# How much and how often should i feed my pup??



## Ludogg

Ive been reading the threads about how much too feed and Ive noticed most people feed their pups 4-5 cups a day...

My pup Luke is now 22 weeks, he weighs about 55lbs; he pretty lean. I usually feed him in a 2 quart tupperware container so thats 8 cups?? The reason I feed him in the tupperware container is cause he never finishes his food; and the ants and birds usually end up getting in his food. So I just cover it up and put it away and I keep putting it out for him but he always nibbles here and there... 

My question is should i feed him 4-6 cups a day only once, at night time.. cause i noticed in the mornin hes not hungry; even after our daily 6 mile hike.. In the evening is when he really digs into his food..

Also i posted a Thread about Kirkland food, not sure if its causing him to have loos stools..What if I switched to the Kirkland adult food instead?


----------



## sagelfn

why do ants and birds get into his food?

loose stools could be caused by him being over fed, 8 cups a day is a ton of food. I feed Orijen and feed about 3 1/2 - 4 cups a day for an 80lb 11 month old

I would also advise against once a day feeding


----------



## Ludogg

usually i have him eat outside, and we got a ton of sparrows cruizin the neighborhood for food, the neighbor also feeds her dog outside so they just sit on the fence and wait for the dogs to walk away from the bowl and come and pilledge and plunder..
( i know i didnt spell pilledge right) also we have a lot of ants and they get in the food.

thats why i started using a tupperware, so i can cover the food and bring it in.. the problem is I feel he should be eating more cause he's a pup.. i noticed most people feed their adult dogs 4-5 cups a day.. based on the threads that i read..

he usually doesnt eat the whole eight cups he'll leave a little bit.. thats why im asking.. I tried using the free method..(just leave the food out and let him eat all he wants).. but i know hes gonna get overweight.
I take him walking with me about 2 hours a day,its about six miles.. so i felt he should eat more cause of the energy he burns..

so should i feed him once a day? or twice? on the bag it says 3 1/3 - 4 1/2 a day but it doesnt say once or twice a day.. 

my theory is if i feed him once a day then he'll be really hungry and eat all his food.. Also one lady at the park told me i should leave the food out for 5 minutes and if he doesnt eat take it away.. but then he'll never eat it takes a while to finish his food..however i would need some advice from someone with experience with proper feeding habits..
with my lil weenie dog, i feed him 2 cups twice a day.. no feeding issues with him...


----------



## sagelfn

my feelings on once a day feedings...

I would hate to only eat once a day I would be so hungry by bedtime i'm sure my dog would too. Also, I feel it would increase the risk of bloat..that is a ton of food to try to digest all at once. 2 or 3 times a day feeding is much better IMO.

someone more wise will probably comment on it but 6 miles a day for a 22wk old pup is too much stress on the body IMO.

If you are feeding 8 cups a day and not putting him on a feeding schedule that would explain why he doesn't want to eat at meal time. Start leaving the food for him 15-20 minutes and then taking it away if he hasn't started eating..dont feed him again until evening meal time.


----------



## Ludogg

sagelfn;

thanks.. that makes a lot of sense...I think ill just keep feeding him like i have a few times a day lil bit at a time..

maybe its the food; he doesnt like it?? in my experience most dogs ive ever had will gobble down anything you put in front of them...I guess every dog is different just like us..

But Luke is really picky... we brought him home early (5 weeks/ i know someone is gonna roast me and say thats way to young) cause his momma stopped feeding the pups and i had to give him furmula and crushed puupy food for a few weeks then we switched to furmula, crushed puppy food and canned food.. but after a couple weeks he would get tired of the food and stop eating, he would only eat just enough to survive.. finally i just started giving him dry food alone and he gradually started eating more. but he goes thru stages where he doesnt eat in a set pattern.. also he used to push so hard he would get bloody stools.. almost like hemroids.. but i noticed that stopped when i stopped giving him raw hide bones to chew on.. 

i know there are some well experienced people on this site that could prob shoot me some advice as to how to get his feeding right... i know it sounds dumb (aduhh..how many times a day should i feed my pup??) but ive also talked to people who suggest you should feed your dog once a day..

