How much do you feed your dog?

• 07-03-2008 9:04 AM

  In reply to brookcove

  willowchow Joined on 09-10-2007 Posts 6,319 Points 300	Re: How much do you feed your dog? Reply Contact Willow's the same way, she doesn't eat nearly as many calories per day as you'd expect her to.  They had told me around 800 calories for her, I'd be surprised if she gets 600.  But, she maintains her weight.
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• 07-03-2008 10:14 AM

  In reply to willowchow

  brookcove Joined on 09-10-2007 Semora, North Carolina, USA Posts 4,297 Points 335

  Re: How much do you feed your dog? Reply Contact Hmm.  So I was looking at the wrong dog last night and Maggie actually eats 550 kcal per day. I realized that when I was feeding this morning.     That's not shocking for a 35 pound senior dog, though - she's always been a very easy keeper.  Keeping her from getting pudgy is an interesting job, in fact.  I have to be careful with the raw feeding - if I switch things up and am not paying attention, it may turn out that the item she's getting is more calorie dense.  Hence, the spreadsheets. Becca Shouse Maggie and Zhi (queen bees), Ben, Gus, Cord, Rocky, Ted (BCs), Lu and Tully (Maremma flock guardians) "Protect, Herd, Love" Irena Farm, Semora, NC "We didn't have a phone, and we couldn't call you!" Helen, AIDS orphan. Don't let them die of ignorance - WorldHelp.net "I-Dog Biggest Loser" Official Cheerleader/Mascot Start 09/15/08: 186.4 lbs Current 185.5 lbs

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• 07-03-2008 12:52 PM

  In reply to brookcove

  mudpuppy Joined on 09-10-2007 Posts 5,477 Points 100	Re: How much do you feed your dog? Reply Contact I have a 150 pound dog and a 85 pound dog that eat the same number of calories per day. Every dog is different. I feel their bodies once a week and adjust as needed to keep them nice and skinny.
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• 07-03-2008 3:48 PM

  In reply to IrishSetterGrl

  jessies_mom Joined on 09-10-2007 Indiana Posts 4,240 Points 40

  Re: How much do you feed your dog? Reply Contact  Jessie gets about 680 calories a day. She's almost 10, weighs 60 pounds, and is a GSD mix. I walk her 3 to 5 miles daily, depending on how much time I have; most of the time we walk more than 3 miles. She also does some running at the park a few times a week. Life isn't about waiting through the storm; it's about learning to dance in the rain. Janice

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• 07-04-2008 8:44 AM

  In reply to brookcove

  momoftwo Joined on 10-15-2006 Posts 172 Points 0	Re: How much do you feed your dog? Reply Contact my 60 lb. spayed, 2 yr old girl gets 1 cup dry food with some good people food mixed in (not much) 2 x a day.  She really is not that active of a dog and my 180 lb english mastiff (believe it or not) eats 2 cups dry and people food mixed in 2 x a day and maintains his 180 lb physique.
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• 07-04-2008 10:51 AM

  In reply to momoftwo

  jenns Joined on 09-10-2007 NE New Jersey Posts 1,043 Points 10

  Re: How much do you feed your dog? Reply Contact I haven't calculated calories but Zack is a 9lb, 8 month old Manchester Terrier and he eats 1 1/8 cups of kibble a day along with bits of cheese and boiled chicken throughout the day as training treats.  Zoe is 8lb and 3 months old, and she is 1/2 cup of kibble a day.   Note how Zack eats more than twice what she does and they are around the same weight. Zoe - 3 year old chocolate and tan miniature dachshund Zack - 10 month old toy manchester terrier Ally - 9 year old black and white domestic shorthair cat

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• 07-05-2008 11:54 PM

  In reply to jenns

  jdata Joined on 09-10-2007 Posts 523 Points 2,440	Re: How much do you feed your dog? Reply Contact Scout gets fed 2.06% of his weight which he gets 6.80 oz or 0.85 cup. Chloe gets fed 2.5% of her weight which she gets 5.20 oz or 0.65 cup. They are on the prey model diet since this past February.
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• 07-06-2008 11:53 PM

  In reply to IrishSetterGrl

  Spicy_Bulldog Joined on 06-19-2008 Posts 189 Points 350

  Re: How much do you feed your dog? Reply Contact  Mine vary sometimes but this is about what they are eating now. 4.5 months, male American Pit Bull Terrier 21lbs 16.5oz 5 months, female APBT 18.5lbs 12oz Almost 7 months, female APBT 23lbs 14.5oz 1yr old, female Cane Corso 68lbs 34oz Almost 1yr, female APBT 33lbs 18oz Her brother 39lbs 20oz Almost 1yr, female APBT 26lbs 10oz 13 month, male APBT 45lbs 18oz 2yr old, female APBT 34lbs 13oz 32 month old, female APBT low 30s 12oz 3yr old, female APBT 33lbs 12oz 3yr old, female Caucasian Ovtcharka over 100lbs 28-32oz, once a week about 16-18oz 5yr old, female APBT 31lbs 10oz 5yr old, male APBT 50s 20oz 6yr old, male APBT 46lbs 18oz 6yr old, female APBT 35lbs 9oz 7yr old male APBT 40s 16oz 7yr old, female APBT 40lbs 14oz

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• 07-07-2008 2:53 AM

  In reply to Spicy_Bulldog

  daisyprincess Joined on 09-10-2007 Posts 257 Points 0	Re: How much do you feed your dog? Reply Contact Wow I'm bad my dogs eat whenever they want, have a dish out and fill it up whenever it gets empty is that bad to do?
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• 07-07-2008 10:09 AM

