Dog Community

The "feed less" argument

Posted : 3/19/2007 12:35:35 PM

I thought this was interesting:

Name & Kcal/cup

I'm not endorsing these foods, or suggesting that someone not switch, but perhaps this isn't the best argument to use. The difference is minimal and someone who is convinced to switch from Dog Chow to Chicken Soup because they're told they'll feed less might be sorely dissapointed when they find out Chicken Soup has almost 100 less kcal/cup.

Oh and I know there are a couple of very dense 500+ kcal/cup foods, and I didn't include them because they don't make up the majority and they don't agree with a lot of dogs. Personally I like the less dense foods - easier to digest and the dog gets more bulk and feels more satisfied.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 3/19/2007 12:58:45 PM

Do they really need the same amount of the better foods as the corn based diets? Even though the calories are the same, wouldn't they be getting less nutrition?

Stacita

Posted : 3/19/2007 1:12:35 PM

It depends on how many of the calories the dog is actually absorbing. I recently had to add rice (specifically white rice) back into the diet for one of my dogs due to a specific kidney diet. Although his coat and everything still look wonderful, he does have bigger poops and is ingesting about 1200 calories per day rather than 1050 (it varies a little per batch) before.

My dogs always did fine no matter what the density of the food. I actually prefer a less dense food because my dogs really enjoy their meals and they get to eat just a little bit more. [

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sooner

Posted : 3/19/2007 1:13:00 PM

Feeding Recommendations

Chicken Soup:

Dog Chow:

California Natural 100 lb dog:

Obviously they're not getting the same quality of nutrition, but the quantity difference is minimal.

jessies_mom

Posted : 3/19/2007 1:25:54 PM

Do they really need the same amount of the better foods as the corn based diets? Even though the calories are the same, wouldn't they be getting less nutrition?

I think you have to compare feeding instructions. When Jessie was on the IVD Potato and Rabbit diet she had to fed about 500 more calories for her weight than when she was eating Eagle Pack Duck; I'm not comparing calories per cup but recommended feeding amounts. I e-mailed Royal Canin and said I wanted to limit her intake to 900 calories and they said she wouldn't get enough nutrition with that amount.

jessies_mom

Posted : 3/19/2007 1:27:50 PM

Personally I like the less dense foods - easier to digest and the dog gets more bulk and feels more satisfied.

Me too; Jessie never gets enough to eat as far as she's concerned.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 3/19/2007 1:30:04 PM

That's really interesting, Kelly.

Emma eats far fewer calories, in fresh food, than she did in kibble. She actually eats a smaller amount of food. That's why I was wondering if you wouldn't end up feeding less of the high end food, either way.

mudpuppy

Posted : 3/19/2007 2:43:20 PM

the experience of dog owners is that you DO feed much less of foods with fewer fillers.
Those feeding instructions and calorie counts are highly inaccurate. They determine calorie content of food by burning it in the lab-- it doesn't take into account how much of the food the dog can actually digest. So you feed the dog 500 calories of poorly digested corn. He's not getting 500 calories. All that fiber and grain just makes the dog gassy and produce huge poops.
I haven't a clue how they generate those feeding instructions. Fantasy land maybe?

jessies_mom

Posted : 3/19/2007 3:20:27 PM

I haven't a clue how they generate those feeding instructions. Fantasy land maybe?

In the case of the IVD I fed Jessie, and in most other cases I suspect, it's based on the nutrient density of the kibble they make. Royal canin believes a less dense kibble allows for more absorption.

mudpuppy

Posted : 3/19/2007 3:29:48 PM

I've never found the feeding instructions on any brand to be even remotely accurate.

shamrockmommy

Posted : 3/19/2007 4:32:48 PM

ORIGINAL: jessies_mom

Personally I like the less dense foods - easier to digest and the dog gets more bulk and feels more satisfied.

Me too; Jessie never gets enough to eat as far as she's concerned.

Me three. My minpin would love it if he could have a good cup rather than a third twice a day.
It's like saying you *could* get all the nutrition you need in a handy dandy health bar but dang if I'd feel like I wanted to eat more!

Stacita

Posted : 3/19/2007 4:50:14 PM

If everyone fed what's on the feeding directions, 95 percent of dogs would be overweight.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 3/19/2007 4:56:19 PM

If everyone fed what's on the feeding directions, 95 percent of dogs would be overweight.

Ummm.... they aren't?

DPU

Posted : 3/19/2007 5:05:11 PM

I don't care to know anything about ingredience, calories, price, etc. Based on a thread here, I switched from Pedigree/Purina One dry and canned to Merrick's dry and canned. The Danes got 6-7 cups and one can. Some days they had leftovers and would stash their left overs some where in the house. For the Merrick, same amount but no leftovers ever. I had the dogs on Merrick for 2 months. The dogs lost weight and the stoole never got totally solid. In my home the pricey nutrious food did not result in less food intake. They are back on Pedigree and things got back to normal within a few days. I will give it a couple of months and try another nutrious brand and see if I get the positive results that are stated on this forum.

tony

Posted : 3/19/2007 6:16:18 PM

I don't care to know anything about ingredience, calories, price, etc. Based on a thread here, I switched from Pedigree/Purina One dry and canned to Merrick's dry and canned. The Danes got 6-7 cups and one can. Some days they had leftovers and would stash their left overs some where in the house. For the Merrick, same amount but no leftovers ever. I had the dogs on Merrick for 2 months. The dogs lost weight and the stoole never got totally solid. In my home the pricey nutrious food did not result in less food intake. They are back on Pedigree and things got back to normal within a few days. I will give it a couple of months and try another nutrious brand and see if I get the positive results that are stated on this forum.

Just feed what you feel comfortable with and what gives you the best results, some people prefer to feed holistic foods and like the results that they get, others prefer feeding foods from major manufacturers and the results they get from those, there are pro's and con's to both, so just listen to what your dogs tell you and not what someone on a web board says.