Pup is always hungry

[BellaDad]

My 15 week pup eats like a madman, or madwoman I guess. I feed her twice a day with our other dog a maltese. 1-1.5 mile walk in the morning nothing too streneous, about a cup of dry puppy food and a third can or so of canned food. She's walked at lunch time, then again when I get home from work. They get fed around 6 or 7 pm same amount, walked again before bed.

The problem, she eats it without coming up for air....almost like i haven't fed her in days. She eats a lot quicker than the Maltese and goes over and tries to eat his food. I know for a fact that she'd eat more if I put it down b/c I've done it once or twice b/c I felt bad. I'm going by the directions on the can/bag for her age/weight so that shouldn't be the problem.

My question is, should I feed her more if she'll eat it or keep her to the recommended amounts? She gets gassy at times. I hold her on my lap and keep her from taking Porter's food and she usually burps once or twice....and then gets it from the other side sometimes...she can clear the room better than some of my college buddies. So feed her more b/c she's a growing pup or stick with the recommended guidelines?

[ezzy333]

You feed as much as it takes to keep the dog in good condition. Pups will normally eat two or three times the amount that a grown dog needs. My Brit pup is eating 4 cups a day of dry food and is still hungry but he is in good condition so that is all he get. The older dogs get about 2 cups a day and do well on it. One would eat more but if I let her have any more she starts putting on weight. Just feed your dog and don't worry what the bag says. That is just a quideline for someone who has no idea how to feed an animal.

Also realize the canned food you are feeding is mostly water and has little feed value compared to a good dry food.

Ezzy

[big steve46]

Switch her to a good quality adult feed, and let her eat what she needs. If she continues to eat too fast, get a bowl that is made to slow down their consuming the feed too fast.

[MikeB]

BellaDad,

What breed of pup do you have?
What exactly are you feeding your pup, brand and formula?
How much per meal?

I agree you could try feeding more food each meal and adding more warm water as that might slow your dog down a bit. Be aware that over feeding can cause diarrhea so don't panic just reduce the food amount if it happens.

I would also do your best to keep the dogs apart till each has finished their meals.

[JakeThomen]

I don't want to step on anyones toes, but DO NOT feed it adult food. The puppy formula is made for dogs that are rapidly growing. Your dog will basically grow to full size in one year and that can be hard on joints/bones... and this takes a lot of fuel/energy (food). I don't know what kind of relationship you have with your vet, but I would recommend calling him/her and just mentioning your worry. Not to say that advice here is no good, but your vet knows the dog and will probably be able to suggest a food or just tell you not to worry about it.

[big steve46]

If you compare good quality adult feeds and puppy feeds, there is almost no difference. Just marketing.

[BellaDad]

I don't recall the wet food off the top of my head, I can look when I get home, the dry brand is Purina...not sure on the specifics other than that.

Why do you say the wet food is mostly water? It seems like pretty good chunks of meat to me. I've read that canned food is better for dogs in general, maybe it is just better than Ol' Roy and stuff like that.

I give her 1-1.5c dry food with about half can (13.6 oz can I believe) of wet twice a day. So 2-3 c dry food and a full can of wet. I do keep them separated and there usually isn't any problems. She (a GSP) just eats faster than him and wants to finish off his food before he's done. I just hold onto her until he's done and then put both dishes up.

One last question, I was told by the breeder not to feed her the same thing as the maltese b/c there is a difference b/w large and small breed foods. Is there truth in this? We haven't been feeding them the same thing, 2 bags at the house, but it would be easier to only have to worry about one bag if it isn't a big deal.

[3Britts]

Unless the food is coming back up, I wouldn't worry about the speed that your pup eats. I have three dogs that all eat a varying speed. My male finishes in about 10 second, my youngest female takes about 2 minutes and my older female simply takes her time.
I would, however, switch your pup to a good quaility adult food as, in my and my trainer's experience, dogs do as well or better on it then on puppy formula. Right now, your dog is still in the puppy stage with more energy than you know what to do with and will need a good amount of food for all that play.

[BigShooter]

You feed as much as it takes to keep the dog in good condition.

Another way to say this is you feed as little as it takes to keep the dog in good condition. Try to feed exactly what a dog needs, not too much, not too little. I recently picked up an 11 week old GSP pup that ate just like yours. I wouldn't worry about how fast the pup eats. The breeder free fed my pup and it was way overweight. It took a while to gradually get the weight down to a healthy weight for the pup. You don't want large breed (grow to 50 pounds or more) dogs growing too fast because some will develop bone/joint problems if allowed to grow too fast. I gradually switched this pup to adult feed around 16 weeks.

If you're uncertain what a healthly size or good condition is for your dog find a local expert familiar with the breed.

Mark

[Greg Jennings]

Much better for them to be a bit lean than rolly-polly fat, IMHO. Heads off later issues.

