# Have I Been Starving My Poor Puppy???



## Bellesdad0417 (May 18, 2014)

I recently changed Finn’s food from the very same TOTW you chose to Orijen regional red when I took him off puppy food. I too was worried that he was going from 3 cups of TOTW per day to 2 cups of the RR but at the end of the day if the dog looks good that is what is important. Finn is 8 months and 53 lbs and is a big bruiser with a bit of a bootie going on but I can still feel his ribs so I’m going to stick with the bag recommendations. I think most dogs eat their food and look for more that is just normal dog behavior. What I have found when it comes to feeding recommendations a lot has to do with the protein amounts.

Basically what I’m telling you is you haven’t even made the switch yet so relax take a deep breath and take some time to assess the results. We can’t always immediately know or do the correct thing but as long as we make the necessary corrections based on observations and sound research everything will work itself out.


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## JudyD (Feb 3, 2013)

At one point, I was feeding TOTW, and both Jazz and our old Lab gained too much based on what the bag info recommended. I had to cut back significantly, as I recall. 

Now I'm feeding Merrick's grain-free all-life-stages kibble. The bag calls for 2.5 cups/day for a 50 pound dog. Jazz, who's 2+ years old, gained too much weight on that, too, so I've cut her back to 2 cups/day. 

For a pup, the Merrick bag info advises adding 25% to what's listed, but it isn't clear whether that's using the pup's current weight or its expected adult weight. I've seen it both ways elsewhere. Blue is 6.5 months old and weighs about 45 pounds, so I'm giving him 3 cups/day, which is about 25% more than what's suggested for a 50 pound adult. (I'm expecting him to top out around 55 pounds.) 

Both dogs look good, they have plenty of energy, I can feel their ribs, and the vet seems pleased, and I agree, that's the benchmark.


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## cmarrie (Sep 17, 2014)

So it sounds like there is really no formula.

Was there a reason you guys left TOTW?


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## Beaches (Jan 25, 2014)

My year old Spoo eats 2 cups a day with a small topper. She's perfect weight. She also gets a few treats throughout the day. She never looks for more.


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## PoodleRick (Mar 18, 2013)

Beau used to eat 4 cups a day when he wasn't being his usual picky self but he was a 65 pounder. Penny at 35 pounds eats when ever she want, her bowl is always full, but I usually refill it during the day with 3 cups. She gets Wellness core grain free puppy.

Rick


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## JudyD (Feb 3, 2013)

cmarrie said:


> So it sounds like there is really no formula.
> 
> Was there a reason you guys left TOTW?


When I fed TOTW before, Jazz and Luke both gobbled it up. This time, neither Jazz nor Blue appeared to like it. At least, they didn't eat eagerly. I'm not one to cater to my dogs, but since both weren't fond of it, I switched.


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## Mahlon (Jun 8, 2014)

I myself go with the bag recommendation (and vet recommendation/observations at check ups) as a baseline, and adjust as needed. Though it also depends a lot on what type of eater you have in your dog or puppy. I can free feed Quinn with no problems, as she isn't the type to scarf any and all available food. That said, I don't generally free feed her, as I'm trying to encourage more calories and food in her diet, and keep close tabs on when she eats and how much, to time potty breaks and track her progress.

I know for Quinn, if she's looking for more food, she gets more. But as said, she's not the type to eat unless hungry and so that works for us. Right now if strictly eating only dry food, she eats on her own about 3 cups a day (and I encourage her to eat up to 3.5-4 cups). I believe the bag recommends for her adult weight and current age, about 3-5 cups per day. Also her current food is Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy, which has worked well for us so far. I also have recently started buying cans of wet food (Purina Pro Plan as well) and been doing 1/2 a can once a day mixed with 1/2 of what I'd give her if only feeding dry. I was noticing though on only 3 cups a day (which she's happy with) her weight gain slowed down dramatically at about 16 weeks, so that's why I'm trying to add calories any way I can at this point. She's doing great weight wise, but a bit on the lean side, and while I like to keep adults lean, I think puppies caloric and nutrient needs are much higher and like to error on the high side, and then if needed dial it back down. She also is going to be very large for a female spoo, and I'm taking that into account.

Also, Quinn's ears, eyes, skin, coat, etc. are all very healthy, and if she were having issues I'd be trying to switch her to a lower grain content, and trying more novel animal proteins. But at this point, if its not broken, I'm not going to fix it so the only feed change I made was going from Purina One LB Puppy, up to the next higher quality of Purina Pro Plan LB Puppy. Once she's past a year, I plan on finding a higher quality kibble (within reason, I have to say I've been very impressed with her current kibble even though its purina). 

Hope that helps, and would love to hear more about what type/kind of eater your pup is too. With his issues though with ears, eyes, and skin it sounds like a diet change is definitely in order, and I personally think your Wrex is going to be a big boy, so I think more calories is a good thing!  Also another word of note, is high protein diets tend to have less calories, less fillers, etc. so take that into account during the switch.

