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by texaspeg49 on 17 December 2011 - 00:12
I need to know something if ya'll can help. My GSD is 18 months old. He is a good size, not thin but not heavy. Probably 80-85 lbs. What I need to know is.... how much meat does he need a day? I've tried to get him to eat raw but he just will not eat it. So now I fry it in a very hot iron skillet with olive oil to sear it but still rare inside. He prefers stew meat, he won't eat ground beef very well. Chicken makes him itch. I don't know if raw chicken would but he won't eat it raw. So I boiled it when I give him chicken. I cut out chicken and eggs and the itching isn't bad now. But that just leaves beef. He won't eat dry enough to sustain himself. I've had a time with him and his eating. The woman who had him from puppy to about 14 mos. said she fed him Purina. But he would not eat it for us. So we attempted to put him on raw and grain free kibble. Any suggestions? He's in very good health, has seen the vet. He's on heartworm preventative and Revolution for fleas and mites. I need some professional help to make sure I'm doing the right things. Thanks in advance. Peggy
by Red Sable on 17 December 2011 - 01:12
Peggy, I'm saying this with love, but, do you think you may be part of the problem?
The last dog you had also did not eat enough. Honestly, the more you baby him, the pickier he'll get. If he is in good health don't worry so much about it. If chicken makes him itch( although purina didn't??) than find a good quality lamb kibble, or what you have there, and set it down for a half hour. If he doesn't eat it, take it back up. He'll soon eat, trust me.
I have noticed with my dogs, the more they are outside and active, the better they eat too, the same with humans. In the summer they ate very little. This colder weather has really perked up their appitite, but I don't fuss with them. It's eat what's in front of you or starve here.
I raised my kids the same way.
The last dog you had also did not eat enough. Honestly, the more you baby him, the pickier he'll get. If he is in good health don't worry so much about it. If chicken makes him itch( although purina didn't??) than find a good quality lamb kibble, or what you have there, and set it down for a half hour. If he doesn't eat it, take it back up. He'll soon eat, trust me.
I have noticed with my dogs, the more they are outside and active, the better they eat too, the same with humans. In the summer they ate very little. This colder weather has really perked up their appitite, but I don't fuss with them. It's eat what's in front of you or starve here.
I raised my kids the same way. 
by Prager on 17 December 2011 - 02:12
How much do you feed him and how many times a day? You say he is in good health. If he is in good health then he eats enough. Do not worry.
Once a week skip a day to feed him and see he will eat next day just fine. He is a predator. To skip a meal once a weak is good for him.
\ My mom used to say. Hunger is the best cook.:)
Prager Hans
Once a week skip a day to feed him and see he will eat next day just fine. He is a predator. To skip a meal once a weak is good for him.
\ My mom used to say. Hunger is the best cook.:)
Prager Hans
by frankm205 on 17 December 2011 - 03:12
I hate to agree with Hans but I agree with Hans ;(
by Slamdunc on 17 December 2011 - 03:12
Peggy,
When feeding raw the usual ratio is 3 to 5 % of body weight per day. An 18 month old weighing 80 - 85 lbs is at a good weight, if not heavy. GSD's don't fill out till they are around 2 1/2 - 3 years old. I would check his weight by running your fingers down his side, you should be able to feel each rib. Viewed from above your dog should have a waistline. When your dog is running or exercising you should be able to see his ribs as he begins to breath hard. Unfortunately, most people do not understand what a fit dog should look like and keep their dogs obese. If he is healthy and has a good energy level he is fine. The last thing you want to do is to try to fatten your dog up. If you can see his pelvic bone I would be concerned, otherwise I wouldn't worry about it.
