dog owners, weight question

Ktbug613 · February 2013

So my inlaws took care of our pitt for a while because we couldnt find a rental that would allow us to have her. We just got her back a few days ago and she is HUGE!! I don't know what all they were feeding her, we used to leave food in her bowl at all times because she just nibbled throughout the day and never had a problem over eating. Now she scarfs it as soon as its in the bowl! and I know they were giving her scraps because she runs to the kitchen as soon as she hears any dishes, even though the swear they didn't. Yea right. Since Ive never had to monitor her I guess I just want to make sure Im doing the right thing. Im in the process of switching her from purina to blue buffalo healthy weight. The bag says up to 3 1/2 cups for her weight, but Ive been doing 4 just because I don't want to starve her right off the bat (Ill work on bringing down the amount) and Im splitting it up between two feedings instead of just one. Im also going to start walking her, but Im sorta still on bedrest so I am limited on how much activity I can do with her right now. Any other suggestions? Am I on the right track here? She is such a fantastic loving dog, I just want her to be healthy I don't want this weight to start causing health problems.

lilav8tor · February 2013

I'm not sure where you live and if you have the ability to do this, but to keep her moving if you aren't able to go on long walks due to the bed rest, take her outside and throw the ball or Frisbee for her to have her chase it. Limited movement for you and lots of running for her.

Good luck - we always struggle for the first few days when our dog has been at either of our parents houses because they let her get away with pretty much everything.

HollyBee1022 · February 2013

It's really good that you want to get her weight under control! Limiting her food intake is a good start -- talk to your vet if you're concerned about giving her the recommended amount immediately. Also, one of our dogs is a super food scarfer, so we put "barriers" in his bowl -- a couple of large bones -- so he has to eat around them. It slows him down enough. If your dog is smart enough to just remove them from his bowl, you can buy bowls with built-in barriers too.

As for the exercise, make sure you're careful if you're on bedrest! Do you have any dog parks around you? If she's social, she might like to chase other dogs, run around in a big space, play fetch, etc. That way you can stay pretty stationary if you need to. Good luck!

havingaleo · February 2013

We have a big chocolate lab who eats like a bulemic--he will scarf down the entire bowl of food in seconds and then sometimes puke it up on the floor immediately after.

We bought him a special bowl that has grooves in it so that it slows down how quickly he eats--it was about 12 bucks and well worth it.

You could feed him diet formula dog food as well as feeding him a little less--our vet had us feed him 1/3 less than we had been feeding him.

traia · February 2013

My MIL only feeds her dog once a day, and i know alot of ppl who do. So is there a chance that they limited her feedings to only once a day vs having food all day in her bowl? I would be upset if you never gave her scraps before. Maybe just talk with your ILs about it.

V&G101808 · February 2013

I don't have any advice but I do sympathize with you! My parents took care of my chihuahua mutt for the first 7 months after I got married since our apartment didn't allow pets. He was 9lbs when we got married... I picked him up when we bought our house and he was 13!!! 4lbs is a lot on such a small dog... I was livid.

amarissa85 · February 2013

Get your dog a slow feed bowl. My larger husky used to do this and I mean should would inhale it and I got her the slow feed bowl and it doesn't allow her to scarf it down anymore. She eats quickly but not so quickly. I do not allow my dogs to eat throughout the day. I feed them once in the morning and once in the evening. Both my dogs are on a high end food though so I don't have to feed them much and they maintain their weight. My 36lb gets a cup and a half and my 50+lb gets 2 1/4 cups a day. It doesn't sound like a lot but when you put them on a high end kibble you don't need much.

kateisgreat · February 2013

lilav8tor:
I'm not sure where you live and if you have the ability to do this, but to keep her moving if you aren't able to go on long walks due to the bed rest, take her outside and throw the ball or Frisbee for her to have her chase it. Limited movement for you and lots of running for her.

Good luck - we always struggle for the first few days when our dog has been at either of our parents houses because they let her get away with pretty much everything.

I was going to say the same thing. My dogs don't tolerate long walks very well, they get overheated and tired. I sit on my back porch and throw the ball for them for their exercise, that way they can take breaks when they need to.

My dogs never had "people food", with a few exceptions, until DD started eating solids. I have to shut them outside when she eats now, and they beg for food constantly. I used to let them have a piece of my tangerines (IDK why but they love them), but DD has turned them into little monsters.

