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by GSDXephyr on 18 October 2007 - 17:10
My old boy that I try to keep trim eats just under 2% of his body weight per day in raw food.
My pup (almost 1 year) was nice and thin at 3.5% / day until she was about to go into her first heat cycle. Then she got a bit chubby. We cut her back to between 2 and 2.5% of her body weight per day and she has slimmed back down again.
I also do Oma's pride, plus duck necks, pork necks, lamb necks, sardine heads, whole lamb marrow bones, beef heart and liver, plus raw eggs and yogurt. My old boy has poultry allegies so I don't always give chicken turkey to the girl, since it's a pain to feed seperate types of meals. But she gets them sometimes as something special.
by GSD2727 on 18 October 2007 - 22:10
It is no more difficult to keep the dogs in a good weight on raw then it is on kibble. You just have to adjust what you feed.
You have to remember with raw there is no filler! So the dog will eat much less raw then they would kibble! Some dogs need more food to maintain their proper weight then others. My 50lb female GSD eats roughly the same amount as my family's 130lb male Saint Bernard.
If you are feeding chicken backs I would cut the fat off of them. Why are you feeding ALL ground? It sounds like you are feeding a lot of veggies/fruits. Some people who follow the prey model diet do not even feed veggies at all. I feed very little veggies if any at all. I agree with adding organ meats, more muscle meats.
As for garbage diving... IMO that is training. The dogs probably feel great once they are on a natural diet, feel more energetic. I can leave anything in my trash can (with no lid) and the dogs never get into it, even if I am not home.
IMO a healthy dog should always be happy to eat. If they arent "hungry" then they are most probably overfed.
A lot of people weigh their dogs food. I never have. I have been feeding raw for over 9 years now (no kibble at all) and have never weighed a meal for them. If they get chubby, I cut back. If they get thin I add more. Obviously I can eyeball it and know how much they get daily. If you see ANY weight gain, cut back. Do not let them get that overweight before you decide to do something. Much easier for a dog to loose 1-2lbs then it is for him to loose 25lbs!
The ground food is much more "dense" then just whole raw pieces. I can imagine there were possibly 3-4 chicken backs in 1 1/2 cups of ground raw food. That is A LOT of food for two times a day! That would be 8 chicken backs a day! yes, that is a lot and it doesnt suprise me they gained so much weight.
My dogs eat once a day and get roughly 3 chicken backs (or other items equaling near the same amount) depending on the size (some are very small some are huge).
I would also give whole pieces so that you can get the added benefit of them eating the bones :)
After 9 years on raw, I cannot ever imagine feeding kibble again.
by animules on 19 October 2007 - 00:10
Good thread and information.
by yellowrose of Texas on 19 October 2007 - 01:10
Number one problem or not a problem maybe no one else noticed...but I did.......all these dogs are neutered........
Neutered dogs , males or females and even in the blessed human world....have trouble with weight gain......if the vet didnt tell you that,,,,sorry.......but they should have...if they pay attention to the patients they have......
Dogs gain excessive weight when they are neutered so you have to cautiously stop feeding treats and pull back on the amount of food your dog is getting and then have a regimented exercise program use a treadmill if you have to.
It is funny to watch a dog learn to walk on a treadmill.......but I may have a pic I can post of Myah on her Moms .....then Mom gets on it ,,,,,because in bad weather or when yu cant get to the beach or the park or the football stadium to run , you can use the treadmill....
Weight gain is a long term affair with hormones when they are neutered or spayed....
by walkies on 19 October 2007 - 11:10
Yellow Rose-
We had A little Spay and Neuter party here early last spring, Two due to age, one Ermergancy C-section, one because he growled at a Judge during teeth exam, one wired for two twenty X-farm dog with no more livestock to work. And yes Vet did mention possible weight gain, older two had already started with the weight gain, younger started after. Female was I tried to jump the gun with did not want here looking rung out after pups, so I bumped up her food not taking in to account she was spayed on the table....live and learn
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