Hi all, I am trying to find a way to determine the correct amount of food to give Jasper each day.

Jasper is a 9 month old black lab with a hint of spaniel who has been with me since he was six months. Prior to this he was fed on Bakers which I already knew was no good for him, which was confirmed by his consistently loose stools an his amazing abilty to peel the paint off the walls with the noxious gases he emitted on a regular basis.

Based on a recommendation I switched him onto Fish4puppies, which if the ingredients list is to be believed, is pretty much just fish and potatoes and this proved to be very successful, his poo was much better and the flatulence disappeared all together. There was also a dramatic change in his coat which many people commented on, saying how healthy he looked. He literally looked like we had polished him lol!

Following the manufactueres guidlines for his age and weight (20 odd kgs) I was giving him 500g of this split into two meals a day, morning and evening. When we fist got him he seemed to lose a little weight but I put this down to the improvement in diet and the increase in excercise and after two weeks the weight came back on.

He seemed to be thriving on his new regime but in the last two weeks he started begging for food when we were eating, which he had never done before. I thought he may just have become bored with the one type of food so I have tried switching him over to James Wellbeloved junior but this has brought back his poor tummy and the smell is quite frankly unbearable.

I know there are other quality foods I can try but I think I will just revert back to the Fish4dogs that he did so well on but I need to know if I am giving him enough. The makers guidlines actually say he should be having slightly less per day now he is bigger but how do I know he is getting enough, or getting too much? Being a lab he will quite happily eat as much as I give him but I want to be careful not to over feed him.

I don't know anything about the British dog foods, but I would go by the feel of the dog around the ribs . You shouldn't be able to see them but should not have to really feel hard to feel them. Pups also go through a gangly stage. My collie weighs about 55 to 60 lbs and she eats 2 to 3 cups of food per day. My shih tzu who is 10 mths old eats 2/3 of a cup a day she would eat more if I let her but she is not skinny. The collie is 2 yrs old and gets offered 1 cup in the am sometimes she eats it sometimes she doesn't she always eats her supper 2 cups. Don't know if that helps at all but I'm sure someone else will be around...Jill

__________________
[Justice for Lyle)

Better switch back at your first food choice since it gives good results to your dog.

I do not have any idea about the right food for dogs, In my case, I just give my pet dog 3-4 cups of food per meal.

__________________

I would keep him on the food you had him on, if anything give a little bit more in his feed,... but not too much. It will say on the instructions on how much to give per body weight or age. Perhaps he is so active he just needs that little big more per feed. He is begging for your food because it smells much nicer that his lololol.....I wouldnt be tempted to give him any of yours as you are eating at the table, you will make for a picky dog otherwise. If he is healthy and eating what you put down and only begs for more food when you are eating your food, then i would suggest moving him to another part of the room with toys or a chew for him so he is pre occupied while you eat your dinner. xxxxxxx

__________________

Instructions on dog food is only a guide. You have to take into consideration energy levels and exercise regime that your own dog has. If he is a very energetic dog then feeding up to 25% more would be acceptable, particularly as he is still growing.
However, you may need to cut back again when his growth has finished.
Just keep an eye on his condition and feed accordingly

__________________
I work my life around my dog, not my dog around my life

If you can run your hands along the ribcage and feel the ribs slightly then I would say he is getting enough, I know one of mind will eat for england and I have to watch her weight, I feel a dog slightly under weight is better than a dog over weight.

Mo

Thanks for all the replies, it would seem that there is no set amount to feed and it is just a case of monitoring his condition.

His begging has dropped off again, although it was never really that bad, just that it started so suddenly, however on reflection it would seem that the reason behind it was that he was going through a growth spurt and so his regular diet was leaving him hungry. Its so easy to forget that he is still a puppy and has plenty of growing left to do.

I have another week or so of the JWB left so I will continue with that to give it a fair chance but will probably switch back to the fish after that. His diet is healthy and he is very active and as long as he remains so I doubt there is any reason to worry.

Thanks again for al the help.

Marcus

This is what I've learned in this thread. We only need to monitor our pet's condition then we must be sensitive enough at our dog's health. I would recommend to feed them nutritious foods like what is recommended to humans.

__________________