[Skye G]

Just wondering if those here tend to have hard keeping or easy keeping dogs …It can be a struggle w/ the hard keepers, especially when they’re not too food motivated, like my girl. I’ve got a system these days to keep her eating and keep weight on her though. =)
She’s 53lbs and gets 2 cups twice a day of Canidae All Life Stages(468cal/cup), plus a bit on the bottom of the bowl of whatever 400cal+ canned food I feel like buying.
She could probably stand to gain a pound, but she’s at a pretty good weight generally speaking.
What about you all?

[Anonymous]

I have never had a dog that has not been eager to eat. Unless they are sick.

My 10 pound dog eats almost as much as my 20 pound dog. Both are fit and trim.
I don’t count calories, for myself or my pets. I don’t believe packaging is accurate for one thing, and another thing, just like people, some dogs are blessed with a good metabolism and some aren’t.
Of course I use common sense, adjust amounts accordingly, offer a healthy diet and provide adequate exercise.

[Anonymous]

I just realized I hadn’t answered your question.
They get about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of kibble with a tablespoon of cooked chicken or some other topper, usually cooked lean meat or a glob of wet food twice a day. Maybe a bite of something midday and at bedtime. One weighs 10 pounds, the other 20 pounds.
I have a senior that has to have frequent small meals and they all give me the look….otherwise I might not give them the extra bite (midday and bedtime)

Ps: These 2 are walked at least 2 miles per day.

[Skye G]

Thanks for responding! That sounds pretty reasonable for a dog w an average metabolism, maybe slightly higher or lower. My parents 25lb Cocker Spaniel w/ a slower than average metabolism gets slightly under 1/4 cup twice a day of the Natural Balance Fish and Sweet Potatoes at 380cal/cup, w/ a generous helping of green beans mixed in. She is constantly ravenous.
I’m pretty big on calories, probably not least because I am in recovery from an eating disorder, and calories were at one point my entire life. I do agree w you that the labels are most likely a bit off, but probably not by much, at least IMO. I think it’s a little part of the puzzle of dog nutrition, probably not too important for easy keeping dogs, but for hard keepers like mine I feel like its something I should pay attention to.
Again, thanks for the input. =)

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by Skye G.

[Pitlove]

My 68lb pitbull eats one 13.2oz can of wet food twice daily with a half cup of Precise Holistic Complete on top. He has weighed in the last several months (maybe 6 or more) 66 lbs then 64 and now 68 and has looked the same the whole time. Extremely muscular and very trim and fit.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by Pitlove.

[Skye G]

Thanks for the input!
I meant to say My family’s Cocker gets 1/3 to slightly under 1/2 a cup twice a day, two just under 1/4 cup scoops. She got just under 1/4 cup when she was 40lbs working her way down to the 25lbs she’s at now. =)

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by Skye G.

[InkedMarie]

Mine are easy keepers for the most part and are lean at eating 8-9oz each per day.

[DogFoodie]

Mine are painfully easy keepers. One of mine gets about 325 kcals per day and the other about 1,000 kcals per day.

Because I rotate a lot of different foods of different types, it’s important for me to keep track of the kcals I’m feeding rather than a volume measurement.

[pugmomsandy]

The pugs eating kibble here get 2/3 to a rounded 1 cup per day. Occasionally, a young whipper snapper will get 1.5 cups per day. And most days there is some canned topper. The raw fed pugs get 6-7 oz per day. The pugs range from 15-27 lbs (I think. Haven’t weighed the big one in a while).

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by pugmomsandy.

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