Serving size for a small dog *Updates with pictures*

• 06-24-2009 8:40 PM

  oranges81 Joined on 10-13-2007 BC Canada Posts 3,617 Points 250

  Serving size for a small dog *Updates with pictures* Reply Contact  Sandy is my first small dog so this is a new thing for me...Bare with me. Lol. When I got Sandy, she was eating about a cup of kibble a day. I got her at 4 months. Now she'll be a year in July and has tapered off to about 1/2 a cup a day. I'm wondering if that's enough for her. She doesn't over eat, and when I feed her her second meal, she always leaves kibble behind. She gets two meals a day, 1/2 a cup at each. She'll eat about half a bowl at breakfast, and then finish it off for dinner. Sometimes I'll add more kibble if I don't think there's enough but she'll leave the extra kibble I've added and only eat the leftovers from breakfast.  So basically I'm wondering if she's getting enough food for a dog her size.  She's 11lbs, not fat, pure muscle and does agility with me. I'll get some pictures and update this thread to see if she's at a good weight for her size..       Can you tell she hates the camera.. Lol ~Kitty Train early, train often, train with no pain The most powerful feeling is the knowing you belong, and you are right were you should be It’s Love when you can watch them love another person, smile and say “I’m happy for you” when inside you want to die. "...you will be positively the most fearsome pirates in the Spanish Main." "Not just the Spanish Main, love. The entire ocean. The entire world. Wherever we want to go, we'll go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck, and sails, that's what a ship needs. But what a ship is, what the Black Pearl really is...is freedom." Jack Sparrow "Why is the rum gone??" - Jack Sparrow

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• 06-24-2009 8:54 PM

  In reply to oranges81

  stanton Joined on 09-10-2007 Posts 530 Points 0

  Re: Serving size for a small dog Reply Contact It truly depends on metabolism and energy use level, every dog, irregardless of size is different. I have a little chihuahua/dachsund mix at 6#, I keep him on the real thin side, probably just a very slight tad underweight cause he does have luxating patella issues that are almost non-existant as long as I keep him thin. Even so, he can put away nearly a pound of food a day (he eats fresh foods with a lot of moisture); he's not super high energy, but he does have a FAST metabolism. If I fed him dog food, I'd say he could eat around 1 to 1.5 cups of food and this is a 6# dog. Whereas my other 6# dog only requires 4-6oz of food a day; just depends. Currently owned by: Kuaui (chihuahua/Dat); Dakota (pomeranian); Rivers (NSDTR)

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• 06-24-2009 9:21 PM

  In reply to stanton

  tiffy Joined on 09-10-2007 Tacoma, Wa. Posts 2,482 Points 235	Re: Serving size for a small dog Reply Contact  I feed Tootsie 1/3 of a cup, 2x daily and shes 26 lbs. Shes not a typical corgi, not high-energy at all.
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• 06-24-2009 10:10 PM

  In reply to tiffy

  jennie_c_d Joined on 09-10-2007 Southeast Georgia Posts 11,067 Points 265

  Re: Serving size for a small dog Reply Contact  Emma (19 lbs) eats roughly 800 kcals a day. She's 5 years old, and a moderately active pet. Not super boingy, and not a sport dog or anything like that.   Ena (13 lbs) eats ...  Way less! Oops, I can't find the kcals on her kibble. I would guesstimate half as much. She's 17 months, and also moderately active. I keep both dogs lean. Ena has a luxating patella, and Emma has spinal issues, and an arthritic hip.

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• 06-24-2009 10:11 PM

  In reply to jennie_c_d

  jennie_c_d Joined on 09-10-2007 Southeast Georgia Posts 11,067 Points 265	Re: Serving size for a small dog Reply Contact  As far as cups, Emma gets 2 1/2 cups, plus a small can of prescription food. Ena gets a cup of dry, a spoonful of canned, and some treats.
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• 06-24-2009 10:52 PM

  In reply to oranges81

  erica1989 Joined on 02-21-2007 Clearwater, Florida Posts 4,360 Points 410	Re: Serving size for a small dog *Updates with pictures* Reply Contact Casey is 13# and eats 1/2-3/4 c. a day. depending on how active he is, and if I add anything else to it. I alternate between eggs, yogurt and canned for toppers. Depending on what, and how much of what I'm adding, the kibble amount varies. He's a soild, compact dog too - I'm very pleased with his weight.
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• 06-24-2009 10:57 PM

  In reply to erica1989

  kle1986 Joined on 10-22-2007 KY Posts 3,488 Points 915	Re: Serving size for a small dog *Updates with pictures* Reply Contact  Kujo is 4lbs and eats 1/2 cup of TOTW and whatever scraps Samantha gives her throughout the day. Kimberly
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• 06-24-2009 11:12 PM

  In reply to jennie_c_d

  brookcove Joined on 09-10-2007 Semora, North Carolina, USA Posts 5,632 Points 695