thanks for the advice i've learned alot on this site.. i hope i dont get roasted for asking stupid questions..haha


----------



## Sharbel

Try mixing some wet food like *Pedigree Junior canned food with dry kibble ( I used the Royal Canin Junior).* The wet food will soften the dry kibble and give it a better more attractive to your pet taste. If the dog though does not eat it within 15 minutes to 1/2 hour you should cover the dish and remove it to a cooler place.Usually dry food topped with wet food goes bad and gets smelly if not eaten so b prepared to throw it away and replace it with fresh one for the next meal time. 

A pet of up to 3 months of age should not go first of all for walks as the vaccinations are hardly completed by then and long strenuous exercise and walks followed by 8 oz of dry food in one go may cause bloating which may prove fatal.

I would feed 3 oz of dry kibble with a topping of wet pate canned food 3 times a day: morning , midday and evening and always at least one hour before or at least one hour after going on walks or exercise.


----------



## Lucy Dog

First do not feed pedigree anything. I'd rather buy my dog big macs and whoppers for dinner over anything made by pedigree.

Feed twice a day, 12 hours apart if possible. The bag says 3.5-4.5 cups per day, so you'll want to feed about 2 cups per meal. So that's 2 cups in the AM and 2 cups in the PM.

The lady at the park gave you good advice about leaving the food down for a certain amount of time and then picking it up. My advice is to drop the food down for 10 minutes and if he's not at his bowl eating when that time's up, just pick it up and do the same thing for the next meal. If he's a slow eater, thats one thing, but if he takes a couple bites and just walks away, give him the 10 minutes and pick it up. If he's sitting there eating after the full 10 minutes (because he's a slow eater) are up, let him finish up until he walks away (or finishes his meal without walking away) from the bowl.

Don't worry about him not eating if he walks away from a meal or two. A healthy dog is not going to starve himself. He might walk away from a meal or two, but that won't last forever and he'll learn that meal time is time to eat and not time to play. He'll learn to eat his meal when you put it down and if he doesn't eat within those 10 minutes, he'll have to wait until the next meal. It's called tough love and it's a great training method. Take it from someone who still uses it to this day with a slow and picky eater.


----------



## Sharbel

I do not know what's so wrong with anything Pedigree but he is now 6 1/2 years old and unless I mix his dry food with "anything Pedigree' he won't eat it. I know you will say leave him with the dry kibble he will not eat the AM meal, he may not eat the MD meal but eventually he will have no choice but to eat the PM meal!!!

If it is that bad then I may as well do just this. 

I also top his kibble with...*trimmed halloumi* ( this is the traditional Cyprus cheese) and the dish disappears! The same goes for a topping of raw chicken egg on top of the kibble or topping of boiled pieces of lean chicken meat. 

I avoid topping with egg and halloumi often though as I am scared of causing cholesterol levels to rise. He is in general a *dairy product lover*. He actually *drinks every day half a pint of fresh cow milk*. I know as someone already suggested and he may be correct fresh goat milk instead but we can not find it easily in the market. As I usually say if he or any other dog likes a food or a drink and this food or drink *does not cause him any health problems *why should I or anybody else change his eating and drinking habits? And to top the list he is a *dry nuts lover* too!!! He loves any kind of ..dry nuts from peanuts to cashew nuts to walnuts and .. pistachio!!! I do not know if other dogs have such eating preferences or if this is safe for a dog though...

Also please note that my advice for a 3 times a day feeding program goes for a puppy of up to 3 months of age. An adult dog like my Richie is fed 2 times a day only: morning and evening.


----------



## Lucy Dog

Sharbel said:


> I do not know what's so wrong with anything Pedigree but he is now 6 1/2 years old and unless I mix his dry food with "anything Pedigree' he won't eat it. I know you will say leave him with the dry kibble he will not eat the AM meal, he may not eat the MD meal but eventually he will have no choice but to eat the PM meal!!!


Pedigree has some of the absolute worst ingredients in their food when compared to some of the higher quality foods out there. From ingredients alone, you can do soooo much better. 

