My 8 month old GSD weighed 76.8 pounds when I took him to the Vet on Monday.
He is fairly lean and muscular. He also has a fairly discernable waistline. He sleeps alot but is very energenic when he plays.
I am feeding him 2 cups of Royal Canin Maxi Large Breed Puppy with approx 1/4 pound of raw beef mixed in twice daily. He eats it like a horse. His stool is firm and regular.
Am I doing the right thing? Is his weight good for his age?
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005
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Loc: North-Central coast of California
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My 8 month old GSD weighed 76.8 pounds when I took him to the Vet on Monday.......He is fairly lean and muscular. He also has a fairly discernable waistline. He sleeps alot but is very energenic when he plays........I am feeding him 2 cups of Royal Canin Maxi Large Breed Puppy with approx 1/4 pound of raw beef mixed in twice daily. He eats it like a horse. His stool is firm and regular.....Am I doing the right thing? Is his weight good for his age?
I don't think that's a great food (JMO), and there are good reasons for not mixing raw with kibble. This has been covered here a zillion times, but briefly: raw is digested fast. Kibble takes 3+ times as long. These forces the raw meat into long contact with the intestines. This negates the dog's best defense against e.coli, salmonella, and other raw bacteria (that defense being a speedy system, very unlike our own).
Here is something to start with for food, which also is addressed on this board (using "search," extend the date rate from one week to many and use "raw" or "barf" or "food" as your term): http://www.leerburg.com/feedingdogs.htm
That web page goes from best (fresh real food) to next best (The Honest Kitchen with RMBs) to next best (a list of better kibbles). If you feed kibble, I'd choose a better one, and I'd separate the raw meat for a different meal.
The weight: If you and the vet think he's a good weight, then the amount of food it requires isn't relevant. What's important is that it's the right amount to keep him at a good lean weight. JMO! I'd want him to have a well-defined waistline and easily-felt ribs.
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