Ktbug613 · February 2013

thanks for the exercise ideas ladies! she is super social, we actually have a second pitt (my roomates) living here too that could give her tons of exercise. right now he keeps escaping the fence though! (my dog is just to fat to fit through and follow him haha!

One more question, I can tell she is still hungry between feedings, she gets up alot to go check her bowl....does that sound like I cut it down too much? I don't really know how much they were feeding her ( I don't think they really know either because everyone in the family was feeding her treats and scraps on the side I think)

Ktbug613 · February 2013

havingaleo:
We have a big chocolate lab who eats like a bulemic--he will scarf down the entire bowl of food in seconds and then sometimes puke it up on the floor immediately after.
We bought him a special bowl that has grooves in it so that it slows down how quickly he eats--it was about 12 bucks and well worth it.
You could feed him diet formula dog food as well as feeding him a little less--our vet had us feed him 1/3 less than we had been feeding him.

she is already on purina weight control, but I am in the process of switching her over to blue buffalo weight control. Like another poster mentioned Im hoping a higher end food will help her stay full and just be overall more healthy. I had no idea until recently how bad some of the common food brands are!

amarissa85 · February 2013

Ktbug613:
thanks for the exercise ideas ladies! she is super social, we actually have a second pitt (my roomates) living here too that could give her tons of exercise. right now he keeps escaping the fence though! (my dog is just to fat to fit through and follow him haha!

One more question, I can tell she is still hungry between feedings, she gets up alot to go check her bowl....does that sound like I cut it down too much? I don't really know how much they were feeding her ( I don't think they really know either because everyone in the family was feeding her treats and scraps on the side I think)

I know it makes you feel guilty but your dog is not starving I promise. Unless she is dropping too much weight stick with it. She is probably just used to what she was being given before.

amarissa85 · February 2013

Ktbug613:
havingaleo:
We have a big chocolate lab who eats like a bulemic--he will scarf down the entire bowl of food in seconds and then sometimes puke it up on the floor immediately after.
We bought him a special bowl that has grooves in it so that it slows down how quickly he eats--it was about 12 bucks and well worth it.
You could feed him diet formula dog food as well as feeding him a little less--our vet had us feed him 1/3 less than we had been feeding him.

she is already on purina weight control, but I am in the process of switching her over to blue buffalo weight control. Like another poster mentioned Im hoping a higher end food will help her stay full and just be overall more healthy. I had no idea until recently how bad some of the common food brands are!

Blue buffalo is an excellent kibble. Both my dogs are on Acana Wild Prarie. How much does your dog weigh?

Ktbug613 · February 2013

Amarissa- thanks I hate that shes feeling hungry at all

but I hate even more that she was allowed to get like this. We were very careful not to feed her people food, other than an ocassional meat bone, or sometimes an egg cracked over her food for a treat. Im not sure exactly how much she weighs, she has to be over 60 or 60 and some change.

amarissa85 · February 2013

Ktbug613:
Amarissa- thanks I hate that shes feeling hungry at all but I hate even more that she was allowed to get like this. We were very careful not to feed her people food, other than an ocassional meat bone, or sometimes an egg cracked over her food for a treat. Im not sure exactly how much she weighs, she has to be over 60 or 60 and some change.

When you switch her over to the blue buffalo she will need like half of what they were feeding her, try splitting up her meals to twice a day that way she doesn't feel too hungry or isn't going so long between feedings. I don't feed mine table food either and if I do give them a treat, say for example on Thanksgiving I gave them some ham over their regular food I don't let them see me do it. I make sure they are outside for a bathroom break or something. I hate the begging thing and DH used to do this with his other dog and I made it perfectly clear he was not to do it with mine.

Ktbug613 · February 2013

amarissa85:
Ktbug613:
Amarissa- thanks I hate that shes feeling hungry at all but I hate even more that she was allowed to get like this. We were very careful not to feed her people food, other than an ocassional meat bone, or sometimes an egg cracked over her food for a treat. Im not sure exactly how much she weighs, she has to be over 60 or 60 and some change.
When you switch her over to the blue buffalo she will need like half of what they were feeding her, try splitting up her meals to twice a day that way she doesn't feel too hungry or isn't going so long between feedings. I don't feed mine table food either and if I do give them a treat, say for example on Thanksgiving I gave them some ham over their regular food I don't let them see me do it. I make sure they are outside for a bathroom break or something. I hate the begging thing and DH used to do this with his other dog and I made it perfectly clear he was not to do it with mine.

