Hard Keepers

BillGraves · Post by **BillGraves** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 9:06 pm

This is not a "what do you feed your dog" or "what food is best" topic but I do want to know from those who have had more than one dog, what percentage of your dogs were hard keepers? I had a 6 yr. old GSP that would eat 5 cups of PPP every day and lose weight and had NO worms or parasites. I now have a 1 yr. old GSP that gets 4 cups of Diamond Premium a day and isn't gaining weight and has NO worms or parasites. Did I just luck out and get two hard keepers?! Just curious.

Bill

p.s. Please don't turn this into a "You should feed this" kind of topic.

mountaindogs · Post by **mountaindogs** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:15 pm

I have told this before, both on here and in person to locals. But most people think I am crazy. The people who thought I might be right were bird raisers who saw how much water the birds go through when it's below freezing. All I can say is try it.

Divide the amount you feed into two portions and feed 2x per day to help avoid GDV
Mix very warm water into the food until the food is floating a bit. Still offer water, but the warm food tasting water with all be consumed.
Caution, if the dogs are crafty and picky, they may tip the bowl over. These dogs get to eat out of no tip bowls or buckets clipped to the kennel.

Cajun Casey · Post by **Cajun Casey** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:46 pm

I have several. It is a family thing, three generations now. One boy and one girl have built up with hard roading, but their littermates are still stringy thin at a little over two years old.

ACooper · Post by **ACooper** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:58 pm

BillGraves wrote:This is not a "what do you feed your dog" or "what food is best" topic but I do want to know from those who have had more than one dog, what percentage of your dogs were hard keepers? I had a 6 yr. old GSP that would eat 5 cups of PPP every day and lose weight and had NO worms or parasites. I now have a 1 yr. old GSP that gets 4 cups of Diamond Premium a day and isn't gaining weight and has NO worms or parasites. Did I just luck out and get two hard keepers?! Just curious.

Bill

p.s. Please don't turn this into a "You should feed this" kind of topic.

I agree it can be an inherited trait... are they of similar breeding?

Post by **kninebirddog** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 12:57 am

How do they eat?
if they are hoovers Get a large cookie sheet with a lip around it and spread the food out so it forces them to not be able to eat as fast..Those bowls that claim to slow a dog down .don;t waste your money the dogs learn how to eat around the obstacles

I will also run a few days of Safe guard when i see the dogs dropping weight which also seems to help

smoothbean · Post by **smoothbean** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 7:04 am

I agree that feeding two and even three times a day is better. Most people can't hardly make three times a day work though. I feed twice a day and am having good results. I wonder if a prebiotic might help. Maybe the good bacteria levels need boosted up a bit. They do help your dog get the nutrients out of the food they are eating.

BillGraves · Post by **BillGraves** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 8:30 am

I have been feeding the young one twice a day and have been putting water in it to slow him down and get him more fluids...hasn't helped much. I have also read on here that adding water to the food does something that is not beneficial...not sure who it was. Maybe a prebioitc would help. Tried spreading the food out didn't help either, I tried that. He does inhale food. I timed him once eating a full 4 cup bowl and it took him just over 25 seconds!

Bill

Cajun Casey · Post by **Cajun Casey** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 9:25 am

I've had good luck with gravity self-feeders on my skinny dogs, but if the dog is an OCD eater, that might lead to problems. If he's otherwise hyper, he'd get something to take the edge off.

mountaindogs · Post by **mountaindogs** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 10:39 am

give it more than two days... give it 4 days at least to show a difference. preferably a week

Post by **kninebirddog** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:21 am

If you can try the cookie sheet again but put out a 1/4th of the meal let him finish then wait a few minute feed him another 1/4th wait a few minutes and then give him another 1/4th... by giving time in between the smaller portions it should give the dog the feeling that the stomach is getting fuller helping to slow the feeding frenzy down

another thing which I just started to add to the feed is Diatomaceous Earth...lots of benefits but one of the many is where it helps to cleanse the colon area which aids in the body to be able to digest the food better

Look up the food grade Diatomaceous Earth Heck I even started to take it myself

k2k · Post by **k2k** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:38 am

BillGraves wrote:I have been feeding the young one twice a day and have been putting water in it to slow him down and get him more fluids...hasn't helped much. I have also read on here that adding water to the food does something that is not beneficial...not sure who it was. Maybe a prebioitc would help. Tried spreading the food out didn't help either, I tried that. He does inhale food. I timed him once eating a full 4 cup bowl and it took him just over 25 seconds!

Bill

Perhaps it was that adding too hot of water kills the probiotics in the food?

