[weezerweeks]

I have a 7lb yorkie and I feed him 1/4 cup in morning and 1/4 cup at night. The can has about 320 calories in it and it takes me 3 days to feed it. The dog food calculator says he should 1.57 cups a day. He’s a little over weight and I wanted him to lose weight but now I feel like I ‘m under feeding him. We walk a mile in morning and at night. For him to maintain 7 lbs how much should I feed him. He does act hungry all the time. He does get a treat a day and I add yogurt ,cottage chees and eggs in his food (just one of these a day) He never loses weight and acts starved all time. What am I doing wrong?

• This topic was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by Mike Sagman. Reason: Fix Duplicate Topic Title

[GizmoMom]

If you’re feeding 1/4 morning, 1/4 at night, shouldn’t you be done with the can in 2 days?

[crazy4cats]

Hi weezerweeks-
Is the canned food all you are feeding? If it takes 3 days to feed it. That is only about 106 calories per day. That doesn’t sound right. Do you feed kibble as well?

[DogFoodie]

Do you see the kcals per cup or ounce on the can? That’s the information you need to calculate his portion for the canned food. Do you weigh or measure out his portions?

Extras add up quickly. You need to also figure out the calories of the extras you’re adding.

[weezerweeks]

Crazy4cats yes that’s the calories from most of the food sometimes the cans are more. I only feed him canned or freeze dried. I add different things to his food but it still doesn’t add up to about 130 calories.He hasn’t lost any weight if anything he gains.I feed him the canned food that is above average protein and below or near average fat and carbs. His main canned food is the wellness stews but I also feed him Go Fit, Frommn gold,Weruva, dr Harveys oracle. I’ve tried HK but he hates that. I’m thinking about putting lotus in his rotation.It’s hard to find the 4 or 5 star canned that has the protein,fat,and carb count I like.I guess he’s ok but just wish he didn’t act hungry so much. Thanks for commenting.

[DogFoodie]

What about Wellness Core Reduced Fat?

[weezerweeks]

GizmoMom His cans usually have 12.5 in them and a half cup a day would be 4oz so it usually takes 3 days.

[weezerweeks]

DogFoodie Isn’t that kibble? I don’t feed him kibble. All the other wellness cans are higher in fat than the wellness stews.

[crazy4cats]

I noticed you add eggs and cottage cheese to the food. These are both pretty high in calories. Just one egg has 80 calories. How many are you giving him? They are very healthy, you might jut have to cut back.

[DogFoodie]

Sorry, meant Wellness Core Weight Management. It’s basically reduced fat canned Core. http://www.chewy.com/dog/wellness-core-grain-free-weight/dp/37176

[weezerweeks]

Crazy4Cats I only give him about 1/2 egg once a week. I was adding Teaspoon of cottage cheese daily but I’ve cut that out.My husband gives him a little round slice of banana every morning. So with all his add ons do you think 1/4 cup in morning and night is enough canned?

[DogFoodie]

Just for comparison, Wellness Turkey with Barley & Carrots has 22.2% fat on a DMB and Wellness Core Weight Management has 15.9% fat on a DMB. But, it was just a suggestion.

[crazy4cats]

Hi-
The Well Core that DF recommends could be promising. Also from what I undestand, only 10-20 percent of their diet should be the extras you give hm. Thirdly, have you had any blood work done recently?
I know how hard it is to ignore them when they act like they are starving. I am trying to help two of my cats shed a few pounds and they are always begging.

[weezerweeks]

I have blood work and urine done every year and it’s about that time. He’s hypothyroid and I had that test done last month and it’s perfect. I guess I worry to much.Crazy4cats I am the one at the Subway with the 8 rescue cats. They are getting so big and my husband says fat but I think thy are okay. My tinker is fat because she eats the most. Love my stray babies!!

[weezerweeks]

I have been using the suggested foods for weight loss on this site(article written by Dr. mike.not th suggested low fats. I have to watch out for carbs because Bailey got sturvite crystals when he was on kibble high in carbs.