Good to know about need less, right now she is just getting some blue buffalo sprinkled in with the other food, the guy at the store told me not to switch her too fast because what she is on is such low quality in nutrients (cue guilty owner feelings!), it would be hard for her to digest something much higher in protein and nutrients all at once. But sounds like once I get her all switched over then I can bring down her amounts. I do split it up into two feedings

sngould1 · February 2013

kateisgreat...we have a Boston too! This is our first child, so we're curious on how he will react. Obviously, he's the baby of the family now...poor guy is in for it! I'm sure they're going to be best friends!

amarissa85 · February 2013

Ktbug613:
amarissa85:
Ktbug613:
Amarissa- thanks I hate that shes feeling hungry at all but I hate even more that she was allowed to get like this. We were very careful not to feed her people food, other than an ocassional meat bone, or sometimes an egg cracked over her food for a treat. Im not sure exactly how much she weighs, she has to be over 60 or 60 and some change.
When you switch her over to the blue buffalo she will need like half of what they were feeding her, try splitting up her meals to twice a day that way she doesn't feel too hungry or isn't going so long between feedings. I don't feed mine table food either and if I do give them a treat, say for example on Thanksgiving I gave them some ham over their regular food I don't let them see me do it. I make sure they are outside for a bathroom break or something. I hate the begging thing and DH used to do this with his other dog and I made it perfectly clear he was not to do it with mine.

Good to know about need less, right now she is just getting some blue buffalo sprinkled in with the other food, the guy at the store told me not to switch her too fast because what she is on is such low quality in nutrients (cue guilty owner feelings!), it would be hard for her to digest something much higher in protein and nutrients all at once. But sounds like once I get her all switched over then I can bring down her amounts. I do split it up into two feedings

Yea the richness of the food would make her sick if given without transition. I slowly transitioned mine as well. Just make sure to check the bag for serving amounts.

Ktbug613 · February 2013

amarissa85:
Ktbug613:
amarissa85:
Ktbug613:
Amarissa- thanks I hate that shes feeling hungry at all but I hate even more that she was allowed to get like this. We were very careful not to feed her people food, other than an ocassional meat bone, or sometimes an egg cracked over her food for a treat. Im not sure exactly how much she weighs, she has to be over 60 or 60 and some change.
When you switch her over to the blue buffalo she will need like half of what they were feeding her, try splitting up her meals to twice a day that way she doesn't feel too hungry or isn't going so long between feedings. I don't feed mine table food either and if I do give them a treat, say for example on Thanksgiving I gave them some ham over their regular food I don't let them see me do it. I make sure they are outside for a bathroom break or something. I hate the begging thing and DH used to do this with his other dog and I made it perfectly clear he was not to do it with mine.

Good to know about need less, right now she is just getting some blue buffalo sprinkled in with the other food, the guy at the store told me not to switch her too fast because what she is on is such low quality in nutrients (cue guilty owner feelings!), it would be hard for her to digest something much higher in protein and nutrients all at once. But sounds like once I get her all switched over then I can bring down her amounts. I do split it up into two feedings
Yea the richness of the food would make her sick if given without transition. I slowly transitioned mine as well. Just make sure to check the bag for serving amounts.

Thanks!

BelhurstBride · February 2013

We have two boxers. Our female is around 45 pounds and our male is around 65... when they're at their good weights. The female gets a cup and a half per feeding and the male gets two cups per feeding. The male has a hypothyroidism and even though he's medicated he sometimes struggles with hunger and gets a bit more per day. Our female has two bum knees (torn ACLs, one was surgically repaired) and not very active; their are times we have to cut her back some.

In the summer, when they're more active we watch their chests (best way to tell a healthy weight) to see if they need more food.

For the life of me I can't remember what brand they're on, but we researched the sh!t out of foods before picking one. It's not something you can pick up at the grocery store or Walmart.

I imagine a pitt's cut is similar to a boxer's... but we were taught that it's good to see a couple of ribs and a tuck at their waist. We concentrate on that more than the scale.

I bet your guy, just like when a human diets, is going to struggle with the habit of eating more often. There are times with our male that we have to spread his 4 cups out over three feedings to keep him happy. Our female could eat all d@mn day if we let her.

WildRumpus · February 2013

It looks like Amarissa gave you some solid advice. Ox eats Blue Buffalo, it's great food. He's also a scarfer, but part of that is his flat snout!