-Dan & Quinn


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

cmarrie said:


> Because of his symptoms (sticky ears, gooey eyes, constant itching and skin lesions) I'm moving Wrex to a grain-free food. After some reading and some input here, I went out and grabbed a 5lb bag of Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy formula to get him started on with dinner tonight. Here's where my Over Thinking kicks in:
> 
> I googled "how many calories does my puppy need" and found a weight based formula that indicated he should be eating just roughly 1200 calories per day.
> 
> ...


Does he look like he's been starved? I go by body condition.


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## cmarrie (Sep 17, 2014)

Thanks, Dan! Your post and those of others describing their situations is very helpful. I went back and read through the email exchanges I had with my breeder regarding feeding, and the mistake IS all MINE. I truly feel terrible. She plainly says that she gave the three pups 5-6 cups of food to share at 7am and again at 5pm. I really have been feeding him half the food he was accustomed to for the last...geez, 6 weeks now. 

Wrex is a VERY enthusiastic eater. Perhaps from first sharing a dish with 2 other pups, and then from not getting enough food and being hungry all the time. He is interested in everything food related, hoovers up the crumbs on the dining room floor and chairs, licks the corners of my carpet and kitchen and stares intently at anyone who has food, or is preparing food. We crate him at meal time for just that reason. I can't help but wonder if that will fade out once he starts getting enough to eat. 

The protein content between the two isn't too terribly different. The Fromm was about 23% and the TOTW is 28%. Since I sincerely believe I've been underfeeding him, I'll start with the TOTW bag recommendations and adjust from there as needed. Hopefully in 4-6 weeks I'll see some positive changes in his appetite and skin condition.


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## cmarrie (Sep 17, 2014)

CharismaticMillie said:


> Does he look like he's been starved? I go by body condition.


No, thankfully, I don't think so. He came to us at 11 wks old weighing 18.5lb and earlier this week, at 16 weeks, he weighed 24.6lb. His ribs feel just as prominent as they did when he came home to us, and the vet wasn't at all concerned when he was in there at 15 weeks for his final parvo shots.


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## FireStorm (Nov 9, 2013)

I don't think Hans has ever eaten the amount that the bag says for any food we have fed him. He has always gotten less, simply because I can't get him to eat more. I've always stressed about that, thinking he isn't eating enough. We stop in the vet's office once a month to weigh him though (to get trifexis, and because the vet loves him) and she always says his weight is perfect.


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## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

I switched from blue wilderness salmon to blue wilderness large breed salmon. My picky eaters love it. The bag says from 2 1/4 cups to 3 cups. But I give a bit more cause they're very active and it says on the bag it can vary depending on each dog. They eat just a bit over 3 cups now. And occasionally skip meals. Since they are/were very picky eaters I decided to keep 3 cups + and a little bit out , and they never never overeat , they seem to know exactly how much nutrition they need according to how much they played and exercised. If they had a super active day they ask for more food and I give it to them.

I do the "rub the ribs" test constantly. (Don't know to describe it, I think someone here on PF posted a video or described it really well how to feel with your hands if they're too thin or chubby) my 2 seem to keep almost the exact same weight. So I trust them. But some dogs will eat everything that is out in front of them and some will be picky enough to be too thin. The larger kibbles of the large breed formula definitely is a hit. They really like it way better than the regular one. 

I'd rather feed a bit more since they're picky ... Just in case.

They are 27inches and about 58-62lbs at 2.5 years old, but they seem muscular but lean to me and the vets.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Wrex and Buck are almost the same age. Buck gets 1 1/2 - 2 cups of Purina Infinia Adult formula, turkey and sweet potato, moistened , with a topper of something to keep it interesting and for dinner he eats 3-5 raw chicken necks. My breeder says the package guidelines are pretty good, but to add more if the puppy is always cleaning his dish and looking for more. That has never happened with Buck. He makes a dent in the kibble when it's served, and usually finishes the bowl by noon. I know I'm violating the 20 minute rule, but I got sick of wasting kibble and decided to see what would happen. I thought he was a picky eater, but was relieved that he just has his own pace. As long as your vet hasn't been concerned, I'm sure Wrex is fine. Weren't you using kibble as treats too?


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## BeckyM (Nov 22, 2013)

I've never looked at a bag of dog food for recommendations. They vary too much and each dog is different. I go by body condition. I want to feel the ribs but not see them. 
Polly gets 2 cups of Wellness Complete plus about 1/4 cup worth of treats (cheese, chicken, etc) during the day. I just decreased it from 2 1/2 cups since she's slowed down in growth. I just monitor how she's looking and feeling and make changes as needed.


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## Bellesdad0417 (May 18, 2014)

cmarrie said:


> So it sounds like there is really no formula.
> 
> Was there a reason you guys left TOTW?


For me the only reason was I was going from a 4 star food to a 5 star food in my mind.


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