Growth Spurt! How to adjust raw food?

[saraja87]

I wasn't sure if I should post this in the puppy food section or the raw section since it includes both. I thought it might be better here since Milou is still a puppy.

When we got Milou she was a little small and underweight so she's been on 24oz of raw a day pretty much for the past three months. She's caught up to where she should be and is probably a little thick around her middle. She has a lovely waist when viewed from the side but from the top she no longer has that pronounced waist indentation, further highlighted by the long coat on her ribs and the missing fur on her rear

Normally she's a picky eater who will use her full 15 minutes to eat her meal. She wants you to hand feed it to her and since that isn't gonna happen she takes a few bites, looks up to see if you might have changed your mind, waits, takes a few bites etc. I was toying with the idea of reducing her food but she always finished it eventually and since she's still growing I figured she'd even out. She's 6.5 months and 43lbs.

Just when I was really wondering when we might see some growth, I noticed her paws seemed bigger. I wasn't sure if I was imagining it but they seem to have grown over night. Then, the last two days she's been STARVING, wolfing down her 12oz meals and seriously hungry for more. Last night she ate two chicken drumsticks in addition to her 12 oz and the day before had a drumstick and a beef back rib.

The theory I've heard with puppies is to follow their lead, they know how much their body needs to grow and if they're hungry you should feed them more. However, I also don't want to put too much weight on her. Should I go ahead and increase Milou's food to a point where she seems full, letting her be the guide, or keep her on 24oz per day and see if she leans out? She is not a chow hound like our Sheltie who would eat himself into a blimp if you let him. Instead, she would walk away from a full dish if there was something else she'd rather be doing.

[saraja87]

Nobody? Would this be better in the raw section? I tried to give her the normal 12oz for dinner and she licked her bowl clean and then looked at me like "Nice appetizer mom but where's my dinner???". I gave her a chicken leg and she's now distracted by our sheltie but I'm pretty sure she could eat more.

[saraja87]

Maybe some photos will help? She's gotten more solid lately but I keep thinking I'll turn around in a few weeks and she'll be taller and skinnier.

[crewchief_chick]

sara, IME, i'd say increase it by a couple of ounces for a couple of weeks, evaluate to see if she's still growing and leaning out, or if she's holding steady. if she seems to be thinning and growing, increase it by a couple more ounces again for another 2-3 weeks. If she's holding steady and growing, leave it alone.

[Lauri & The Gang]

If she FEELS like she's at a good weight then I would keep her at her current amounts.

When you FEEL a dog you run your hand over their side.

If it feels like a washboard - she's too thin and you can increase her amounts.

If you press HARD and you can't feel a single rib - she's too fat and you should cut back a little.

It's hard to tell from the picture because of her hair.

[saraja87]

@ Lauri & The Gang It is hard to tell with all that fur! I gave her a good feel up last night and she seems to be in between. Definitely not a washboard like she used to be as a puppy but I can feel her ribs though a light padding of fur/skin/chub if I press gently. As a puppy she was a poof ball with a skinny skinny waist when you got her wet. Now, she's one solid girl!

@crewchief_chick I think that's a good plan, we'll give her an extra chicken leg with breakfast and dinner and see where she is in a few weeks.