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How do you assess if your dog is being fed enough? I switched to Solid Gold Hund n Flocken which for his weight states the amount to be 1 cup per day. However, the prior food (Nature's Recipe for adults) had me feeding him about 1 3/4 to 2 cups per day for his weight. I transitioned the food change over a 10 day period from the 2 cups of Nature's recipe to the Solid Gold.
I gave him a Nylabone the other night and he ate 3/4 of it in one sitting (<35 minutes).
I cut his snacks down since I was overfeeding him with his food and his snacks but he seems to always be looking for food. How do I assess that he is getting adequate nutrition / calories without overfeeding him (4 lb weight gain in 3 weeks)? He seems to be going to his food dish frequently.
Titan, I haven't looked to see how old your dog is... but remember as you upgrade foods your dog will require less because there is more nutrition in a single cup of high quality food than 4 cups of Ol' Roy.
The Nylabone...my dogs would eat one every 10 minutes if I kept handing them out...it's just pleasurable to them and tastes good but he's not eating it necessarily because he is hungry. He's getting adequate nutrition if he isn't sick, looking bad, losing his hair, etc. and you are feeding a good high quality food, which you are.
If he is the appropriate weight now, then cut back just a hair. Because he is always looking for food doesn't mean he will always get it. I am convinced mine would eat until they absolutely burst if given the opportunity. As long as he is getting the nutrition he needs, that's all that matters. Dogs are just like we are - if they eat a lot their stomachs will become used to a larger portion and they will feel like they are hungry due to the ability to pack a larger amount into their stomach. As they become accustomed to a smaller portion their stomachs will shrink or adjust as well and the serving you are giving will fill them up. Think of being on a diet...not a pleasurable sensation but one that passes. If you are on a diet you are going to have some hunger pains at first but then it settles down - and on a diet we don't require as large of a portion as perhaps we think we do, or as we've become accustomed to - but it doesn't mean we aren't getting a well balanced meal that will keep us going. I think we tend to equate what we want as humans into dog feelings, but dogs really don't require as big of a portion.
Pull his food dish up after he eats. I give mine X amount of time to consume (with mine it's like under 2 minutes!) and then I take the dishes up. They no longer look for them or go and sit and look at their empty dish pitifully, like they are on the verge of starvation.
It will take a little bit to tweak the amount of food you give to help your dog maintain the appropriate weight but you'll get it...and cut back a little more in the winter unless your dog is a hunter or in agility or something. For my couch potatoes, if I don't cut back fairly hard they will be roly-polys by spring. Yes, they look quite pitiful and would do great on a Sally Struthers ad - all sad eyes and pathetic - but the truth is they are healthy as horses, they just aren't getting what they want. You can try low-cal, no-cal treats like carrots or apples if he will eat them. If you're truly having sympathy pains, try an all-liver treats or something nutritious a couple of times a day - he'll enjoy them, they are pure protein, and your "poor baby" feelings will be calmed!
Titan, I haven't looked to see how old your dog is... but remember as you upgrade foods your dog will require less because there is more nutrition in a single cup of high quality food than 4 cups of Ol' Roy.
The Nylabone...my dogs would eat one every 10 minutes if I kept handing them out...it's just pleasurable to them and tastes good but he's not eating it necessarily because he is hungry. He's getting adequate nutrition if he isn't sick, looking bad, losing his hair, etc. and you are feeding a good high quality food, which you are.
If he is the appropriate weight now, then cut back just a hair. Because he is always looking for food doesn't mean he will always get it. I am convinced mine would eat until they absolutely burst if given the opportunity. As long as he is getting the nutrition he needs, that's all that matters. Dogs are just like we are - if they eat a lot their stomachs will become used to a larger portion and they will feel like they are hungry due to the ability to pack a larger amount into their stomach. As they become accustomed to a smaller portion their stomachs will shrink or adjust as well and the serving you are giving will fill them up. Think of being on a diet...not a pleasurable sensation but one that passes. If you are on a diet you are going to have some hunger pains at first but then it settles down - and on a diet we don't require as large of a portion as perhaps we think we do, or as we've become accustomed to - but it doesn't mean we aren't getting a well balanced meal that will keep us going. I think we tend to equate what we want as humans into dog feelings, but dogs really don't require as big of a portion.