If you have stairs, sit at the top and roll a ball down for her. She'll be pooped by the end.

We had to up Ox's exercise when we moved from our 3rd floor apartment to our townhouse; running 3 flights everyday several times was enough to keep him in shape. He's still a little chunkier than I would like, but the vet said some of it is just him getting older and his winter bulk.

mamabear7 · February 2013

We have two pits who are around 8 years old. Not sure how old your dogs is. We feed grain free and they each get 2 cups a day. 4 cups sounds like a lot unless your dog is a puppy.

Also, I agree with previous posts about exercise.

I would highly recommend getting your dog's weight in check now because once your baby is self feeding your dog will gain weight all over again Our dogs are our toddler's best friends!

Ktbug613 · February 2013

mamabear7:
We have two pits who are around 8 years old. nbsp;Not sure how old your dogs is. nbsp;We feed grain free and they each get 2 cups a day. nbsp;4 cups sounds like a lot unless your dog is a puppy. nbsp;Also, I agree with previous posts about exercise. nbsp;I would highly recommend getting your dog's weight in check now because once your baby is self feeding your dog will gain weight all over again : nbsp;Our dogs are our toddler's best friends!nbsp;

she is three and the bag says up to 3.5 cups a day

amarissa85 · February 2013

mamabear7:
We have two pits who are around 8 years old. Not sure how old your dogs is. We feed grain free and they each get 2 cups a day. 4 cups sounds like a lot unless your dog is a puppy.
Also, I agree with previous posts about exercise.
I would highly recommend getting your dog's weight in check now because once your baby is self feeding your dog will gain weight all over again Our dogs are our toddler's best friends!

I have given this some thought too since I remember DD when she was little used to throw food off the side of her high chair to my godmothers dog. It was hilarious at the time but I may start locking the dogs in the back when it is time to eat and make sure to vacuum after.

kateisgreat · February 2013

sngould1:kateisgreat...we have a Boston too! This is our first child, so we're curious on how he will react. Obviously, he's the baby of the family now...poor guy is in for it! I'm sure they're going to be best friends! My female loves DD, and has from day 1. My male liked her well enough at first, but DD can get a little heavy handed with the petting and he just hides from her, poor guy. He is warming up now that she is learning to pet gently and not pull ears/poke eyeballs.

ELauren88 · February 2013

Ktbug613:
One more question, I can tell she is still hungry between feedings, she gets up alot to go check her bowl....does that sound like I cut it down too much? I don't really know how much they were feeding her ( I don't think they really know either because everyone in the family was feeding her treats and scraps on the side I think)

No. We rescued a pitt/boxer mix at 6 months old. Since he came home with us, we've fed him twice a day. He is always checking his food bowl. ALWAYS. I talked to my vet about it, because I had the same fear (we weren't feeding him enough), and he said that Bo could be checking for a couple different reasons. The top 2 being that either feeding times aren't consistent enough, or he's bored. My vet also assured us that we are not under feeding him, they say 1 cup per 10 lbs is more than enough. We give him 3 cups per day (split between 2 feedings) and he weighs 35 lbs. As long as his exercise stays up, he weight stays even.

I'm not a vet, but if I could hazard a guess, I would say you need to compare her right now to an over-weight human. When increasing exercise, you ARE hungrier, but you need to stick with the diet, just make sure it's healthy food and not filler food.

GL!

girlmama83 · February 2013

I think you are on the right track. Blue buffalo is one of the best dog foods out there! That's what we feed our pup. He loves it and always gets an excellent bill of health at the vet. I think starting at 4 cups and eventually going down is the right way to do it. Best of luck to you and your dog!

starshower22 · February 2013

I worked at a vet clinic for a few years and the vet always told people to follow the feeding suggestion on the bag for what the dog should weigh. Not their current weight. So if your dog weighs 50lbs but should weigh 35lbs, feed the daily amount for a 35lb dog. That way they'll eat less to get the weight down but once they hit their goal it keeps them in shape. And of course like other posts have suggested, exercise is a must. Good luck!

Bunnyfer · February 2013

Don't worry, your dog won't starve. Dogs are FAMOUS for giving you the looks to make you feel guilty. Get them off Purina....that stuff is total crap...its like doggie McDonalds. Blue Buffalo is a good start,,,look for grain free foods, and foods with good quality ingredients. I use Fromm's for my one pug, and he has dropped 5lbs. He gets a cup total a day, half in the morning, half at night. He is a 25lb pug who is 10yo and sleeps all day. He was in the lower 30's so the food switch and the proper feeding has helped.

