Am I Underfeeding Riley!?!?!?!?!?!?!

RileyMay · 09-20-2011, 01:14 AM

I am feeding my 8 month old purebred German Shepherd Dog puppy,Riley, 2 cups of dog food twice a day. Is that enough

!? Should I be feeding her 3-4 cups twice a day

!? I don't know how much she weighs, but I am guessing 45-50 something pounds. She's a little behind because she was emaciated, she's was 39.8 pounds. Then her insion ripped 3 days after her spay, and her guts came out. She bruised her gut, puked every 15 minutes for a day and half (she would puke 5-6 times in a setting, literally), and then she dropped to 19 pounds. She's now weighing 45-50 something pounds just to make sure I get that part clear. Do you need some pictures!?

ChancetheGSD · 09-20-2011, 01:40 AM

6-8 cups a day is a LOT of food!! 4 cups SHOULD be about right. What kind of food are you feeding?

Pictures from the side and from above (looking down on her back) would be great!

**Cassidy's Mom** · 09-20-2011, 01:48 AM

What are you feeding her? A food that has 350 calories per cup is going to be 1400 calories a day with 4 cups of food, one that has 600 calories is going to be 2400 calories with the same amount of cups per day. That's a thousand calories a day difference! It's an extreme example, but it illustrates why the number of cups a day is completely meaningless without knowing if it's a high quality, calorie dense food or a low quality or lower calorie food.

Her weight is also meaningless without knowing her condition - is she skinny, can you easily feel her ribs and see all of them? Or can you feel them but only see the last one or two? When you look down on her from above, do you see a waist? When viewed from the side is there a distinct tuck up at the abdomen? All of those things are a much better indication of whether or not she's an appropriate weight for her.

There is a 22 pound difference between the high and low ends of the standard for a female, as well as a lot of dogs being bred to be oversized, so there's going to be a broad range of healthy weights for an 8 month old. Without seeing a picture or knowing the condition it's impossible to say if she's a good weight or if you're feeding her the right amount.

Really, people stress way too much about this stuff. We seem to have several new threads every week about feeding quantities and puppy weights, and basically it all comes down to if your puppy is skinny, feed a bit more. If your puppy is starting to look a little thick, cut back the food a bit. No matter what you're feeding or how much, and no matter what your puppy weighs.

RileyMay · 09-20-2011, 01:48 AM

If you watch the video you'll see what she recently looks like. You'll see pictures, and some videos in this video!! Please watch!!! She has seemed to gain some more weight, maybe 10-15 pounds or maybe more than that since after this video!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdmZ-67wLp8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdmZ-67wLp8

e.rigby · 09-20-2011, 02:45 AM

I watched the video on the other thread you posted it on... and I couldn't help but think how incredibly thin she was (and considering she's a long/plush coat she's probably even thinner)

What kind of food are you feeding? Because higher quality foods are going to have more calories per cup which will really help you when it comes to putting some weight on her. If you can fill her hip bones (and they are sticking out) then she's too thin.

RileyMay · 09-20-2011, 10:52 AM

We will probably be getting some Purina Puppy Chow next. Right now she's on a crappy dog food, Ol'Roy, but at least she gets something to eat. Please, don't start on how she's on a very bad dog food because I know that, but like I said above, I will probably be getting something better, which is Purina Puppy Chow!? If I give her 2-3 eggs will that help with protein!?

Quote:

Originally Posted by e.rigby

I watched the video on the other thread you posted it on... and I couldn't help but think how incredibly thin she was (and considering she's a long/plush coat she's probably even thinner)

What kind of food are you feeding? Because higher quality foods are going to have more calories per cup which will really help you when it comes to putting some weight on her. If you can fill her hip bones (and they are sticking out) then she's too thin.

msvette2u · 09-20-2011, 10:56 AM

Puppy chow isn't much better than Ol' Roy, actually.
What options for purchasing foods do you have available to you? Costco? Feed stores?
Petstores like Petsmart and Petco?

LaRen616 · 09-20-2011, 10:58 AM

Purina Puppy Chow is just as bad as Ol Roy.

Why dont you try Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul Large Breed Puppy Formula?

It's cheap and it's a really good kibble to feed.

Ingredients

Chicken, turkey, chicken meal, turkey meal, cracked pearled barley, whole grain brown rice, white rice, oatmeal, millet, potatoes, egg product, tomato pomace, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), duck, salmon, flaxseed, ocean fish meal, natural chicken flavor, salmon oil (source of DHA), potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, dried chicory root, dried kelp, carrots, peas, apples, tomatoes, blueberries, spinach, dried skim milk, cranberries, rosemary extract, parsley flake, yucca schidigera extract, L-Carnitine, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

RileyMay · 09-20-2011, 11:03 AM

There is some called Innova, Wellness, Blue Buffalo, Gold Wolf King Large Dog Adult/Puppy food!?

Emoore · 09-20-2011, 11:03 AM

At 8 months, she doesn't need to be eating puppy food anymore. And like others have said, Purina is basically trash.

Please consider feeding something like Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul, Kirkland Signature, 4Health, Diamond Naturals, or Victor.

