Feeding amounts?

[jackdee]

At what age do you stop feeding 3 times a day? And what is the proper schedule 2 times a day , I am feeding canidae, Bella is 50 lbs ,,will be 6 old months this week. Do you feed according to bag suggestions I'm a little confused here.thanks

[hokisteph5]

I've never fed 3x a day because it didn't work with my schedule and the feeding schedule I have for my cats. The dogs have been fed 2x a day and when they were puppies, got about 4 cups of food a day.

Now that they're older, I'm feeding Samson about 1-2 cups a day and Gretchen's getting 2-3. I've also been giving them fruits and vegetables, as well as treats when we train. I pay attention to how they look and adjust their food amounts accordingly.

Right now, Samson's about 100 lbs and Gretchen's slightly smaller so she's probably in the 75-85 lb range.

ETA: They've been on Canidae for about three months now.

[TUindecisive]

You can stop feeding 3x a day whenever you want...your pup is old enough to go down to 2x a day, with no problems.

Start with the amount on the bag according to age/weight and then adjust accordingly. As your dog grows, you'll want to evaluate the food amount about once a week - just look at your dog and see if she is looking thin/fat and give her 1/2 a cup more or less as needed. Stay with that amount for a week, and evaluate again. It's a constant process, but once your dog is full grown you won't have to pay quite as close attention.

[Kahlua's mom]

Kahlua's always been fed 2x a day and it has never been a problem.

[Ayoka]

Of all the foods my dog has been on, he has never been fed the amount on the bag and maintained what I'd call a lean weight (one food said he should be fed 5 cups a day for his weight and he got 2). That being said some dogs puff up easy, others could eat all day and still be lean, I suppose like in people it's partly genetics, partly exercise.

As others have suggested, use the amount on the bag as a rough guide and adjust according to how your dog looks which really means how he feels (can you feel his ribs without having to press down and search?). With puppies this could be a constant process but it should even out once he gets older.

[jackdee]

My girl has always been lean , in a healthy looking way but she has never been chubby, she looks long and lean and muscular, does she need more food or is this ok?

[Pixx]

my dog is 4 months and will be 5 on august 31.. i feed her 3x a day.. when can i start to feed her 2x a day? thanks

[JemarsSerena]

Like the others said, go by sight and instinct. There is no official book that says if puppy weighs X then feed her XX amount. When touching her sides you should be able to feel her ribs without looking for them. If you can see them then maybe more food. You say she looks lean and healthy then why worry about her food level. But, to give you another perspective Serena is 6.5 months old. She has been getting 2 cups twice a day of Innova puppy. It is getting a little harder to feel her ribs, so we are cutting back to 3 cups a day plus training treats. Like Ayoka said, with a puppy the food level may have to be adjusted several times until they stop growing.

[Miss Greta]

It is much better for your dog to be lean and trim than to be overweight. Feeling the ribs, looking for a waistline and tummy tuck are very important. You can help to decrease the risk of HD and osteoarthritis if the dog is lean. You also can decrease the risk of diabetes. Someone long ago told me "look at your dog, could he/she do what she was originally bred to do at the weight it's at?" So, could your Rott herd, pull carts, help around the farm all day?? If the answer is yes, then you're fine. People have a tendancy to think this breed needs to be, in my humble opinion, way too heavy.