I had a hard keeper, and it didn't matter what I fed or how i fed. She was just that way, all her life. Vet said she was Ok, so I just accepted it.

I know people like that as well. Wish I was one of them!

Benny · Post by **Benny** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 1:22 pm

k2k wrote: I had a hard keeper, and it didn't matter what I fed or how i fed. She was just that way, all her life. Vet said she was Ok, so I just accepted it.

I know people like that as well. Wish I was one of them!

+1 and +1...My dog is an eater when she wants to eat. I have a buddy who eats his body weight in junkfood, but is about the equivalent to a GSP in lifestyle, skiing, climbing, hiking, and more of the same every day...poor SOB is going to be 6'3" 170 lbs the rest of his life until he slows down. Same goes for your dog I would imagine.

smoothbean · Post by **smoothbean** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 9:10 pm

I wouldn't think it would make a difference in wait gain how fast a dog eats. I think that eating too fast can cause other problems. I have two that inhale their feed. I started adding water. They can't get as much food in a bite that way, reducing the choke hazard. I think it would be hard to give them too much water. You could always pread it over the whole floor if it is clean, bet that'll slow'em down.

Maurice · Post by **Maurice** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 8:27 am

If 4 cups is not keeping the dogs in good flesh I would start a slow increase in the amount they are fed per day. The increase might cause a loose stool for a while. I don't worry about that during the winter and hard working season. I quit looking for the perfect dog turd years ago. I want my dogs in good flesh, not skinny especially in cold damp weather. Diamond food is good feed for working dogs imo

Mo

1vizsla · Post by **1vizsla** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 3:01 pm

I have two that have trouble keeping weight on and one that has to be on a diet. One does come from a line of dogs that tend to run a bit thin. I have found that each dog is different and have had to find whats works for each. 3 dogs=3 foods= 3 different amounts. No brand loyalty just find one that works. But just because here's my grocery list.

Arkat VF Turkey and Rice 2 cups twice a day. Dog is 45lbs
Wellness Core Seafood 1/4 cup twice a day (she's shiba and about 20 lbs).
Native Level 3 2 cups twice a day plus a couple spoonfuls of Taste of the Wild moist plus 2 satin balls . Bitch about 41lbs

Carla

phermes1 · Post by **phermes1** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 7:50 pm

Got one dog like that. Patriot has a hard time keeping weight on, especially when he's off with a pro. When he's on a line, it's like he keeps himself amped up all the time, so you can feed him until he won't eat anymore, and he'll still drop weight.
His sister, on the other hand, could be on an all-air diet and still find a way to put on weight. You can run her to death every day and she'll never look skinny.

desertcountrygsp · Post by **desertcountrygsp** » Thu Jan 26, 2012 1:34 pm

I'm glad this topic came up. I have a gsp and he inhales his food. I noticed he was starting to look a little thin in the rib area. I started feeding him twice a day with the same amount of food as normal and softenin it up with some water. I have seen a complete turnaround of his looks now in just over a week. No change in endurance as he is a machine already. I feed him diamond naturals lamb meal and rice and he loves it. Thinking about changing to extreme athlete as I hear real some real good things about it. Ppp is good but too expensive for this guy.

gotpointers · Post by **gotpointers** » Fri Jan 27, 2012 8:39 am

kninebirddog wrote:
another thing which I just started to add to the feed is Diatomaceous Earth...lots of benefits but one of the many is where it helps to cleanse the colon area which aids in the body to be able to digest the food better

Look up the food grade Diatomaceous Earth Heck I even started to take it myself

I am very interested in this, i googled this a while back i must not have done it too well. I bought a 50 lb bag of the stuff. I was useing it on the alfalfa for the horses, in the scratch for the chickens, mixed some in with the meat and rice brew for the dogs but stopped when i could feel it in my lungs when exposed to the dust. I know its food grade anti-caking and its processesd and packaged less than 30 miles away from where i live. I can get the stuff cheap i am thinking real cheap if i make some calls. How do i use it? Respirator for me? What about the birds and horses inhaleing it? The dogs i can wet it and mix it in. Maybe I overreacted on my lungs? I would love to use it, but how do i do it properly? I couldint find out back when it happend.
Thanks for your help!!!

BillGraves · Post by **BillGraves** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 6:52 pm

I got a bag of PPP and started replacing that with some of his usual rations. I have also been mixing in some water and in the past 2 weeks or so I noticed his hip bones starting to disappear and chest has filled out slightly. I will continue this until my previous food is gone and then feed purely PPP. Thanks for all the input.

Bill

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