Feed the Darn Dogs!!!!! - Page 3

People suffer serious psychological consequences if they are overweight, but most dogs are not self-conscious.  No dog should be thinner than his owner: that is the most logical rule of thumb, if you must follow one.  The optimal weight for a dog, once they are not competing, is heavier than this human counterpart as the dog suffers the same physical consequences but little of the psychological consequences.

Don't get me wrong.  Everyone is better off in shape -- humans and canines, alike.  We are all better off running 5-10 miles a day, climbing, jumping, etc.  I was a competitive decathlete into my 40s -- I did as much as anyone here, expect perhaps for Trafalgar who can run about 100 miles for fun and Shelley in her days as a jockey.  I spent years training six hours a day. I have also coached many athletes and competed,  mostly in OB, with many dogs.  I do know something about training and eating.

But a dog suffers less than a human if he is overweight.  And he has the same issues with food that we do -- it feels good to eat, and it is deeply, psychologically comforting to know that plentiful food is available.  A dog who lives his or her life hungry suffers and never understands why.

If a dog is thin from a great and active life, that's one thing.  But why should we as a group actually encourage people to deprive dogs of the satisfaction of a good meal and the comfort of being part of a functional pack?  Don't reward people whose dogs' backbones are visible -- it has sad consequences for the poor victims, dogs whose whole lives are spent in the hands of people who often overeat themselves.  

Dogs deserve the comfort of regular and satisfying food.  They also deserve a healthy and active lifestyle.  We should encourage discussions of such activity -- as we often do here -- and discourage rewarding people for withholding food from their dogs. 

The ideal is pretty simple: if your dog eats as much as he or she wants and is still in good shape, you are a good dog owner.  If you have to withhold food, you probably have too many dogs.  And if your dogs are thinner they you were at their (species-equivalent) age, that does not reflect well upon you.

JMHO.

True MVF. My pet dogs get free feed but they ran everyday until my boy turned up with Osteosarcoma. The female still runs every morning but not as far as I used to run her. I don't have 45 minutes so she gets 10-15 every morning. If I have time we sneak in another run in the evening after work. She has got a bit plump with less running and I am rationing her food now to make up for that.

Now my 12 month old has been growing and battling pano so he doesn't get to exercise like this yet. He is much bigger boned and slower, so I am not sure what his routine will turn out like as an adult. He is on a strict diet to keep his weight down. All the exercise he gets is playing some ball, training and walking with a few minutes of off leash time to jog around in the grass. That's not counting free time in the yard daily.

MVF,

In the day,,,,I played college sports, I was in great shape both muscularly and cardio but I remember still having a pizza on Saturdays, or that big juicy burger.  I understand that a marathon runner is build differently than an outside linebacker in football.  So is sch  a marathon or a physical sport?  Their is nothing like seeing an 85# GSD take down a helper...COOL..

For those of you who feed a raw diet, what does it cost you per week to feed one dog.  Is it expensive or just time consuming...

MVF: I have been told by non owners of germans , that these two girls are way too skinny....Bhandi is 11mos old and her older sister   SABEL at the fence is 2 1/2 years old.    Do you call this skinny or a fit two girls....?????

Again pictures are hard to tell by  but from the looks Yellowrose of Texas they lok fine to me.

Xues is raw diet more costly? To me yes it was  but again I am feeding four adluts and three growing pups. No they are not house pets but true working dogs that get worked everyday in some form of work.  They eat like cows and still stay thin. I had to go half and half  in our to keep up. (and my friend still says my dogs are too thin) but hey , I am ok with it.

Deer season is coming up so more fresh meat Yea!!!!!

  Rex is also quite slim  He is 33 mos old Do you consider

 him  skinny?

Yellowrose,

My thing is this males should look like males and females like females.  A male should have a muscular biuld. Females should be muscular but femenine..  Like I said ealier this was not an attack on sch people or show people or anyone else.  My point is we have all imported a dog or seen a dog at training that did not look healthy, and what did the person say "He's an athlete" or he is high drive and cant put on weight.  Yes their are dogs that it is almost impossible to put weight on and yes their are high drive dogs out their that run all day in the kennel.  Thanx for the great discussion......

Xeus I spent $12 on chicken 1/4's and gibblets/hearts. It is enough to feed 2 dogs on raw for 1 1/2 weeks so about 3 weeks for one dog. Way cheaper than good kibble. Sometimes I spend more if I buy tripe or beef.

Simple question from a simple man....Feeding raw sounds good but how hard is it to acrually give your dog all the nutrients it needs from a raw diet. Dont higher end dog foods have the nutrients that dogs need.....I can see adding an egg or two, some cottage cheese etc...But why all Raw...