Pedigree has everything from: 

corn - that can cause allergies and can not be digested by dogs so is pointless to even be in the food to begin with let alone being the first ingredient. It's a filler.

by-products - feet, heads, basically anything left over that humans wont eat i.e. junk

"Animal" meals - unnamed which means it can be anything from racoons to roadkill to even dogs and cats.

And a bunch of other junk that has been discussed over and over here. Do you really trust a company that will include ingredients like that in their food when you could buy a kibble with much healthier and ethical ingredients? I personally do not, but i guess to each his own.



Sharbel said:


> He actually *drinks every day half a pint of fresh cow milk*.


Half a pint of milk, everyday?! I've never heard of anyone giving their dog milk like that on a daily basis. Is there a reason you do that? Milk is pretty fattening, is he overweight at all? 

I'm not trying to critizice and sorry if i'm coming off that way, i've just never heard of anyone giving their dog milk like that.


----------



## zeprider25

I feed rambo 3 times a day 1 cup at a time. 6-7 hours apart Leave it out for 15-20 min (he is a real slow eater). Whatever is left I bring in and throw it back in the bag. I use blue buffalo large breed puppy.

Though his trainer said to feed him twice 12 hours apart 1.5 cups, it didnt work to good for him and he was pooping real soft. I would assume 8 cups is way to much for any dog. 4-5 seems to be average what I read on here, even for adults.

Important not to exercise them right before and especially right after eating. I personally wait at least 30 min after exercise or at least an hour before.


----------



## LaRen616

Lucy Dog said:


> Pedigree has everything from:
> 
> corn - that can cause allergies and can not be digested by dogs so is pointless to even be in the food to begin with let alone being the first ingredient. It's a filler.
> 
> by-products - feet, heads, basically anything left over that humans wont eat i.e. junk
> 
> "Animal" meals - unnamed which means it can be anything from racoons to roadkill to even dogs and cats.


 Thats gross


----------



## LaRen616

zeprider25 said:


> I feed rambo 3 times a day 1 cup at a time.


I did the same thing when Sinister was a puppy. He got 3 cups a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner. I fed him Solid Gold Wolf Cub, great food. He is 1 year old now and I feed him Blue Buffalo Blue Wilderness, even better food. He gets 2 cups of food twice a day, breakfast and dinner. He is 27 1/2" and weighs 80 pounds


----------



## JakodaCD OA

If he's leaving some, he is getting enough of what he needs/wants. 

I would never feed my dogs 8 cups per day,,thin or not.

My puppies when I have one, usually get one cup three times a day ( I do not feed puppy food/straight adult)...When they hit 6 months or so, they go to two times a day.

Depending on energy/weight, right now I feed Masi 2 cups twice a day,,she's 26" at the shoulders and long lean 70#,,should she fatten up, I'll drop that back to 1.5 cups twice a day, but since she is sooooooo active, she tends to stay at this weight for right now anyhow.


----------



## Ludogg

Okay; first i have to thank everyone for the advice... i guess the consensus is about 4-5 cups a day twice a day or 1 cup three times a day...

We just got back from our hike, today we walked thru the trails, not on the cement so its not so hard on his bones.. and theres a lot of uphill and downhill's on the trail so i know he got a decent work out.. he drank plenty of water before we left and a little rite when we got back.. i put out 2 cups of food and he's not touching it.. 

now what?? he hasnt eaten since last night around 7pm... so whats the problem??

i think hes not liking the kirkland brand-puppy food anymore and waits till he's super hungry then **** eat about 6cups.. because even though i put out 8 cups in the past he usually never eats it all.. only before he has a growth spurt ; do i see him eating alot..

maybe he's tired of the puppy food should i switch to adult food now?? I cant really afford the blue buffalo, or the natural balance or the other fancy stuff, should i stick to the kirkland brand adult-food ?? or should he still be eating puppy food?? ugh... 

but he's about the right weight for a 5 1/2 month old GSD 55lbs and he's about 23" at the shoulder.. he looks lean.. i get compliments just about every time i take him out.. so his overall health and appearance is good.. the only health concearn is the loose stools wich i think due to eating 6 cups of food at one sitting... 

now how do i break that habit..cause now he wont eat till later tonite..i tried putting some kibble in the palm of my hand and hand feeding but he ignores it..and if i add any wet food he usually just gets the runs, the liquid type..ugh..


