# Exercise and water before/after eating



## odins_raven (Jun 30, 2014)

We have heard a couple horror stories about GSD pup's stomachs flipping and it killing them from either exercising too much before/after eating or letting them drink a lot of water after eating since the kibble expands in their stomach.

I have a couple questions i'd like to get some feedback on:

1. Do i need to limit exercise before/after eating? If so, for how long?
2. Do i need to limit water intake before/after eating?

Our pup is 10 weeks old and we have been feeding him 1.25-1.5 cups once in the morning and then again at night. However, starting today i am going to switch this up to 1.25 cups in the AM, half cup at lunch, 1.25 cups for dinner. We have our first vet appt. next week for him to get his second round of puppy shots so hopefully the vet can let us know if his weight is good and how much we should be feeding him. 

Our breeder said you should be able to feel his ribs but not see them, and he should have a waistline. We are a little concerned because sometimes you can see his ribs a little bit (sometimes he sort of sucks his stomach in when eating/drinking and this is when they are somewhat visible) but in other body positions you don't see his ribs at all. He also has a defined waist line. Attached is a pic of him from Monday (7/7/14) but its not the best angle. He is a little ball of energy so i don't think he's severely lacking food or he would be lazy all the time. Do you think we are feeding him enough?


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## Ace GSD (May 30, 2014)

odins_raven said:


> We have heard a couple horror stories about GSD pup's stomachs flipping and it killing them from either exercising too much before/after eating or letting them drink a lot of water after eating since the kibble expands in their stomach.
> 
> I have a couple questions i'd like to get some feedback on:
> 
> ...


Good question and im looking forward to hear the answer too hahha.. adorable puppy btw


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## lyssa62 (May 5, 2013)

I always waited an hour before and after feeding to do any ball throwing, structured exercise. Now at almost a year and a half..it's kind of hard to limit activity -- I do NO exercise after eating but when we go for our long walk at night she usually wants a light snack ( kibble)


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

No proof on this at all. If I limited excersice before and after eating, we wouldn't get anything done ever. (This is kinda like the old myth that if you swam within an hour of eating you would get cramps. MYTH)


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## ApselBear (Feb 10, 2014)

I've never had trouble with exercise without waiting after feeding, knock on wood. But I'm also a big free feeder, so that may have some effect on everything. 

I personally have not known of a dog dieing from this.

Your pup looks happy and healthy, try to maintain that slim figure he has going on. It'll protect his joint health as he shoots up like a weed in the next few months/weeks. Enjoy your little shark


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I limit hard exercise before (about 30 minutes-1 hour) and after (2 hours) feeding. 

I only limit water right after hard exercise 

I always soak the food in water for about 30 minutes before feeding.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Many many many years ago I lost a dog to bloat. His stomach flipped and he died. I always make sure to feed lesser amounts a couple of times a day and no exercising after meals.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I watch my dogs. If they have been running hard, I'll wait till they are not panting hard with tongue rolling before I feed them. I'll let them calm down. I don't watch the clock, I watch my dogs. 

I limit exercise after they've eaten for about an hour. When they are working hard I'll limit water. I don't withhold water, but I'll limit it. They normally only want a few laps and then get back to work. If during hard work my dog expresses the need for more water, I'll make him rest and then water him more. Because it gets so hot and humid here, the object is to drink smalll quanities often and not a single greater amount.


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

I wait two hours after feeding. I wait an hour after some moderate exercise to feed. I limit how much water right after hard exercise, I generally walk around calmly for a cooling off when I work them hard before I give them any water. I know the theory changes all the time about the causes of bloat, but I'm careful about these things anyway.


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## odins_raven (Jun 30, 2014)

Thanks for all the replies so far. I typically soak his food in hot water in the morning, and at dinner he gets about a cup in his kong wobbler (to slow him down because he inhales the food if i give him the whole bowl) and the remainder i put in his bowl and soak in hot water until he is done eating the kibble from the wobbler.

Is this something you need to watch out for the entire life of the dog or just when they are a pup? Are there any warning signs to watch out for?


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Much more concerned about a dog bloating as he ages than as a young dog. As the stomach muscles weaken. Keeping meals small is one way. Not sure hot water is necessary to hydrate the food.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I wait about an hour before and after exercise for food. Instead of filling a bowl with water and having them gulp it down I give them ice cubes.


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## kjess01 (Jan 18, 2012)

I lost my "first" GSD, Zora, 15 years ago to torsion. At the time I didn't know it was a possibility in GSDs, only horses... Painful lesson to learn. She was just a couple weeks short of her 5th birthday. I was told at the time that it's when dogs get to 4-5 years & up that you need to be aware of the possibility and it usually has something to do with feeding kibble. 

She had been playing outside all day with my sister's dog and x-rays showed her stomach to be empty. She did not bloat. The vet had no suggestions as to the cause. 

My decision on how to feed Sasha, and now Jade is to feed a little in the morning after the morning run and before the normal morning nap, and then the main meal late in the evening, AFTER we're done for the day. I prefer to feed a raw prey model diet, but finances and lack of supplier contacts currently prevents that.


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## harrisbrown99 (Oct 26, 2013)

It sound that he loves to eat. I would purchase new dish for water and food. The one where they are force eat slow. When you go to pet store they will help you. My are grown, I 2 rescue GSD girls and 5 Chihuahuas. The GSD use to just swallow the food and they was burping. My fear was also they don't twist the stomach. Now is all just fine. They have to eat small amounts at time and for water I got the electric fountain.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

how much you feed will constantly change as he grows. I encourage my pup to rest for an hour after a "big meal". It may not be necessary but I figure, better safe than sorry.

At ten months he gets up to two cups of quality kibble in the morning and two at night. It was actually more at six months but then his growing slowed way down. I say "up to" because after getting treats for training all day, sometimes he is just not that hungry. Or he wants one of the high-value goodies instead. But just like a child I want him to eat his dinner before getting dessert. So many treats have sugar in them, even fruits and veggies like apples and carrots.


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