I agree with getting a bowl to deter the scarfing. I have heard you can put a smaller bowl in the bigger bowl, upside down, then add the food around it to also help slow down the eating process.

Simple walks if you can...if you have a yard, some play time. I also would get the dog to the vet and make sure they are not diabetic, or have another underlying issue

amberyintar · February 2013

Definitely follow the feeding recommendations on the bag for amounts- higher quality foods like Blue Buffalo have less filler in them so if you notice, the feeding amounts are usually lower than the lower quality dog food. They will give your dog the nutrients they need- including good fats and carbs. It will take your dog a little while to get used to it, but once they do, it should be fine.

Don't worry about feeding them too little either- I've been feeding my 62 lb dog 1/2 cup less than the recommended amount for over a year and he has (finally) maintained his weight instead of gaining! My vet said that the amounts on the bags are just guidelines, and every dog metabolizes food differently, just like people. As long as your pup is not losing weight too quickly, they will be fine. Another thing you might want to check into while your dog is losing- when I was working on my dog's weight, my vet let me bring him in once a week to weigh for free, so that I could really monitor it and adjust feedings as needed.

Gobs · February 2013

If you haven't walked her much before I would advise on letting your partner or a friend take over that job for a while. I have a large breed dog and we walk him frequently however he does pull sometimes and it ha become a real concern as he is so strong he could easily pull me over so hubs has taken that job for a while

Ruger04 · February 2013

I'm a vet tech and have been in the field for over 6 years.

In saying that blue is a great food! When you say that the bag tells you to feed 3and 1/2 cups for her weight... is that her weight now? or what you want her to be? You need to feed for what you want her weight to be. Not what she weights now. Also if in the next 3 weeks to a month you do not get any weight off of her I would think about having her Thyroid tested. Dogs tend to get Hyoprthyriod which can lead to weight gain. Just a thought!

Also, to put it in to perspective I have a 80 lbs great dane lab mix. He only gets 3 cups of blue a day 1.5 in the am and 1.5 pm with two milk bones a day.

Good luck!! the weight will come off!!!

Edt: I agree with PP don't give in keep feeding her what you are she does not need more

Ktbug613 · February 2013

Ruger04:
I'm a vet tech and have been in the field for over 6 years.
In saying that blue is a great food! When you say that the bag tells you to feed 3and 1/2 cups for her weight... is that her weight now? or what you want her to be? You need to feed for what you want her weight to be. Not what she weights now. Also if in the next 3 weeks to a month you do not get any weight off of her I would think about having her Thyroid tested. Dogs tend to get Hyoprthyriod which can lead to weight gain. Just a thought!
Also, to put it in to perspective I have a 80 lbs great dane lab mix. He only gets 3 cups of blue a day 1.5 in the am and 1.5 pm with two milk bones a day.
Good luck!! the weight will come off!!!
Edt: I agree with PP don't give in keep feeding her what you are she does not need more

both...the 3.5 cups is reccomended for between 50-70lbs, 50 would be a good weight for her, I think she is closer to 65 or more right now

katiebenes · February 2013

I'm a cat owner, but I figured I weigh in since my DHs cat became a fat cat two years ago. My vet said to feed him for the 15 lbs he should be not the 19 lbs he was. so now our big tom cat is at 16 lbs. he moped for a while... a LONG WHILE. the little brat.

toppingheyler · February 2013

My Golden Retriever was having a weight issue as well. We actually started her on a thyroid medication and she dropped a ton of weight so hers was a medical issue BUT my mom used to work in an emergency vet hospital and knows some amazing doctors who told me that although exercise is great for your dog, it will not work as well for weight loss as it does for us. The focus should really be ensuring the dog is getting the proper amount of food. That being said, she also said blue buffalo is high in calories and the amount they suggest may not be accurate for your pup. I would talk to your vet and ask them what they would suggest as well.

On a side note, I wouldn't be too hard on your in-laws. They were taking care of a grandbaby! It was nice of them to even take the dog in to begin with and I am sure they didn't think about the bad side effects of scraps and such. Also, ditto to whomever talked about self-feeding babies and dogs...they are best friends!

Want a personalized experience?

dog owners, weight question

Re: dog owners, weight question

Choose Another Board

Search Boards