I'd second getting the dog off the canned food. If nothing else, putting them on dry and keeping them on it heads off later issues.

[BellaDad]

Why is dry superior to canned? I figured it would be the other way around.

[MikeB]

Dry food is much higher in protein and fat than the canned food. There is a big difference in feeding 2 cups or 3 cups a day of dry food. I would be very consistant with the amount and are you measuring with an (8 oz.) measuring cup.

Once I had a client tell me there Lab was gaining a lot of weight and they were only feeding 2 cups a day of dry food. I said "show me your cup...." That "cup" was a 32 oz (4 cup) plastic beer mug. The dog was eating 8 cups a day.

So I alway question what size cup people use.

I have added canned food to dry food but not more than a heaping tablespoons mixed with slightly warm water into a gravy with the dry food.

Here is a bowl that is made for fast eaters like yours. If it bothers you that much I would buy one and see if it helps. I have heard it does help a lot. Check out their site. http://www.brake-fast.net/

[BigShooter]

oops ... we all forgot to mention worms. Although you did not mention any symptoms like diarrhea that would indicate worms or any other parasite , the above advice refers primarily to worm free pups.

P.S. In my experience the worst gas comes from letting them chew on and swallow those rawhide "bones".

[naperdog]

i agree on the gas. I had some rawhide chips i used to feed my pup, but i couldn't watch tv in peace. His gas was REALLY bad. Since i stopped giving those to him life has gotten much better for my wife and i. I give him whole rawhide bones and have had no problems with those. Not sure if it because he doesn't eat as much of them or if it is the brand though

[ezzy333]

Somehow my last post got lost. Canned food is somewhere around 75% water so when you feed a 12 oz can you are feeding 9 oz of water and 3 ozs of nutritional ingredient. Ther just are much more efficient and cheaper ways to feed a dog.

Mike's point is well taken also. Very few people ever measure what they are feeding accurately.

If you have ever raised a healthy boy or pup you will find they are bottomless pits during those teen age years. If they aren't hungry they are sick. That said you have a healthy pup it sounds like and if the pup is in good body condition then you are feeding just right but remember that amount might change weekly and surely will change in a monbth ot two but only you can tell how much your pup needs. I have three dogs eating the same feed and pretty near the same weight. The pup is eating 4 cups, Time is eating 1 1/2 cups and Rush is eating 2 cups. Time was eating 5 cups when the pups were nursing.

[intothewind]

oh that brings back memories of my lab, poor thing. she ate every meal like i hadnt fed her for a week, come to think of it, she finished off a few tv remotes and half my woolrich hunting coat. i had to turn my head when i fed her, made me sick to watch it. shed scoop it like a bulldozer, chunks flying everywhere swallowing full mouthfulls ,seemed like without chewing it. my gsp though, almost seems embarrassed to eat in front of me. i feed her a raw meat diet, with dry food to supliment. she wont touch it until i leave the room, then shell eat it when im gone. funniest thing ever, if i peek around the corner, shell look back, lay down and act like she has no interest in it. dogs are just different, like people.

[MTO4Life]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but a dog that eats incrediblly fast can be possibly prone to bloat? I was told that water in the food helps slow their eating down a little bit... maybe that's wrong, and if so, could someone set the answer straight for me please???

[ezzy333]

I think water will slow them down a little but I do not like to feed a wet mash as it always seems to lead to more plaque on the teeth. There are better ways to slow them if its really necessary. Place a good size rock in their bowl so they have to pick the feed out from under and around the rock is one way.

As far as bloat is concerned again that maybe right if you are feeding and taking the dog directly to the field but should have no effect if you are feeding after exercise or at least several hours before.

Ezzy

[MikeB]

So I guess after reading all the posts.... If it ain't broke... Don't try to fix it.

If your Lab is doing well and all systems are working, don't worry about his eating fast. It think it is a Lab thing any way.

[BigShooter]

MikeB,

Who's got the Lab? The original poster said he's got a GSP.

[mountaindogs]

First I love these...
http://www.bustercube.com/faq/faq.html

http://www.animalbehaviorassociates.com ... -a-jug.htm watch the rubber rope on these. They used to be real rope which was fine, but my dogs chew off the "new imporved end" now, so watch the puppy to be sure they don't swallow the rubber. Plus side is they are easy easy to fill up!

I feed with them inbetween regular meals to keep the dogs busy and allow some food intake to be slower.

Second be very glad your puppy is food motivated - as they are easy to train obedience when they are.

[MikeB]

OOOPS! Disregard. I got my posts confused. Thanks.

[BellaDad]

Thanks for the replies, you're right if it ain't broke don't fix it.

She eats faster than the maltese and when she's done she tries to finish his food, I use that time to put her up on a table and brush if necessary, brush her teeth if needed, clip nails, look at her ears, etc. so she gets used to being handled. Seems to be helping with whoa training also.