Pull his food dish up after he eats. I give mine X amount of time to consume (with mine it's like under 2 minutes!) and then I take the dishes up. They no longer look for them or go and sit and look at their empty dish pitifully, like they are on the verge of starvation.
It will take a little bit to tweak the amount of food you give to help your dog maintain the appropriate weight but you'll get it...and cut back a little more in the winter unless your dog is a hunter or in agility or something. For my couch potatoes, if I don't cut back fairly hard they will be roly-polys by spring. Yes, they look quite pitiful and would do great on a Sally Struthers ad - all sad eyes and pathetic - but the truth is they are healthy as horses, they just aren't getting what they want. You can try low-cal, no-cal treats like carrots or apples if he will eat them. If you're truly having sympathy pains, try an all-liver treats or something nutritious a couple of times a day - he'll enjoy them, they are pure protein, and your "poor baby" feelings will be calmed!
Great question & great topic. Someone could feed their dog more or less, and it may or may not be "enough." What is more significant is *what* you are feeding a dog/pup, the frequency, and how much of it you are feeding. Many specifics contribute to how much to feed your pup/dog, including but not limited to the following:
1. Age/growth factor (e.g., a growing pup will generally eat more frequently and a greater amount, depending on what you are feeding it)
2. Climate (e.g., cooler climate - more energy required to maintain fitness unless a sedate pet)
3. Activity Level (e.g., higher level of dog's activity, more energy expended & required)
4. Type of food (e.g., healthier food - less of it needed compared to the common fillers: wheat, corn, by-products, sweeteners, salts, harmful preservatives, etc.)
If you are feeding a commercially-manufactured kibble or canned product: read the first five ingredients - these will tell you the bulk of what's in the bag. Avoid: the above-mentioned items for a healthier pup! There are others, but ... I'd recommend this site:
I began feeding my pup a raw diet at about 4 mos. (was feeding a mix of two great products: Nature's Variety - Raw Variety & Innova Evo - No Grain) when we ran out of these traveling (gone longer than anticipated) and had to end up driving two hours to find a place which carried even *one* of these. Decided it'd be easier picking up meat at a local grocerer's butcher. Have had no-turning-back results! Pup is very healthy, energetic, "regular", and happy!
I do *not* feed the full barf-diet. Many US-servers do not feed the full bone, so I feed pureed eggshell & give him a general vitamin for calcium. I also feed him a *little* cottage cheese/yogurt/shredded cheese. And he *does* receive a "recreational" (soup) bone daily - loves it! So... whether you decide to feed your pup the B.A.R.F. diet (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food aka Bones And Raw Food), you will still gather some great information from this site and other "BARF-ers! who post on various sites re: Canine Nutrition.
How to assess if your dog is being fed enough?
1. My dog stops eating when he's full. He ate a lot more frequently as a growing pup in up to six feedings per day initially (he ate a LOT) than he eats now in two, larger feedings/day. At one point he was gaining 3 lbs./week! (I was getting a little nervous with that one, but that only last about a month, then he tapered off.) The barf guide (if you can get your hands on one of Billinghurst's basic books, I'd highly recommend it - it provides excellent info per individual on answering this *per pet*.) Some ppl say they just keep the bowl full. I would not recommend this at all. Like ppl, some dogs will just eat, eat, eat. More of these folks are also not feeding as healthy of a diet as they are a big-name, mega-producer of dry kibble picked up at a local grocerer's or discount store.
The less in the food that the dog can actually use, the more of it the dog will eat bc it takes eating more of it to get what he needs nutritionally.