----------



## JakodaCD OA

He sounds like he is in good weight to me)

Do you moisten his food? If not, try that, maybe he'd like it better than dry.

Me, personally, I'd switch to adult, (it's your choice tho),,I would start by putting down 1 cup am, if he doesn't eat it within 15 minutes, pick it up, cover and refrig, save it for lunch,,try again,,if he doesn't eat it, pick that up, do the same, and try dinnertime,,if he hasn't touched it by then,,throw it out and start over..

I think some dogs are like people they just don't like certain foods,,(or he could be a nit picky eater!) There are some good foods that aren't to pricey, I know Nature's Recipe at Petsmart is 40# for 39.00..not as cheap as kirkland but not a bad food either..

Good luck !


----------



## Lucy Dog

Like i said in my earlier post, just put the food down and if he doesn't eat it, too bad. 

Don't give him food out of your hand after he decides he doesnt want to eat from his bowl. You want to train him that when the bowl hits the ground, he either eats it or he's going hungry until his next meal.

He sounds like he's a healthy dog and he's not sick at all, so a healthy dog isn't going to starve himself. He might be picky, but he'll eat. You just have to be consistant.

That means drop the food, give him 10 minutes to eat. If he doesn't eat that food within those 10 minutes, pick it up and wait until the next meal. Trust me, coming from the same thing youre experiencing now when lucy was that age, it works.


----------



## Ludogg

okay i just covered his food and put it away, and i'll try again around 3pm, and again around 7pm.. i dont want to feed him too late cuase then he'll poop in his crate..

but i think he's gonna pull the "ol wait till later and eat as much as i can routine" again.. 

but im also suspect of the food, i'll have to swing by coscto today and grab a bag of Kirkland adult food, lamb and rice.. and try that... if he doesn't like it then i'll have to try something else till i find the rite one..

thanks again for the advice..

Lucy dog, "Livin' with Lucy Dog's the only way to stay sane" im a sublime fan too!!
Bradley Lives!! rock on..haha


----------



## Lucy Dog

Good luck. Just try not to give in if he skips a meal or two. Remember, you're training your dog to eat when you tell him it's time to eat, not when he decides it's time to eat. Just like with any kind of training - be consistent.



Ludogg said:


> Lucy dog, "Livin' with Lucy Dog's the only way to stay sane" im a sublime fan too!!
> Bradley Lives!! rock on..haha


:toasting:


----------



## alaman

Just go to free feeding. He will eat when he's hungry and will maintin his weight. I've always free fed my puppies with excellent results.


----------



## Sharbel

Lucy Dog said:


> Pedigree has some of the absolute worst ingredients in their food when compared to some of the higher quality foods out there. From ingredients alone, you can do soooo much better.
> 
> Pedigree has everything from:
> 
> corn - that can cause allergies and can not be digested by dogs so is pointless to even be in the food to begin with let alone being the first ingredient. It's a filler.
> 
> by-products - feet, heads, basically anything left over that humans wont eat i.e. junk
> 
> "Animal" meals - unnamed which means it can be anything from racoons to roadkill to even dogs and cats.
> 
> And a bunch of other junk that has been discussed over and over here. Do you really trust a company that will include ingredients like that in their food when you could buy a kibble with much healthier and ethical ingredients? I personally do not, but i guess to each his own.


The dog did not suffer any allergies other than the seasonal ones that is in the Spring *he may scratch his face* due to the dust that comes from the Sahara but with proper cleaning and hygiene and staying-in at home more during these periods this is easily overcome. So I wonder why should I stop something that he likes and that causes him no health problem at all?






Lucy Dog said:


> Half a pint of milk, everyday?! I've never heard of anyone giving their dog milk like that on a daily basis. Is there a reason you do that? Milk is pretty fattening, is he overweight at all?
> 
> I'm not trying to critizice and sorry if i'm coming off that way, i've just never heard of anyone giving their dog milk like that.


