# Is Alpha eating too much?



## ALPHA (Dec 30, 2010)

He eats 64 ounces of food a day.... what do you think he is only 11 months... the funny thing is that he is not even fat...


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

How many cups is that? I'm assuming it's 64oz in weight, not by volume? Can you easily feel his ribs?


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## ALPHA (Dec 30, 2010)

I give him 2 32oz cups ( from taco bell fountain drinks) ... his ribs are covered...


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## Girth (Jan 27, 2011)

8 cups a day is high. I feed my pup half that amount so 4 cups or 32 oz a day. I just started reducing his intake to 1.75 cups. I also use calories as a guide and try to stay around 1500-1700 calories a day. Also will depend on activity level.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Holy crap that's a lot of food! What does a typical day for him look like? What kind of food is he eating? What's his weight? If you want, post a current pic of him.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

ALPHA said:


> ... his ribs are covered...


What does that mean? :thinking: 8 cups is a lot of food, but without knowing what KIND of food it's really hard to tell. A lower quality food might have several hundred calories less per cup than a higher quality food, so just knowing the _amount_ of food, without knowing what kind is almost meaningless.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

True - I'd want to see the nutrition label and know what brand it is.


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## ALPHA (Dec 30, 2010)

he eats nutra nuggets... this is what he eats... *Home* : Products > Nutra Nuggets > Dogs > Dry Food 
*dogs : dry food*








*Nutra Nuggets*

*Lamb Meal & Rice Formula*



Lamb Meal & Rice for Sensitive Dogs
Glucosamine & Chondroitin for Healthy Joints
Omega Fatty Acid Balance for Healthy Skin and Coat, and Overall Good Health
Chelated Minerals, especially important for growing puppies and reproducing mothers
 Nutra Nuggets Lamb Meal & Rice Formula is the optimum formula for dogs who prefer the taste of lamb. Supplemented with glucosamine and chondroitin and formulated with the proper balance of omega fatty acids to promote overall health and a beautiful, shiny coat.

Protein: 25% Fat: 15%
Calories: 3,631 kcal/kg (340 kcal/cup) Calculated ME


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Egad! That's 2700 kcal per day! He's either very large or very active. And I'm glad I don't have clean-up duty at your house. For comparison, Kopper (9 months old, walks 4 miles a day plus agility work, 65lb) gets about 1500 calories per day. Alpha is probably bigger than Kopper, but he's probably not twice as big or twice as active.


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## ALPHA (Dec 30, 2010)

well Alpha is not even big... he is probably 80 pounds, tops 85 and at most 27 inches tall... he is super active I walk him 2 miles every other day and he has a 6000 sf play ground (backyard) for himself...


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## marksteven (Aug 2, 2008)

Personally, after looking at those pics i say continue to feed as you are doing, he looks great. As far as extra weight, i learned the hard way. Remember who's hips, spine etc. is carrying the weight, the leaner the better.


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## RowdyDogs (Nov 12, 2012)

From the photos I agree with Mark that he looks like a pretty good weight. However, it is really hard to evaluate weight from photographs. The main reason I even feel okay commenting on it is the image with him standing, where there seems to be a clear difference between his rib cage and loin, but that could also be how he's standing.

When you say his ribs are covered, what do you mean? Can you feel his ribs easily? If you can't feel his ribs easily under his coat, he's too fat. Seeing their ribs varies a lot depending on the dog's coat, but generally I like to keep my dogs where you can't see their ribs if they're standing relaxed, but will see them in certain activities/positions (for example, jumping for a frisbee and bending their body as they do so).

How to Evaluate Your Dog's Weight - For Dummies has a good picture for general weight evaluation. Breed standards and individual build will have some impact, but it's a good starting point.

And as always, if you're concerned about his health or diet, a vet visit is never out of line.


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