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how much?

2K views 12 replies 9 participants last post by  HavaneseSoon 
#1 ·
I know this has been discussed before, but dont know where. My Otis seems to be getting heavy, and I am wondering if I am feeding him too much. I give him a total of a half of a cup per day. He wolfs it down too. It doesnt seem like that much, but, he i can tell he is gaining weight. He doesnt do a lot of exercising, except for the FlH, lol. He is 10 months old, and I am not sure about his weight, but, I would guess somewhere around 11 lbs. He eats purina food. Thanks for any help.
 
#2 ·
look at the back of the bag for recommended amount. Some foods don't require as much. Mine weigh 8 lbs and 10 lbs 2 years old and I feed about two cups a day. I have no idea if one gets more than the other but the vet said they were perfect. I had a different food Acanna and it was a bit less per day.
 
#3 ·
oh my gosh, Suzi, you feed 2 cups a DAY!? that sounds like an awful lot to me...
be careful going by 'the bags' recommendation. Often times they recommend way to much so they can sell more dog food.

I think a 1/2 cup a day sounds very resonable to me ... maybe he's just not done growing yet?
 
#4 ·
Oscar eats at least a cup a day- we give him half a cup in the morning and half a cup at night. If he finishes it all, we give him a little more. He is almost 7 months old and his weight is perfect (9.2 pounds as of last week). Buzzy is 9.5 years old, and eats less than half a cup a day (and sometimes only eats 1 meal). He weighs just over 15 pounds and is actually gaining a little weight since we put him on schedules feedings when we got Oscar (which is good, since he has always been on the thin side). I think each dog is different. If his weight is healthy and he is hungry- feed him :)
 
#5 ·
As I said, he is getting really heavy for his size, and I am worried I may need to cut back on his food. He always has inhaled his food as soon as he gets it. He would eat til he was sick if you let him eat all he wanted. I need to get him weighed, as I am not sure what his weight is since he was at the vet last.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Don't go by weight. My guys are 7, 15 and 16 lbs. They are ideal in weight. I go by how they feel. If you have to press to feel his ribs, he is too heavy. You need to see that tuck up and waist too. If you hold your hand flat and rub your opposite hand over the back of it, this is how his ribs should feel.

Actually, after rereading your post 1/2 cup a day is not a lot. That seems about right. Maybe it is the treats. I always cut them up into small pieces.
 
#6 ·
Ruthi, can you feel his ribs when you are running your fingers over them? If you can, he is not fat and if you cannnot, you should decerase food ar look for something less caloric. Acana is good because it doesn't contain grains. Otis is still puppy and still growing. Roki is quite heavy, but he is really lean with all his ribs palpable. Havanese are sturdy little dogs with heavy bones. Roki also has good muscle mass and that makes him weigh 15 lb.
The other thing is giving too much treats - if you give him a lot of treats you should subrtact that from his regular food and give him less to eat. Good idea is to find some low callorie treats.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I am very strict when it comes to my guys weights. I pretty much weigh them weekly and feels their bodies. You should be able to feel their ribs easily, they should have a waist from above view and a tuck up. Here is a diagram. Keeping your dogs at the ideal weight can add years to their lives. Not to mention health issues with dogs being overweight.

I measure the amount to feed in calories. I think my guys are stable at around 350 per day in food. They also get treats and bones.
 

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#12 ·
if you think he's too heavy, he probably is. Ask your vet how much he should lose. Once you get him to the right weight use a scale and monitor weekly. Treats can definitely be the culprit.
 
#13 ·
I am going to chime in on this subject because I just notice everything about these love fur bugs. For the first year or so, the boys felt light and sometimes fragile, but as they matured they gained the weight and became more solid.

Dexter 4yrs - 17lbs. and Jack (Almost 3 yrs) - 12 pounds. Dry food 1/3 cup breakfast and supper, plus snacks during the day.

Wonder how much weight I can deduct for all that hair they have? :)
 
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