A basic "How Much" question

[huz]

First, I have to say that Ernest and Isabel are the two cutest miniature dachshunds in the world. If you don't believe me, you can ask my wife.

The dogs are four months old. Initially, I was mixing dry Iams with Mighty Dog (small cans). I'd split a can into two bowls, add a half-cup (or so) of dry, and they'd have at it. They got this three times a day.

Ernest was getting fat. When I brought them to a trainer, Isabel stepped from the crate, and the trainer said, "Oh, my. You are a little fatty." I quickly shut the crate door and said, "Hide, Ernest. Hide!"

I've since cut them back to a half can each, twice a day. They are definitely slimmer, but I'm not sure that they're getting enough nutrition - the do not get a lot of treats.

I've seen on one site - Purina, I think - that the dogs should be getting about 75-90 calories per pound per day. That's a minimum of about 500 calories per day! Is that a lot? I weight over twenty-five times what one of the dogs weighs. If I ate (lessee... 180 pounds times 75 calories per pound... that's 13,500 calories a day... I don't have that kind of TIME!)

How many calories in a can of dog food.

Thanks for any help you can offer. Pix will be available - just to make everyone jealous.


hu

[blazeman]

I'm not sure about the canned food... but my 6 month old boy (who is the little one on my avitar... and the pics found at the link below our names) eats Iams dry twice a day... 1/2 cup each time... he does get a bunch of treats though when we work on our training... I have been cutting back on them though cause he is doing great with the training and hasn't needed as much work.

I have tried to keep him trim... even if I never did that withmyself :)

[Heidismom]

Are your two standards or miniatures? It depends on the weight of the dog. I have always had miniatures, and I have a 13 1/2 year old, an almost 8 year old, and a 17 month old. They each get 1/2 cup of kibble, and a teaspoon of wet (canned) food for dinner, and 1 veggie "bone" at breakfast, each. Puppies up to three months need a certain amount, that drops at 6 months, and again at 9 months - according to most feeding recommendations. If your dogs are getting fat, have you checked on the crude fat in the dry food? If yours are adults, it should probably be no more than 5 %. I know of a web site where you can compare nutritional components - I'll look for it and come back and add it here. Julia B.

http://naturapet.com/display.php?d=comp-wiz (http://www.naturapet.com/)
Click on the "compare foods" icon, and away you go. JB

[Frzframe]

when feeding canned Mighty Dog. My mother used to feed our Lhasa that but recently found out that it was causing high levels of something (I can't remember right off hand) in her liver that was causing her all sorts of troubles. I'll ask my mother what was wrong and write back as soon as I find out.

I'm not saying that it will cause this problem with your pups but you may be on the look out for any troubles. And mind you Emily had eaten it for years due to the fact her adult teeth never came in and she had troubles eating dry food.

Shonda

[TessieMom]

I used to use Mighty dog, but it has very high protein levels which could be a problem for an older dog. Currently, I have been using Natural Balance Kibble which has 3 quality meats and lots of quality veggies. The seniors with Liver and Kidney problems are on L/D and K/D since we have to watch protein. Rena and the 4 girls and 2 foster boys

[Rusty's mom]

Our 3 get Wellness Fish and Sweet Potato - about 1/2 c. for supper. I always make homemade cookies for our guys and they get 2 each for their breakfast. Last week I made ginger/pumpkin cookies and this Saturday I'll make blueberry yogurt cookies for them. They get chewies everyday and will sometimes get a 'little handout' from the dinner table. I give them just a bit more dry kibble in the summer as they get out and do more - they're just couch potatoes in the winter and don't need as much.

Kathy - mom to Rusty, Duffer and Hobbs

[Frzframe]

high levels of phosphorous in Emily's liver. She is doing much better now since she's on perscription science diet. She's even gained weight which she needed so bad.

Shonda

[steeve]

I too have a 4 month old (only one unfortunately) miniature and she is now weighing in at a little over 4 lbs. FWIW, she is looking sleek and trim with very muscular forlegs. I feed her one tablespoon of canned (Nutrience puppy) and about 1/4 cup of dry (Nutrience puppy) twice a day. It sounds like you're giving them a bit too much canned. The nutrience canned is about 10% protein, 6.5% fat and 1% fibre.

My vet approved of the amount I'm feeding the little one, but I'm not too sure of the quality of Nutrience compared to Science Diet or Iams -- that is something that I'm just looking into now. I was advised to keep her on the Nutrience for a couple of months and to mix it with whatever I chose to replace it with over a period of time so that her digestive system had time to adjust.

[Meemoo]

it has byproducts, preservatives etc. Here's a great link that has top canned foods, kibbles as well as a wealth of other information.

http://home.attbi.com/~mstraus/dogfeeding.html

A few good foods off the top of my head are Wellness-Old Mother Hubbard, Eagle Pack, Avo-derm, Solid Gold.

Good luck! :)

[steeve]

I'm hearing a lot of good things about oldmotherhubbard.com (Wellness) so I'll look into that. As far as I can tell, the nutrience (based on the ingredient list) is not too bad compared to a lot of the other commercial brands like Pedigree, Purina or Puppy Chow. Apparently one should avoid the corn based products at all costs.

I'm especially interested in good quality foods that use good quality meats (chicken, beef, lamb) and not just the crap that fell off the assembly line at the major meat packing plants that have infested most of North America. I don't mind paying more to get my dog good quality meats. In fact, since I don't eat meat myself, I wouldn't even mind using foods that use 'organic' meats!

[Meemoo]

as dogs are MEAT eaters and protein should be one of the top if not THE top ingredient in the foods. SOme of the kibbles even have 2 or 3 meats in their ingredients. The more protein and veggies/fruits and less grain, the better. A lot of grains tend to cause problems in our puppers, allergies, weight gain etc.