2. You should be able to physically feel but not see your pup's/dog's ribs.
3. Standing above the dog, you should see somewhat of an "hourglass" figure! Lean middle.
4. Looking beside your dog, ... you should see, somewhat of a "wave" - again, lean middle.
If you dog is longer-haired, guage by touch, running your hands along it's ribcage and middle. Here are two helpful sites in determining dog-weight:
A note about cellulose "treats": while many folks *do* give their dogs carrots, apples, ... a dog's intestinal system is much smaller/shorter than our's and does not digest these foods similarly. Depends on the dog. Also, many apples are too acidic and can make a dog (vomity/runs) sick. I feed mine Goldens, as recommended by an Apple Grower on those least acidic. I got a great deal in the fall - a bushel of "seconds" for $5 and just cut and froze them. Do not give the full apple - the seeds are noted to act, I believe, as a carcinogen. And actually, I just diced them in a mini-chopper - about the size of peas. Now I just toss a couple of slices into the blender when I make his meals.
I also gave my pup the edible Nylabones to begin - he LOVED them! But... once I learned more about Dog Nutrition... bye bye Nylabones. Nylabone also does not recommend them for pups less than 6 months old. Check ingredients & helpful hints: Nylabone
Avoid at least these preservatives: BHA, BHT, & Ethoxyquin.
Yes - to the poster recommending liver treats. I feed mine: Pro-treat Brand, 100% Liver, Preservative Free. I buy a larger container and put them in the freezer to refill the original smaller container I purchased to see if my pup would like them or not. He did! But just a few per day... see the container. Details: The Pet Specialist for The Original Freeze Dried Liver Training Treats, Kwik Stop & Pet Health Remedies.
I have always let my dogs eat at will. The bowl is there with food and if they're hungry they can eat.
Oliver is a healthy 72 lbs. and Sam is a healthy 50 lbs., if they get hungry they munch out of the bowl and go lay down. They never wolf their food and they do get dog treats at times during the day, which they prefer to wolf down rather than their food.
They're both Chichua's did I mention. (JUST KIDDING) The vet feels their weight is excellent and we're all happy.
I free choice from start so they know food available and eat what need. My dogs are not overweight except the english is getting that way but just got her a she is 4 and was fed a dish with others and had to grab what could but now she is learning food there. Now get her out training again and she will lose it.
How do you assess if your dog is being fed enough? I switched to Solid Gold Hund n Flocken which for his weight states the amount to be 1 cup per day. However, the prior food (Nature's Recipe for adults) had me feeding him about 1 3/4 to 2 cups per day for his weight. I transitioned the food change over a 10 day period from the 2 cups of Nature's recipe to the Solid Gold.
I gave him a Nylabone the other night and he ate 3/4 of it in one sitting (<35 minutes).
I cut his snacks down since I was overfeeding him with his food and his snacks but he seems to always be looking for food. How do I assess that he is getting adequate nutrition / calories without overfeeding him (4 lb weight gain in 3 weeks)? He seems to be going to his food dish frequently.
Some dogs are just like that. All of our dogs eat the amount of food they should be eating to get their nutrients and maintain a healthy body weight, they definitely aren't starved! lol! However, both of our girls eat like they have never seen food before, and they always seem to be looking for more food! If you can feel your dogs ribs when you pet him, but not see them, he is at a pretty good body weight. You don't want to be able to count his ribs or feel them too well, you should feel that there is some fat over them, but not so much that you can't feel them pretty easily. As long as he isn't too thin, and as long as he isn't acting or looking sick, I would think he is just fine. If you are worried about him though, I would say take him to the vet. It is normal for a dog to need different amounts of different foods. It all depends on the ingredients in the food. I'm sure he's fine, it might just take him a little while to adjust to not eating quite as much at each feeding.
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Dog Nutrition
Lean middle.
once I learned more about Dog Nutrition... bye bye Nylabones. Nylabone also does not recommend them for pups less than 6 months old. Check ingredients & helpful hints: 
But just a few per day... see the container. Details: 
However, both of our girls eat like they have never seen food before, and they always seem to be looking for more food! If you can feel your dogs ribs when you pet him, but not see them, he is at a pretty good body weight. You don't want to be able to count his ribs or feel them too well, you should feel that there is some fat over them, but not so much that you can't feel them pretty easily. As long as he isn't too thin, and as long as he isn't acting or looking sick, I would think he is just fine. If you are worried about him though, I would say take him to the vet. It is normal for a dog to need different amounts of different foods. It all depends on the ingredients in the food. I'm sure he's fine, it might just take him a little while to adjust to not eating quite as much at each feeding.