When feeding raw the usual ratio is 3 to 5 % of body weight per day. An 18 month old weighing 80 - 85 lbs is at a good weight, if not heavy. GSD's don't fill out till they are around 2 1/2 - 3 years old. I would check his weight by running your fingers down his side, you should be able to feel each rib. Viewed from above your dog should have a waistline. When your dog is running or exercising you should be able to see his ribs as he begins to breath hard. Unfortunately, most people do not understand what a fit dog should look like and keep their dogs obese. If he is healthy and has a good energy level he is fine. The last thing you want to do is to try to fatten your dog up. If you can see his pelvic bone I would be concerned, otherwise I wouldn't worry about it.
by myret on 17 December 2011 - 15:12
I feed my adult working dogs 3 meals a week and they get about 800-1000 gr a meal three time a week and they are very lean and healthy they are even doing better then when I was feeding them 6 days a week ´look at your dog
my adults eat less food 3 times a week to keep their weight than when they eat 6 days a week because dogs absorb the meals better than they do when they get small meals eery day
my adults eat less food 3 times a week to keep their weight than when they eat 6 days a week because dogs absorb the meals better than they do when they get small meals eery day
by yellowrose of Texas on 17 December 2011 - 23:12
Peg:
GOt your email but my phone is out..
Quit worrying about food.
First of all , he is not getting enough exercise.
So he should be eating raw meat, some kibble, and just fix it , do not be cooking all that meat for him.
HE is playing you..
Feed him his food in a kennel with closed door...IN an hour, pick it up and refridgerate it or throw away..
Feed small amounts .....but just quit babying him...if he doesn't eat, do not worry.
FOR some odd reason, he is actually too heavy for his age, and I can immagine it is a bit funny he doesn't eat all the time
Germans do better if you do not feed them every day
skip a day
Wait till he is following you like a leech and asking
to eat.
I think he is over fed now...WHERE did he get all that weight it he is 80-85lbs
I know you and hubby cannot walk him and play games with him due to health, so do you play fetch or ball for an hour a day or two hours a day ?
He needs exercise to increase his desires to eat. REX , when I got him home, did not quit eating till this very day. HE bugs me and knocks things off the counter looking for something to eat.
DO not have any kind of solution except you must just feed him what you have and if he doesnt eat,......he will...tomorrow or the next day.
decided to post instead of emailing as many do not know the history of dog like I do with your problems of health issues..Keep that raw meat and bones coming from your wonderful son...
THat is what he needs to keep his teeth clean and his body in good health..HE will eat it...
PUT him in his wire crate, close door and let him eat.
Quit giving him your food off your plates because you think he is not getting nutrition...lol'
YR
by CMills on 18 December 2011 - 00:12
I agree with Red Sable, the more you baby/pamper him the worse he'll get. I know that for a fact. Several years ago I had 2 Italian Greyhounds that were being shown in AKC conformation. To keep them in good weight, I tried canned, raw, cooking for them, everything and anything just to get them to eat, and they looked terribly thin. They picked at their food, or went days without eating. After I quit showing them and just turned them into housepets, all that special treatment stopped, I just kept their food dish filled with a quality kibble, and guess what? They turned into very slick, FAT dogs that were never pampered again, but looked way better in coat and weight than they ever did back when I was pampering them. They will eat when hungry, trust me! I have 2 fatties (for Italian Greyhounds) to prove it!
by Kevlar on 18 December 2011 - 01:12
We as humans tend to worry about our dogs eating or not eating. I set food down for 15 minutes. If it doesn't get eaten it gets saved until next meal time. 99 times out of 100 a dog will not starve itself. Dogs are healthier at a slimmer weight than most people are comfortable with. I would feed him once a day and pick up any food he hasn't eaten until the next day. When he gets hungry he will eat... I do the same thing with my kids. Dogs are okay skipping a meal but most humans aren't. Exercise is key also. Dogs are predators and use to hunting (aka exercising) and working for their meals. We forget our dogs are dogs... not humans. The biggest favor you can do for a dog is to treat him like a dog not a person.
by Ace952 on 18 December 2011 - 02:12
my boy is 16 months (turn 17 the end of this month) and just weighed him with the vet last sunday and he was 67 lbs. Total raw diet and eats everyday.
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