  Re: Serving size for a small dog Reply Contact  Your dog looks excellent for her age. I'd be concerned with a younger dog, for being a smidge on the skinny side, but it's hard to tell without the touch test. Terriers get hard muscle from the spine through the ribs but you can tell the difference easily by touching. And the top view doesn't show any vertebrae. That's when I get worried on a working-type dog. Becca Shouse: Irena Farm, Semora, NC Cord, Ted, Gus, Zhi, Maggie, Lynn, Lu, Min and Tully - and Sam! Waiting: Bubo & Ben http://irenafarm.blogspot.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/irenafarm?ref=profile

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• 06-24-2009 11:15 PM

  In reply to brookcove

  grab01 Joined on 09-10-2007 middle of the desert Posts 1,452 Points 0	Re: Serving size for a small dog Reply Contact Grimm is about 13# and gets 1 cup each day.  Soon we'll be cutting him back, when he gets a bit closer to a year. The elf gets 1/4 c each day and is 10# at the moment.   Jules is 12# and gets just over 1/2 c per day
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• 06-24-2009 11:39 PM

  In reply to grab01

  jettababy Joined on 03-05-2006 Posts 147 Points 0	Re: Serving size for a small dog Reply Contact  Jetta is 15 lbs and eats 1/2 cup kibble per day on a medium-calorie dense dog kibble. If I fed her a high cal one she has to eat way less and still is chubby, so I don't like to give her dense food.  She is pretty inactive except for short daily walks and games of fetch.  Poor Jetta gains weight just by looking at food tho...
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• 06-24-2009 11:42 PM

  In reply to jettababy

  jettababy Joined on 03-05-2006 Posts 147 Points 0	Re: Serving size for a small dog Reply Contact  My brother has a 12 lb min pin who eats over 1 cup per day, and she is still skinny even though she doesn't exercise much. It all depends on the dog, I guess.
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• 06-25-2009 9:42 AM

  In reply to jettababy

  KarissaKS Joined on 06-01-2007 La Crosse, WI Posts 1,072 Points 795

  Re: Serving size for a small dog Reply Contact I don't think she looks too skinny at all -- especially if you're doing agility.  We like them thin & sporty in agility.  So long as she has the energy to "get the job done," I think she's just fine. Luke is 85 lbs and only gets 2 cups of Taste of the Wild per day.  I generally bump it up to 3 cups on trial weekends and throw in protein powder to give him an energy boost and to help with the added physical requirements of the day. I have no idea what Kaiser (17 lbs) eats.  I keep food out for him 24/7 just to make sure he eats SOMETHING and he picks at it all day.  There are some days when I'm sure he must only eat about 1/2 cup, but then the next day he'll catch up and eat about 1 1/2 cups.  He maintains a trim weight all on his own, so I figure I'll continue to let him do this. Luke -- Lab/Shepherd (1-1-04) Elite Versatility, O-EAC, ECC, O-EJC, S-TN-E, O-TG-E, WV-E, HP-E Kaiser (CH'PR' Alasco's Kvichak) -- Alaskan Klee Kai (12-30-07) TBAD, TG1

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• 06-25-2009 8:52 PM

  In reply to KarissaKS

  jennie_c_d Joined on 09-10-2007 Southeast Georgia Posts 11,067 Points 265	Re: Serving size for a small dog Reply Contact  Ok, Bean's kibble has 420 kcal/cup, so she's getting roughly 500 kcal/day.   I agree, though, that  Sandy looks really good. She looks lean, and heavily muscled.
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• 06-26-2009 10:58 AM

  In reply to jennie_c_d

  shamrockmommy Joined on 09-10-2007 Innerspace Posts 1,099 Points 0	Re: Serving size for a small dog Reply Contact My minpin is about the same size as her. When he was young, he would eat 1/2 cup twice a day and stay at a nice, lean weight. Now he's 13.5 and I feed him 1/4 cup twice a day to maintain a healthy weight. At 1/2 cup twice daily, he was turning into a sausage. Shamrockmommy Furmom to Gobie the minpin terror, Lexi and Darby the bichon girls
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• 06-26-2009 7:58 PM

  In reply to shamrockmommy

  oranges81 Joined on 10-13-2007 BC Canada Posts 3,617 Points 250

  Re: Serving size for a small dog Reply Contact  I can feel her ribs with a thin layer of muscle but when she lays down I can feel and see a portion of her spine. She's always been like this but not when she's standing.  I guess I'll keep her at 1/2 cup and see what she does. She still has the energy to keep up with me on the field (And bark when I mess up lol) so there's no worry there. ~Kitty Train early, train often, train with no pain The most powerful feeling is the knowing you belong, and you are right were you should be It’s Love when you can watch them love another person, smile and say “I’m happy for you” when inside you want to die. "...you will be positively the most fearsome pirates in the Spanish Main." "Not just the Spanish Main, love. The entire ocean. The entire world. Wherever we want to go, we'll go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck, and sails, that's what a ship needs. But what a ship is, what the Black Pearl really is...is freedom." Jack Sparrow "Why is the rum gone??" - Jack Sparrow

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