Connie Sutherland wrote 10/12/2011 09:53 PM Re: is this unusual? 80# GSD only eating 2 cups/day [Re: Jenny Arntzen ] #346857 - 10/12/2011 09:53 PM
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005 Posts: 31571 Loc: North-Central coast of California Offline	Comparing raw and kibble amounts is an exercise in futility without a dry matter conversion. Fresh food is largely water.
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Jackie Stevens wrote 10/13/2011 12:06 AM Re: is this unusual? 80# GSD only eating 2 cups/day [Re: Connie Sutherland ] #346867 - 10/13/2011 12:06 AM
Jackie Stevens Webboard User Reg: 09-28-2004 Posts: 14 Loc: Montana Offline	Quote: connie sutherland How is his weight? Maintaining? Losing? What? This is exactly my question, too. Is he underweight? Just right? If he looks fine, acts fine, poops fine...then I wouldn't worry about how much he eats. My dog is 7 years old, but much larger (125#)...we play "puck" everyday, and walk an average of 3 miles daily...he only eats 3 cups per day. Any more than that, and he starts gaining weight. p
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Greg Meyer wrote 10/13/2011 07:44 AM Re: is this unusual? 80# GSD only eating 2 cups/day [Re: Chris Waple ] #346870 - 10/13/2011 07:44 AM
Greg Meyer Webboard User Reg: 12-24-2009 Posts: 482 Loc: Dayton, OH Offline	I'm no expert nor am I a vet, but just for comparison, our 65 lb Mal, 3 years old, gets 3 cups of Wellness-brand kibble per day, split over two feedings per day. She's fairly lean. If we increase that to anything more than that she puts on weight. I would think each dog is different, based on their energy level, metabolism, amount of activity, etc. Sounds like your dog has found his right balance all by himself. Bailey
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Kadi_Thingvall wrote 10/13/2011 10:29 AM Re: is this unusual? 80# GSD only eating 2 cups/day [Re: Greg Meyer ] #346878 - 10/13/2011 10:29 AM
Kadi_Thingvall Webboard User Reg: 01-14-2008 Posts: 213 Loc: Offline	I think the big question has been asked, is the dog loosing weight, maintaining, ?? If the weight is fine, I wouldn't be worried about it, the amounts on the dog food bags are suggested guidelines, not hard and fast rules. Just like some people can eat 3000 calories a day, and others only 1000. I have a 75lb Malinois who has only eaten around 2 cups most of her life, even when she was actively training/competing (she's 12 now). I actually have her on a low calorie food now so I can feed her a little more, on the higher calorie stuff 2 cups was to much, she was getting fat, but I can't see feeding her less, she'd be hungry all the time. Kadi Thingvall http://www.dantero.com
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Chris Waple wrote 10/13/2011 05:57 PM Re: is this unusual? 80# GSD only eating 2 cups/day [Re: Kadi_Thingvall ] #346910 - 10/13/2011 05:57 PM
Chris Waple Webboard User Reg: 01-10-2011 Posts: 69 Loc: Offline	Going to have to get him over to the vet to use their big scale. Picking him up and jumping on the scale at home isn't as easy any more like when he was a puppy... He still looks about the same size, is not too "ribby" or anything. So maybe I'll stop by there and pop him on the scale to make sure. Tonight I tried a new flavor of the same food (red meat flavor, bison/lamb/venison) and he ate it all pretty quickly. About 1.5 cups. So maybe I'll try that flavor for a few meals. Too bad I just bought a 30# bag of the old stuff... He's quietly and contently licking peanut butter out of his kong right now. Good boy.
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Connie Sutherland wrote 10/13/2011 06:18 PM Re: is this unusual? 80# GSD only eating 2 cups/day [Re: Chris Waple ] #346912 - 10/13/2011 06:18 PM
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005 Posts: 31571 Loc: North-Central coast of California Offline	Actually, you might want to take him regularly to the scale at the vet's. Besides the obvious info you get, I do this anyway, so that many visits to the vet are innocuous, non-scary, and treat-involved. The vet's can be scary-smelling and -sounding. I think it's good to introduce the idea that the vet's office can also be completely casual and non-tense.
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ann freier wrote 10/14/2011 12:51 PM Re: is this unusual? 80# GSD only eating 2 cups/day [Re: Connie Sutherland ] #346968 - 10/14/2011 12:51 PM
ann freier Webboard User Reg: 11-20-2005 Posts: 673 Loc: NE Nebraska Offline	that is a great idea connie (wish i would've thought of it, lol). but as far as feeding/appetite goes, i have always fed to the "condition" of the dog if that makes sense. IOW, if the dog is in good condition and doesn't want to eat all i offer, i offer less until it's cleaning up its meal. now if it's in bad condition and not eating, in we go to the vet. or if it has suddenly quit eating, in we go to the vet. but if it's feeling fine, acting fine, just not cleaning up its feed--well, cut back on the feed. the "suggested" rations on feed bags are just that-suggested. different animals have different needs. FWIW--that PB in his kong has a lot of calories in it as well--if he's getting one or two PB-filled kongs/day, you will want to cut back on his feed.
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Connie Sutherland wrote 10/14/2011 12:58 PM Re: is this unusual? 80# GSD only eating 2 cups/day [Re: ann freier ] #346971 - 10/14/2011 12:58 PM
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005 Posts: 31571 Loc: North-Central coast of California Offline	I agree with you 100%! The body condition means much much more than the measuring cups of different kibbles. JMO! I spread peanut butter around the inside of the Kong rather than filling it, BTW, and then I freeze it besides.
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Elizabeth Anderson wrote 10/14/2011 08:22 PM Re: is this unusual? 80# GSD only eating 2 cups/day [Re: Connie Sutherland ] #346997 - 10/14/2011 08:22 PM
Elizabeth Anderson Webboard User Reg: 07-27-2010 Posts: 551 Loc: Offline	Zuki is also one of those dogs... She is 70lbs and doesn't eat more than 1.5 cups a day. If I gave her food in the morning too she would eat less than that.
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Dannielle StCin wrote 10/14/2011 09:28 PM Re: is this unusual? 80# GSD only eating 2 cups/day [Re: Elizabeth Anderson ] #347006 - 10/14/2011 09:28 PM
Dannielle StCin Webboard User Reg: 05-16-2011 Posts: 76 Loc: Tucson, AZ Offline	My foster is like that too. 75lb GSD who barely ate two cups a day. I've started adding small bits of canned food and smaller portions more often, and it's working to get her to eat more. You can always try that? If that doesn't work, and there's no serious health issues, maybe that's just how much he eats?
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