[Dori]

Hi weezerweeks. Thought I’d jump on in the conversation since all three of my girls of teeny tiny also. Lola 5 lbs., Katie 6 lbs. and Hannah 7 lbs. Have you ever given thought to feeding commercial raw foods to your yorkie. I know that commercial raw foods are way more expensive than kibble but you don’t feed kibble at all. You feed canned foods which aren’t typically cheap. Since you’re only feeding a 7 lb. yorkie the frozen food would last you a good long while in the freezer. Just take out the night before what you would feed him for the next day in the fridge to defrost. All three of my dogs were a little on the chunkier side before I went to commercial raw diets. Since feeding commercial raw diets (3 years now) they have all thinned out to their present weights and maintain that weight all the time. I also give them organic (when possible) fruits and veggies as their treats. It doesn’t seem to change their weight at all and Hannah is a real couch potato. Hannah, my 7 lb. 15 1/2 year old Maltese, is hypothyroid and has been for probably half her life if not more and her thyroid level always tests normal. The diets are high in protein, fairly high in fat and very low in carbs. Some people think that because the fat % is so high they will get fat, or have all sorts of medical issues, pancreatitis, etc. etc. In actuality, the opposite is true. As to the fat content in foods. I have said this so many times I need to make a recording…..It is not the amount of fat in their food (or ours for that matter) it is the quality of the fat in the food. Your dog will lose the weight, stay at a nice lean weight, will not act like he’s hungry or starving day in and day out. I can’t say enough good things about the commercial raw dog foods. They have made a world of difference in all areas for my three dogs.

[InkedMarie]

good post, Dori!

[weezerweeks]

Hi Dori. I have thought about it but for some reason I can’t do it. How much do u feed your 7 lb baby? I give my Bailey Fruits and whole green foods too. I am thinking about getting a yorkie puppy. My Bailey is a rescue and my second yorkie. I’ve been trying to find another rescue but yorkies are so hard to find. I’m 65 so the thoughts of a puppy is scary. I support United yorkie rescue but most of them are too old. My Bailey was 2 when I got him.He was an owner surrender with heart worms. Oh well didn’t mean to give u my life’s story but I am going to talk with my vet about the raw feeding. He’s all for it. He’s the best Vet. Thanks, Deanna

[Dori]

Hi Deanna. Life stories are always welcome. It lets us all know background stories and whether one is old or new to the world of companion animals.

If your vet is a traditional vet than he/she will give you all the cons of feeding raw. Bacteria, yada yada yada. None of that, in my experience is true. All dogs have a bit of salmonella in their guts. It is dogs that have been fed kibble and/or inferior foods that will or could have an issue with salmonella in foods. A healthy dog (gastrointestinal health I’m speaking of) have no issues with a commercial food that may have a little bacteria in it. I’ve actually never known or heard of a commercial raw fed dog that has fallen ill from bacteria of any sort from a commercial raw diet. The issue with salmonella contaminated raw foods is more of an issue with the animals owners (humans) and not the owners. We are the ones that will get sick BUT only if we are slovenly. I’m sure cooking for yourself and your family now or in the past you have handled raw meats and poultry. When done you are always cautioned to clean all surfaces, clean all utensils and scrub your hands and all surfaces that the raw foods have touched. It’s the same thing. Raw meat and poultry is raw meat and poultry regardless of whether your feeding it to yourself and loved ones of the human variety or your animals. A lot of the traditional veterinary community seem to think that commercial raw feeders are indiscriminate as to what we feed our animals. I’m not sure where some of these vets are getting their education from or lack thereof. They don’t really keep up with the times and would prefer to just scare you off.

As to how much I feed my dogs, specifically Hannah, as she weighs 7 lbs. like your yorki does, it depends on what I’m feeding. If I’m feeding Primal Pronto (it’s a complete and balanced diet from Primal made in little “kibble like” bits frozen) then I scoop out 1/4 cup in the a.m. or p.m. just as I would have done with a kibble. If it’s in a pattie form, then I read the packaging for her weight and feed her accordingly. Typically it’s 1/4 of the pattie per meal. For varying meals even though all three of my girls weigh a little bit differently I pretty much feed them all the same amount. Lola, my 5 lb. girl is very very hyper so she burns everything off quickly. If she’s awake, she’s in motion. Katie my 6 lb. girl is tall for a Maltipoo and very petite in structure. She was the runt of the litter and due to be put down before I rescued her into our family. She has a lot of issues food wise, environmentally and muscoskeletal so I’m always making sure she keeps her weight on. Hannah, my true couch potato, and at her age that’s okay with me, she stays on the lean side. Because she is 15 1/2 years old and a touch of old age arthritis I keep her on the lean side. I’m not big on having a scale to weigh them on a regular basis. I feel my dogs. If they have a little bit of coating on their ribs that I don’t mess with the amount I feed them. If I feel one of them and can too readily feel their ribs where with my fingers I can actually feel an identation then I know that dog needs a bit more food. If I have to press down too much to feel ribs, then I feed a little less for that dog. Kind of like ourselves. We have heavier days and lighter days. Winter we’re indoors a bit too much in the summer we’re very active.

