# How to tell if your feeding enough?



## Koal (May 2, 2010)

Our old dog was overweight and could go as little as a single cup of eukanuba a day but he was lazy and overweight. our new german shepherd is definetely a big change as i have to walk him A LOT in comparison. i have upped his dossage on new science diet and give him around 2 1/2 a day plus treats. i know how to recognize over eating but i was wondering about some signs they want more besides the obvious wimpering at the bowl cus hes to well mannered to do that.

Please note he is only 45 pounds.

Thanks


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

Koal said:


> i know how to recognize over eating but i was wondering about some signs they want more besides the obvious wimpering at the bowl cus hes to well mannered to do that.


A sign that he wants more is not a good way to tell if you're feeding him enough. I currently have two dogs that would eat as much as I'd give them - literally, they'd eat until they exploded. They ALWAYS think they're hungry! But I'd be doing them a serious disservice, not to mention possibly endangering their health, by feeding them as much as they want to eat. 

The best way to know if he's eating the right amount of food is to check his general condition. You should be able to easily feel his ribs, and maybe see the last one or two (depending on the thickness of his coat). Looking down on him from above you should see a "waist" and from the side, there should be a tuck up at the abdomen. Regardless of the number of cups per day of food he's getting, if he matches this description, he's eating the right amount _for him_. 

How old is he?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

The Science diet is not a good food. I would read thru the nutrition threads for more information on better kibble or diet in general. This site is good for analyzing different brands: http://www.dogfoodproject.com/
You don't say how old your dog is, I'm assuming a puppy?
As far as feeding amounts go, it depends on _what_ you are feeding, better quality foods, you usually feed lesser amounts.

Activity levels, growth spurts all weigh into daily intake. I run my hands down my pup and adjust his food according to how he feels, if I don't feel a couple ribs then he gets less, same with my older females, though they aren't growing, just maintaining-harder to keep them lean.
If I let my puppy eat as much as he wanted, he'd be a beachball. I use food for training/tracking so his meals are adjusted according to what I am feeding while training.


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## Koal (May 2, 2010)

I know the science diet isn't good and we are gonna switch him eventually but hes in good condition and all at 2 yrs. what i need to know is like what kind of signs should i look for in the short term in terms of his endurance playfullness and stuff like that. i guess im wondering whether there is a way to tell if hes getting enough without him saying and without waiting for him to lose some poundage.


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## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

If you can see the last couple ribs, feel the ribs, see a noticeable tuck up, and see a waist when viewed from above your dog is in perfect weight and you don't need to up his food. If your dog is overweight, up the exercise each day and lessen his food.


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

Koal said:


> what i need to know is like what kind of signs should i look for in the short term in terms of *his endurance playfullness and stuff like that*. i guess im wondering whether there is a way to tell if hes getting enough without him saying and without waiting for him to lose some poundage.


That is not going to tell you if he's getting enough food. Again, the best way to know is to look at his physical condition. If you see changes in his energy and playfullness that concern you, discuss them with your vet. I've never seen any relation between how much food my dogs get and their activity level, nor would I expect to.


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## mazza (Jun 11, 2010)

how regular do you worm him?


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## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

just an fyi...but if my dog was overweight and only eating 1 cup a day..I'd check thyroid. 

Everyone gave a good description on what to look for physically in your dog. In terms of feeding...I choose a good quality food (you will feed less of a good food vs. a low grade food as it's not filled with fillers). You can start with the recommended feeding on the bag...and tweak it to tailor your individual dogs needs. Say it said...feed 3 cups a day and I noticed my dog was getting a little chubby...I'd lower what I'm feeding...and vice versa...if I noticed my dog was getting too skinny...I'd up it a bit. 

And I agree with the others.....I just go by overall appearance.


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## shilorio (Mar 21, 2010)

the corn foods are very fattening but do not have the things they need, i would recomend taste of the wild, its a great food!


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