Again he likes it, he got used to it all these years and it helps him maintain strong bones while he does not add pounds to his weight. He is lean and healthy as you can see from his pictures and quite energetic. Is there any health hazard from consuming milk on a daily basis other than the possibility of getting fat? Cholesterol maybe? As I said he also likes cheese , halloumi and ...peanuts as well as chicken meat! 

Finally thanks a lot for taking the time to reply to my queries. I am not considering these comments as criticism. I also want to know if I am doing the right thing.
I also hope my questions are not off the subject of this discussion.


----------



## DJEtzel

Personally, I'd feed your dog 2 cups twice a day. I'd never give him the option of sifting through food to eat from 8 cups! Put two down (inside, and stand near, but ignore him) then see if he eats any. If not, pick up like said before and try later.

If he decides it's just the brand, then I'm sorry but you're going to have to FIND the money to buy a good brand food. If you can't afford the food for your dog, you probably shouldn't have gotten him in the first place. 

The food I recommend is solid gold wolf cub or Orijen large breed puppy.



Sharbel said:


> The dog did not suffer any allergies other than the seasonal ones that is in the Spring *he may scratch his face* due to the dust that comes from the Sahara but with proper cleaning and hygiene and staying-in at home more during these periods this is easily overcome. So I wonder why should I stop something that he likes and that causes him no health problem at all?
> 
> 
> Again he likes it, he got used to it all these years and it helps him maintain strong bones while he does not add pounds to his weight. He is lean and healthy as you can see from his pictures and quite energetic. Is there any health hazard from consuming milk on a daily basis other than the possibility of getting fat? Cholesterol maybe? As I said he also likes cheese , halloumi and ...peanuts as well as chicken meat!
> 
> Finally thanks a lot for taking the time to reply to my queries. I am not considering these comments as criticism. I also want to know if I am doing the right thing.
> I also hope my questions are not off the subject of this discussion.


Feeding crappy food like you are CAN cause health problems, that's why. Shorten lifespan, rot teeth, etc. 

The problem with milk is that dogs are lactose intolerant, so it just isn't good for them in general. And if you were feeding good kibble and milk, maybe even crappy kibble, you're throwing off the calcium/phosphorus levels which can actually HURT his bones, not help them. 

Basically, if your kid LOVED candy and that's all they ever wanted to eat, would you let them? Dogs love crappy food because it's sugary and bad for them, not because it's healthy. It's your job as the mother/owner to make a responsible decision for you child/pet.


----------



## Ludogg

Aha!!! I think i figured out why Luke's been having loose stools...I've been feeding him 2 cups twice a day for the last couple days and I've noticed firmer stools.Yay!!!

I still think he doesn't like his food, he's eating it kinda reluctantly.. He waits till he's really hungry before he eats and he doesn't dig in with gusto..

Thanks everyone for your advise!


----------



## GSDSunshine

Yay!!! Also keep in mind some foods has more calorie dense so even thought the sticker price might be higher, it migth not be that much mor to feed.

Some other cheaper options for you
Chicken Soup for the Dog Lovers Soul 
Canidae ALS (more $, but very calorie dense)
Nature's Recipe
Diamond Naturals

Did you try making a gravy by adding a few tbsps water and mixing it in with the kibble? Or only adding a tablespoon of canned and some water, and mixing it for a gravy?


----------



## Mheimpel

Blue buffalo has feeding suggestions on the side of the bag, for our 6 month old it shows we should be feeding him 4 cups a day right now he is around 65 lbs and is lean, we feed him at 6am and again around 530-6pm. He seems to be more hungry now that he is getting a little taller and filling out more. But I wouldn't over feed him because he could also become bloated, constipated and cause throwing up. Blue buffalo has worked on all 3 of my dogs, but I know a lot of people have trouble with it. Also our vet recommended to feed him the puppy version until 8-10 months and then move him to large breed Blue and then go by the suggestions on the bag.


----------

