coolhandluke
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
JH
Posts:20
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| 02/16/2010 11:49 AM |
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I have been feeding Gunner a little more than the recomended amounts the bag says, but he is always hungry. I feed Purina One and Nutrisource. A couple of my friends have shorthairs and they said they just keep his dish full. I was just wondering if anyone has any reccomendations. thanx |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:6748
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| 02/16/2010 11:55 AM |
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| My boy is always ready to eat too, but if I left the dish full all the time he would be fat, fat, fat as he doesn't know when to quit eating. I judge weight based on whether or not I can see the last two ribs. If they are just visible I consider my dogs to be perfect weight. Too much rib showing it is time to up the food, and no ribs means it is time to go on a diet. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)
Yellow Rose GSPs
     
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato |
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jlp8cornell
Ithaca NY
MH
Posts:461
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| 02/16/2010 11:59 AM |
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| I use the same rule of thumb as Bev. For a while, my boy was hard to keep weight on and his hip bones stood out a little. Now, he is at a nice 2 rib showing weight. I upped his food just a bit for a while and he gained the 1.5 needed #s. Better to do it slow as well. I cannot imagine free feeding a dog!!!! |
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Jen
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2440 |
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keanmu
Czech Republic
MH
Posts:304
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| 02/16/2010 12:23 PM |
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| Baira gets more than the recommended amount plus she also gets fresh cooked meat or rice or pasta or something at most meal times. I just go by how she looks, if I can just see a couple of ribs then she's getting the right amount. (what the others have said really). If I left the bowl full for her she's just pig the whole time, get through a bag of very expensive dog food in a matter of days and get fat! |
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escampbell
MH
Posts:213
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| 02/16/2010 12:56 PM |
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My Shorthairs and my Shelties are in a perpetual state of hunger. If I left bowls down, I would have dogs who ate themselves into serious sickness. Dinner time is pandemonium and if I am late with dinner, they remind me!
I owned a dog who did not like to eat and it was a PAIN. He was a German Shepherd whom I adopted as a young adult. He eventually learned that he had only so much time to eat after the food bowl went down or the food disapeared and he learned to eat, most of the time.
I love the fact that my current dogs have huge food drive, to go along with the bird, sheep, agility and/or retreeving drive. It makes training so much easier! |
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Eleanor Campbell
New Jersey
Sydney, Presto, Price, Ozma and Soleil |
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unowhoandwhy
Middleofnowhere, NH
MH
Posts:1796
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| 02/16/2010 1:09 PM |
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| I am so, so, so lucky that my dogs are reliable free-feeders! I can leave full bowls of kibble down & they will snack when they are hungry, but neither seems to overeat. (Daniel needed to lose a couple pounds, but that was my fault for giving him too much people food & he has slimemd down a lot since I started rationing the treats!) |
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Daniel Yankee Flyer - 8/2002
Lady Layla - 1/2006 |
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bravepoint
North Gower, ON Canada
MH
Posts:889
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| 02/16/2010 1:21 PM |
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| I can't imagine ever free feeding my dogs. They'd eat until they burst! I'm with Bev on adjusting the amount of food for their ideal weight. |
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Gail, Moka, Avery, Terra & Rayne
Bravepoint GSPs
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MJones
Mars PA
MH
Posts:128
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everbell
Kanata, ON
MH
Posts:2737
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| 02/16/2010 1:35 PM |
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I was going to mention the veggies as an option for munching without worrying about weight. Pumpkin is also good.
Maybe some are like humans who just like the action of eating and are not necessarily hungry. |
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Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures |
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escampbell
MH
Posts:213
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| 02/16/2010 1:46 PM |
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Well, not to hijack the thread, but I honestly do not want my dogs to free feed. I want to know who has eaten what, when and how much. I want to know if a dog does not feel like eating. My five dogs also vary in age and breed and they eat different foods.
I take my dogs with me when I visit my family. I also show and compete with them. I want a certain amount of food in their stomachs at certain times. When on the road, I want to be able to fed them, clean up and move on.
But, to reply to the original post, I would never worry if a GSP pup is acting hungry, unless the dog is losing weight or otherwise acting "off." |
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Eleanor Campbell
New Jersey
Sydney, Presto, Price, Ozma and Soleil |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:2439
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| 02/16/2010 5:05 PM |
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I had free fed my boxer...but she was the only dog and she didn't ever devour it all in one sitting she nibbled all day.
There is no way I could do that with Blitz cuz I think he would have over ate and now with Donner and Blitz I agree with scheduled feedings to be able to see who is eating and what ect... |
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http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2553
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2554 |
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easyedwin
Birmingham, AL
MH
Posts:128
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| 02/16/2010 6:18 PM |
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| Queen is at 4 months now and I am feeding her 3 times per day. I carry her lunch and a bottle of water to the job site everyday. We are trying to get more weight on her since her enteritis. She is at 25.5 lbs now. Vet said she will not be more than 50 lbs. at adulthood. |
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Why do real estate developers ruin so many landscapes? |
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Frank B
JH
Posts:21
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| 02/16/2010 6:33 PM |
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| Mine is 1 year old, I'd say skinny and he free feeds. He loves cat food , had to seperate that from him or he would never quit eating! |
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mrspwgunny
Long Island NY
MH
Posts:224
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| 02/17/2010 4:00 PM |
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Wyatt is 4 months and eats 2x a day
morning gets peanut butter with his kibble and pm gets sweet potatoe with his kibble as of last week he was 28 lbs its amazing when we got him at 8 weeks he was 8 lbs! |
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