

The speed that she eats doesn't neccesarily mean that she is starved. Some dogs just eat fast. Eating too fast can cause gulping of air that could lead to bloat, so you want to try and get her to slow down. You can buy a bowl called a brake fast bowl http://www.brake-fast.net/ that helps, or you could make a DIY version by putting safe obstacles in her bowl that she needs to eat around
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Offline ZooCrew

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Re: I am feeding enough?
« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2008, 12:45:33 pm »
Lordie, if I let my dogs eat as much as they wanted in 20 min, they'd all be blimps!  ;D

I think as long as she's at a good weight, there's no reason to change the amoung she's getting.  If I recall, when Gunther was growing, I would add 1/4 cup of food every few weeks to a month.

I agree though that if she's eating that fast, you may want to slow her down a bit.  :)

Tonda

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Re: I am feeding enough?
« Reply #3 on: November 24, 2008, 01:49:21 pm »
If she's growing apace, not too skinny, etc., then don't up her food. I feed the same food, and the bag says that the amount goes DOWN as they get older and their growth rate slows. You're already feeding her more than the recommended amount for her age/size (50-69 lbs @ 7 months = 3 1/4 - 4 c.). If you up it, you simply risk having an overweight dog. My pups scarf their food down lickity-split as well, and they're ALWAYS ready, willing and able to eat anything else that might be accessible. LOL.

If she's SUPER active OR if she's too thin, then she might need more food (or she might be ready for/need something with a higher protein content). My beasts are total couch potatoes, so I don't expect to run into that problem myself.

Offline apple25

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Re: I am feeding enough?
« Reply #4 on: November 24, 2008, 02:07:38 pm »
Thanks,

I did wonder . . . I knew I was close to the upper limit of the food - I guess when she switched from 6 mths to 7 mths I should have gone down.  She is not overly active - we go for walks and have playtime, but she likes to lay down and relax inside, so I'll have to be careful not too feed her too much.

I will look into getting something into her bowl so she doesn't wolf it down.

Thanks!

Tonda

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Re: I am feeding enough?
« Reply #5 on: November 24, 2008, 02:29:33 pm »
You might look into an antibloat bowl if you're worried about how quickly your dog eats. I recently got them for my pups and they slow them down quite a bit.

http://www.fetchdog.com/shop/a/dog_bowls/dog_bowls_and_mats/H30015


lookingfornewf

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Re: I am feeding enough?
« Reply #6 on: November 24, 2008, 05:02:41 pm »
Ooooooo, I don't know about that 20 minute thing. I think that is just for slow eaters. If I gave Clifford 20 minutes I think he would eat the whole 30 pound bag of food. You really just have to go by how they look. If my dogs are getting a little fat I lower their food, looking a little thin I add a bit. If only I could do that well with myself. ::) ;D

Offline KiraNGunnersmom

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Re: I am feeding enough?
« Reply #7 on: November 25, 2008, 02:17:27 am »
Our picky Chihuahua takes 20 or more minutes to eat but not the two hoovers.
I place the bowl down, walk away and put away the food and come back and most of the time it's gone and they are looking at me like, Hey where's our food?!

Kira- Akita
Gunner-Mastiff
cockateils-Peanut Butter & Jelly
Beta fish-Mak