  In reply to daisyprincess

  mudpuppy Joined on 09-10-2007 Posts 5,477 Points 100	Re: How much do you feed your dog? Reply Contact yes, free-feeding is a very bad thing to do to your dogs.
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• 07-07-2008 10:31 AM

  In reply to mudpuppy

  KarissaKS Joined on 06-01-2007 La Crosse, WI Posts 623 Points 795

  Re: How much do you feed your dog? Reply Contact Luke's needs have cut way back as he's gotten older.  He's down to 86.5 lbs and gets 2 cups/day of Innova Evo Red Meat.  I cut him back from 3 cups this winter because he'd gotten up to 93.5 lbs and that's just too much for his frame when he's doing agility.  Even now, he wouldn't look too skinny if he got down to 85 lbs, hence why I'm keeping him at 2 cups.  He's not losing much now, though -- probably because of all the raw bones I feed on the side. Kaiser is a free feeder.  I keep food out all the time and he picks at it here and there.  He's up to 11 lbs now and I highly doubt that he actually consumes the one cup a day of his Innova puppy that is recommended.  I'd say he eats half that, really.  The rest of his diet is filled with training treats and raw bones. So in response to the above post -- Free feeding is not a bad thing for every dog.  That is a very general and broad statement to make.  If your dogs tend to over eat then yes, it's bad.  But some of us struggle to get enough calories into our dogs and feel it's best to have food offered at all times.  Kaiser's metabolism is like a hummingbird and it is best for him to have small amounts all day long. Luke -- Lab/Shepherd (1-1-04) Kaiser -- Alaskan Klee Kai (12-30-07) Sar -- Arabian gelding (4-11-80) Norman -- Percheron/TB gelding (6-18-00)

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• 07-07-2008 1:03 PM

  In reply to daisyprincess

  brookcove Joined on 09-10-2007 Semora, North Carolina, USA Posts 4,297 Points 335

  Re: How much do you feed your dog? Reply Contact  You aren't "bad."  You are just following a common practice.  It's true that it's less than ideal - even for dogs that seem to "need" free feeding it's a compromise in my opinion.  The problem is that - quick - how much does any particular dog eat?  Did they eat what they normally eat today or some less?  More?  I can tell a lot about the health of my dog and the suitability of their food for them, based on how much food they have to eat to stay healthy.  I also monitor health using one of the first signs of unease - inappetance (leaving food).  No dog in my household eats exactly the same food as any other dog, now.  That would be impossible if I fed Golden Corral style.  Lynn gets a special diet for her sensitive tummy, and because she's a growing large breed puppy.  Ben gets allergy diet and would become very ill if he ate any of Lynn's very poultry-based diet.  Gus and Maggie would get fat as a pig if they raided Lynn's bowl, and Zhi would be all over in zits. You can google "Free feeding pets" if you would like to put some more thought into this topic.  There are tons of articles out there - not just dog nerds like us, but also vets are not too keen on free feeding.  Monica Segal also has good discussions on this in her books.  Becca Shouse Maggie and Zhi (queen bees), Ben, Gus, Cord, Rocky, Ted (BCs), Lu and Tully (Maremma flock guardians) "Protect, Herd, Love" Irena Farm, Semora, NC "We didn't have a phone, and we couldn't call you!" Helen, AIDS orphan. Don't let them die of ignorance - WorldHelp.net "I-Dog Biggest Loser" Official Cheerleader/Mascot Start 09/15/08: 186.4 lbs Current 185.5 lbs

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• 07-07-2008 1:34 PM

  In reply to daisyprincess

  CoBuHe Joined on 08-03-2007 Southeast Texas Posts 868 Points 35

  Re: How much do you feed your dog? Reply Contact Different strokes as they say.  But, I've never free-fed.  I want to know what each dog's daily intake (and output is ). Buddy 9 years old, 117 pounds low activity Labrador Retriever gets 3 cups of Innova a day (thats about 1,670 calories; been dieting to lose weight slowly). Heidi 18 months old, 58 pounds high activity GSD gets 4 cups of Innova a day (roughly 2,200 calories; want to keep her slim, but she is still developing).

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• 07-07-2008 2:32 PM

  In reply to CoBuHe

  whtsthfrequency Joined on 09-10-2007 Blacksburg, VA Posts 987 Points 200

  Re: How much do you feed your dog? Reply Contact I think free-feeding really depends on the dog. I measure out a cup or cup and a half of food in the morning and leave it out all day. If she eats it all, I'll stick some more in for that day, if she doesn't, I'll leave it. Some dogs however, will gobble everything you put in front of them. Ginny is more of a grazer so she's always been fine with free feeding. I keep track of how much she eats in general, but the bowl always has food in it.

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• 07-07-2008 4:39 PM

  In reply to Spicy_Bulldog

  BCMixs Joined on 01-10-2008 Virginia Posts 1,393 Points 25

  Re: How much do you feed your dog? Reply Contact OMG! You have 18 dogs?!?!?!  Wow, hats off to you!  Do you live on a large property?     ~~Sorry for the hijack, I was just floored by this list!    ~~   Woobie was free fed until Indie came along, he wasn't a big eater and would only eat what he needed.  Even with our schedule now, he won't always eat all that's offered if he hasn't exercised.  Some dogs are great self-regulators, so I think free feeding those dogs is less of a problem.  30 lbs. by Christmas, down 4 lbs., 26 to go!!!

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