I got both Lola and Katie both when, I guess I was around 61 or so. I thought I’d go insane. Literally, I was shedding tears all the time. I then thought it was one of my bigger mistakes. It was tough going having to 9 week old puppies at the same time. I hadn’t had a puppy in so long I’d forgotten the colossal amount of work let alone having two. Well, now that all is said and done I have to say that Lola and Katie are the best of pals. They are not siblings in the true sense of the word but you’d never know it. They sleep by each other, they rough house, play, everything together. But honestly I didn’t think I’d make it through those first couple of years. Hannah was none to happy about any of it either. Now they all pal around together. When I call them to let them out in the back Hannah won’t go out until she waits for the other two to catch up. All three wait for each other by the back door before they’ll come back in. Very very cute. Of course, if one of them barks, they all start barking even though the other two haven’t got a clue why or what they’re barking about. Very funny. Some times irritating but mostly have given me so much love and quality to my life. At 66 I’d probably be able to handle a puppy again but certainly not two at a time. Though I think I would rescue a senior at this point in my life. At one point in your life you want babies and are all about babies and as you get older you see the need that seniors (whether they be humans or dogs) need.

One last point on commercial raw feeding. Once you do it you’ll wonder what took you so long and what you were so worried about. Also, feeding commercial raw foods is not at all what you think it’s going to look like. It’s not like you’re going to toss a whole animal at your dog for dinner. I couldn’t possibly handle that. Really it just looks for the most part like ground meats in shapes of hamburgers. Other than the “kibble like” bits that are meant for the squeamish kibble feeders trying to make a transition into raw and also because they defrost so darn quick.

[Dori]

Thanks Marie. I’m always hoping that when I post on the benefits of raw (commercial raw) feeding that I’m making myself understood. I have a tendency to ramble and then not read what I’ve typed before pushing the submit button. Sometimes I remember to go back and read and can’t believe how much of my thoughts were left in my head and never made it to the keyboard. I don’t know if that means I think faster than I type or the other way around.

Always good to hear from you. 🙂

[crazy4cats]

Hi Weezerweeks-
So glad to hear the kitties are doing well. You are so awesome for saving them! Here are some more low fat, low carb canned choices for your pup (compliments of BDog from another thread):

Fromm’s Shredded Beef 12.2% fat, 22% carbs
Tiki Dog Kauai Luau 15.24% fat, 8% carbs
Tiki Dog Lahaina Luau 13.18% fat, 13% carbs
Tiki Dog Maui Luau 14.28% fat, 17% carbs
Tiki Dog Tonga Luau 15.55% fat, 11% carbs
Weruva Marbella Paella 15.8% fat, 7.2% carbs
Weruva Bed & Breakfast 12.4% fat, 23.6% carbs
Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken 15.4% fat, 9.7% carbs
Wellness Core Weight Management 15.9% fat, 16% carbs
Good luck with your zoo!

[weezerweeks]

Thank you crazy4cats. My kitties are getting soo big. I wish I knew how to post pictures on here. They love their cat condo. My manager said when she drove up this morning 5 were in the top and 3 in the bottom. Guess I need to have a math lesson with them. They are fat, all fixed and seem to be happy. Thanks for all ur advice and info. Deanna

[crazy4cats]

I have not posted pictures on the forum either. But, posting pictures on the review side isn’t too difficult. Maybe you could post a few on the off topic thread on “the other side” of this website. I’d love to see them!
Good luck with your pup. Sounds like he’s getting pretty good treatment too. 🙂 I think if I was ever to get a small dog, it would be a yorkie. They are soooo cute! It would be strange for me, however, as I think it would even be smaller than my smallest cat. LOL! They range from about 9 to 15 pounds. And my dogs are both about 85 pounds. We’d probably be scared to step on him! Take care.

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