Quick question about food... I know just a few wks ago, when I first got Lucks, we were having trouble with him eating. He wasn't eating anything. Well fast forward, three weeks... Now he is eating like a little piggy! Seriously! Now I leave food out for him all day. so he can eat it as his leisure. I always make sure there's food in it. So when it is empty, I fill it back up again. Well he has been eating about 2.5 cups of food a day!! I was reading and he should not be eating that much I was reading that a 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup should be given twice a day. So if I went with that, hes eating a cup over the recommended amount. My question is, if the bowl is empty, should I refill it? Or should I wait until dinner time? I don't want him to get overweight. But then again, I feel bad when his bowl is empty. Any suggestions!? |
What food are you feeding? When we first got Jada she wouldn't eat and I was spastic and adding everything to her kibble to make her eat. She gained way too much and had to be cut back as she got overweight. Those amounts sound really high. Jada my 6lb girl gets 2T twice daily plus green beans and Bogie my 7lb9oz boy gets 3T twice daily and they eat Natural Balance LID sweet potato and venison. They maintain their weights on these amounts. Also how much does Lucks weigh? |
2.5 cups per day is WAY too much! I am surprised you are not getting mushy or runny poo with that. I know 50lb dogs who are fed that per day. Sounds like he just really likes the food and is more comfortable with you now! Some dogs can not self maintain and will eat until they throw up, lol. It sounds like scheduled feedings would be best. Jackson is 16lbs and eats 3/4 cup of kibble per day, mixed with a dab of wet food. He's also very active for the most part. I give him 1/4 cup of Fromm Duck for breakfast, mixed with a tad of Weruva wet food. Sometimes I'll give him 1/2 cup for dinner all in one meal, or sometimes I'll give him 1/4 in the afternoon and another 1/4 around 7pm. It just depends on his activity for the day. |
Lucky is on Natural Balance LID food. The Chix one. At first he wouldnt touch it. Now all he does is eat! Haha! He weighs about 13-15lbs. So he is a bit bigger than most. I just feel bad. I dont want him to always be hungry. |
I often stuff my face when I am not really hungry.... doesn't mean I SHOULD be eating that. lol. 2.5 cups per day of any food is entirely too much for a 14-15lb dog. Maybe a find a food with a bit more fat/protein/calories so you can feed less but he will still feel fufilled and full. You could also try green beans so it fills him up. |
Have medical conditions been ruled out (particularly intestinal parasites)? |
Yes. He went to the vets and everything checked out fine. He is going back in two wks for a skin condition but other than that he is healthy! I started measuring the food. Im going to give him 1 cup a day. Half in the morning and half at night and once it is gone, he wont get anymore. And why green beans!? Why does that make them full!? |
You usually should go along with what the bag states although it can vary a little according to age and activity level. I would give half in the morning and half in the late afternoon. If your dog is very active you may be able to feed a little more but not as much as what he has been getting. If he is a puppy make sure you feed according to puppy guidelines. |
I find the bag always OVER estimates actually. I rarely feed the recommended amount, unless a dog is super active, or some just have a better metabolism than others. But I believe the bag recs are based on unaltered active dogs or something like that. So typically a neutered/spayed companion pet does not need that much. Every dog is different. I would definitely lower it to 1 cup to start and continue to monitor his body his body condition and weight and go by that. |
Give him what he's suppose to eat each day, good to weigh the food so its excactly right amount of food :) best to split the day amount of food in two parts, feed one in the morning and one part at dinner time :) I do that with Fido, if he only eats once a day he barfs often in the morning cause his stumach gets so empty. |
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