09-20-2011, 01:14 AM	#1 (permalink)
RileyMay Master Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Louisiana Posts: 638	Am I Underfeeding Riley!?!?!?!?!?!?! I am feeding my 8 month old purebred German Shepherd Dog puppy,Riley, 2 cups of dog food twice a day. Is that enough!? Should I be feeding her 3-4 cups twice a day!? I don't know how much she weighs, but I am guessing 45-50 something pounds. She's a little behind because she was emaciated, she's was 39.8 pounds. Then her insion ripped 3 days after her spay, and her guts came out. She bruised her gut, puked every 15 minutes for a day and half (she would puke 5-6 times in a setting, literally), and then she dropped to 19 pounds. She's now weighing 45-50 something pounds just to make sure I get that part clear. Do you need some pictures!? __________________ Destiny Riley May (German Shepherd Dog) Banjo (Standard Dachshund)

09-20-2011, 01:40 AM	#2 (permalink)
ChancetheGSD Elite Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,910	6-8 cups a day is a LOT of food!! 4 cups SHOULD be about right. What kind of food are you feeding? Pictures from the side and from above (looking down on her back) would be great! __________________ Gretchen -7.5 week old GSD Zoey -14 year old Pekapom Chance -(GSD/Kelpie) 6/2007-6/23/2011

09-20-2011, 01:48 AM	#3 (permalink)
Cassidy's Mom No Stinkin' Leashes Moderator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 24,948	What are you feeding her? A food that has 350 calories per cup is going to be 1400 calories a day with 4 cups of food, one that has 600 calories is going to be 2400 calories with the same amount of cups per day. That's a thousand calories a day difference! It's an extreme example, but it illustrates why the number of cups a day is completely meaningless without knowing if it's a high quality, calorie dense food or a low quality or lower calorie food. Her weight is also meaningless without knowing her condition - is she skinny, can you easily feel her ribs and see all of them? Or can you feel them but only see the last one or two? When you look down on her from above, do you see a waist? When viewed from the side is there a distinct tuck up at the abdomen? All of those things are a much better indication of whether or not she's an appropriate weight for her. There is a 22 pound difference between the high and low ends of the standard for a female, as well as a lot of dogs being bred to be oversized, so there's going to be a broad range of healthy weights for an 8 month old. Without seeing a picture or knowing the condition it's impossible to say if she's a good weight or if you're feeding her the right amount. Really, people stress way too much about this stuff. We seem to have several new threads every week about feeding quantities and puppy weights, and basically it all comes down to if your puppy is skinny, feed a bit more. If your puppy is starting to look a little thick, cut back the food a bit. No matter what you're feeding or how much, and no matter what your puppy weighs. __________________ -Debbie- Dena 9/12/04-10/4/08 Forever would have been too short Keefer 8/25/05 Halo 11/9/08 Cassidy 6/8/00-10/4/04

09-20-2011, 02:45 AM	#5 (permalink)
e.rigby Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 498	I watched the video on the other thread you posted it on... and I couldn't help but think how incredibly thin she was (and considering she's a long/plush coat she's probably even thinner) What kind of food are you feeding? Because higher quality foods are going to have more calories per cup which will really help you when it comes to putting some weight on her. If you can fill her hip bones (and they are sticking out) then she's too thin. __________________ Virgil, CGC - GSD Tara, Reagan, Madison, and Jefferson - Aussies Socrates - the cat The birds: Dante - CAG / Sammie - Blue fronted Amazon / Gavin - TAG / Nero and Sunshine - Budgies

09-20-2011, 10:58 AM	#8 (permalink)
LaRen616 Crowned Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 10,582	Purina Puppy Chow is just as bad as Ol Roy. Why dont you try Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul Large Breed Puppy Formula? It's cheap and it's a really good kibble to feed. Ingredients Chicken, turkey, chicken meal, turkey meal, cracked pearled barley, whole grain brown rice, white rice, oatmeal, millet, potatoes, egg product, tomato pomace, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), duck, salmon, flaxseed, ocean fish meal, natural chicken flavor, salmon oil (source of DHA), potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, dried chicory root, dried kelp, carrots, peas, apples, tomatoes, blueberries, spinach, dried skim milk, cranberries, rosemary extract, parsley flake, yucca schidigera extract, L-Carnitine, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid. __________________ ~ Sinister 3 yr old black male GSD 3.11.09 ~ Malice 9 mth old black female GSD 6.19.11 Cats: Chaos, Monster, Wicked

09-20-2011, 10:56 AM	#7 (permalink)
msvette2u Crowned Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Beautiful Pacific NW Posts: 5,505	Puppy chow isn't much better than Ol' Roy, actually. What options for purchasing foods do you have available to you? Costco? Feed stores? Petstores like Petsmart and Petco?

09-20-2011, 11:03 AM	#9 (permalink)
RileyMay Master Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Louisiana Posts: 638	There is some called Innova, Wellness, Blue Buffalo, Gold Wolf King Large Dog Adult/Puppy food!? __________________ Destiny Riley May (German Shepherd Dog) Banjo (Standard Dachshund)

09-20-2011, 11:03 AM	#10 (permalink)
Emoore Crowned Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: North DFW, TX Posts: 9,214	At 8 months, she doesn't need to be eating puppy food anymore. And like others have said, Purina is basically trash. Please consider feeding something like Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul, Kirkland Signature, 4Health, Diamond Naturals, or Victor. __________________ Rocky vom Backyard- 10 years young Kopper vom Felssclucht Bach - 17 months At the Bridge: Cash van der Animal Shelter 2006-2010

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