54 lb GSP...4 cups a day?

[Benny]

Emma is a big 1/2 GSP 1/2 Border(?)
We take her on about two 1 hour walks a day. Now that she's been living with us for 9 days, she's comfortable scarfing her bowl down in two cup sessions, morning and early evening. Does this sound like enough? She doesn't whine about not having food (except right before dinner).

Thanks!

[windswept]

Feed her whatever it takes to keep her in good condition. I have a 48 pound DD eating 4 cups a day and a 75 pound Golden eating 2 cups a day. Go figure.

[scout_on_38s]

My 54 lb GSP is currently eating 4 cups a day, hunting pretty hard and cold out. In the off season drop back to around 3 cups. As stated before, feed what keeps them looking good but not fat. --- Charlie

[GsPJustin]

If that is her in your avatar, and she looks like that now. Your fine.

[shets114]

35# 1 cup a day 1/2 am 1/2 pm
45# and 55# get 2 cups a day 1 am 1 pm

No treats, bones etc. Do fine

[Benny]

Well its been a bit since I posted this. She dropped to 49 or 50 lb. so we upped the intake for a bit and she's recently gained back a pound. We're now switching her to a 30% protein and 20% fat food that we'll feed less of (still in the middle of switching it).

1 cup a day? We go out into the field sometimes twice a day, but at least once a day for a couple hours. 1 cup a day and my dog would be dead; not skinny...dead.

[GsPJustin]

What works for one might not for the rest, windswept had a pretty good example of that. Even the guidelines on the back of the bag are just that, guidelines. You will have to keep uping or lowering the food intake in small amounts until you find exactly what your dog needs. Its part of the job.

[zachz]

60lbs GSP get 1 1/2 cups A.M. and 1 1/2 cups evenings. Pro Plan

[GSPoindexter]

my 55lb GSP is eating 5-6 cups a day and still wants more. Should I cut him back to 3-4 cups a day? He eats a ton but stays very lean.

[MikeB]

It all has to do with what kind of food your feeding and how your dog digests it's food.

What are you feeding?

[GSPoindexter]

Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice

[ezzy333]

I don't know of any dog that has a good appitite that won't eat more than you are feeding. If you actaully put an unlimited amount out for it, the dog will overeat to start and will maybe cut it self back to the right amount while many will continue to overeat and get heavy.

But you answered your own question when you said the dog was in good shape. That is all that can be accomplished with any food and is the sole guage of how much to feed. You can find some feeds that are higher caloric so you could get the same results with less feed and the opposite is true also. And in most cases the cost of the feed will follow in the same pattern so the advantage of feeding one over the other is minimized.

I will say again, the true test of a good food is one your dog is doing well on, that is readily available, and is affordable for you. Sounds to me like you have already found that feed and if that is true then stay with it. Changing feeds can lead to more problems than it normally solves. Remember, you are feeding a dog and not dog food. Sounds like you are feeding your dog just right.

Ezzy

[GSPoindexter]

thanks,
I like your remark about common sense, so true.

[Sprig]

it really depends on the type of food you are feeding. not all dog foods are created equall. some dog foods are more digestible than others so it doesnt take as much food to get the same amount of nutrition. regardless of the food, if you cant see any ribs but maybe the last one the dog is not underweight.

[natetnc]

just think of dogs like people, it doesn't take me long to notice that i have been eating fast food everyday but i have a buddy that can eat whatever he wants and not gain a bit of weight. i start out with the recommended dose on the bag, keep an eye on the dog and adjust from there. my smaller dog actually requires more food than my larger dog, just have to find what works for your dog.

[vikings269]

free feeding while eliminating all of these questions may pose new problems but i done well with it as i know others have as well.

[vikings269]

way smaller worries on bloat, maybe more worries on overweight but i never found that to be the case. but every dog is definately different and older well established dogs do VERY well on free feeding.