Slow eater?

[Double Shot Banks]

Hello,
Obviously I have not been on the forum much, football season started and so has work and school soon.

Recently (a few weeks ago) my lab banks has started eating very slowly compared to before. He used to eat it pretty fast and would be very excited, and now when i tell him its "Okay" to start eating it almost takes encouragement and he will pick at it a little before he starts eating.
He has never NOT eaten, or shown any other abnormal signs at all. He has been on the same food diet since i got him although after this batch of food is gone i will be switching to an adult food (currently eating diamond puppy food 30/20)
Dog is definitely not overweight, he weighs about 65 pounds and is just a year old, my dad thinks i should actually be feeding him more.
Thanks,
Isaac and Banks

[shags]

Assuming that you've checked his mouth and everything looks Ok in there, and that otherwise his behavior is normal...

This is what works for my crew of six:

Skip a meal. Let him get hungry. Then cut back the amount you usually feed for a couple days. Use some kind of cup to ration out his food so you know just how much he's getting. Don't eyeball it. That's a pretty rich diet he's getting and he might be telling you less is more.

I learned to do this a long time ago and one of my dogs has shown me that it's a more or less natural way to go. My setters stay within a pound or two of their ideal weight this way. But one of them is an easier keeper than the others and can hit the top of his range pretty quick. When he does get chunky, he tends to cut back on his own and goes off bis feed for a day or two. He seems to regulate his own intake and weight.

If you keep a dog just on the verge of "enough" he'll always be eager to consume his meal unless something is wrong. That's a pretty handy indicator of whether he's feeling fine or not. When a dog always has more than enough he either gets fat or becomes a picky eater; neither option is good.

Banks is neutered, correct? That, and because you are busier with other affairs now, means you'll need to be more vigilant about his condition. You don't want him to chub up; that leads to other problems. I work sometimes at my vet's clinic and it's amazing how many people are actually proud that their labs weigh 100 or more pounds. They think they have a huge healthy well fed dog, but the poor dog is obese and headed down the road to lots of health issues.

[Double Shot Banks]

Assuming that you've checked his mouth and everything looks Ok in there, and that otherwise his behavior is normal...

This is what works for my crew of six:

Skip a meal. Let him get hungry. Then cut back the amount you usually feed for a couple days. Use some kind of cup to ration out his food so you know just how much he's getting. Don't eyeball it. That's a pretty rich diet he's getting and he might be telling you less is more.

I learned to do this a long time ago and one of my dogs has shown me that it's a more or less natural way to go. My setters stay within a pound or two of their ideal weight this way. But one of them is an easier keeper than the others and can hit the top of his range pretty quick. When he does get chunky, he tends to cut back on his own and goes off bis feed for a day or two. He seems to regulate his own intake and weight.

If you keep a dog just on the verge of "enough" he'll always be eager to consume his meal unless something is wrong. That's a pretty handy indicator of whether he's feeling fine or not. When a dog always has more than enough he either gets fat or becomes a picky eater; neither option is good.

Banks is neutered, correct? That, and because you are busier with other affairs now, means you'll need to be more vigilant about his condition. You don't want him to chub up; that leads to other problems. I work sometimes at my vet's clinic and it's amazing how many people are actually proud that their labs weigh 100 or more pounds. They think they have a huge healthy well fed dog, but the poor dog is obese and headed down the road to lots of health issues.

Thank you,
I am using a measuring cup so i always know what he eats. I have thought about skipping a meal and i think i will try that.
I will lower his food also a little, update when i see what happens.
Thanks,
Isaac and Banks

[Del Lolo]

Put the regular amount of food down for him to eat.
Give him 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, pick the bowl up.
No more food until the next meal --- at which time you will also give him 5 minutes.
He will learn to eat in an appropriate amount of time.

[AZ Brittany Guy]

You said he always eats his food. How long does it take him? If he is a slow eater (10-15 min.) I'm not sure that is necessarily a bad thing.

[Munster]

He isnt going to starve himself. He will eat when he is hungry.

[MonsterDad]

nothing wrong with a slow eater...its a sign he is a relaxed and confident dog

mine is like that, won't eat while its light out and takes his time when he eats, he will often take a mouth full and walk over to the glass doors and look out while he is eating

rarely does his head stay in the bowl

he was the dominant pup in the litter so perhaps that has something to do with it

[frontline]

How many total cups a day are you feeding him?

And how many times a day are you feeding him?

[Double Shot Banks]

He was getting about 4-5 cups a day, in two seperate meals.
It only takes him probably 5 minutes to eat his food, but (it is slower than before) he seems to walk around and "stall" before eating even after i say "okay" multiple times.
Just switched dog food on him and he seems to be doing fine on the new food.
As long as he is not eating slow because he is getting sick than I'm fine with it
Isaac and Banks

[Brazosvalleyvizslas]

I wish mine would take 5 minutes. It hurts me just watching them down theirs in 15 seconds.

Did you check Bank's teeth?

[MonsterDad]

A 65lb dog eating 4-5 cups sounds like a lot of food, especially this time of year.

[Munster]

To tell you the truth and I know this is going to be taken wrong. From your pictures I have felt he w as a bitnof a chunk.
4-5 cups quit a lot. Also with a big chested dog be happy he eats slow. You have things to worry about like torsion.

[displaced_texan]

I'd definitely cut his feed back.

[AZ Brittany Guy]

I'd definitely cut his feed back.

65 pounds does not seem overweight for a lab. How tall is he at the shoulders? You have a full picture you can share? Can you feel his ribs? I like to feel the ribs but not see them, but that is a Brittany. Two different animals.

[displaced_texan]

I'd definitely cut his feed back.

65 pounds does not seem overweight for a lab. How tall is he at the shoulders? You have a full picture you can share? Can you feel his ribs? I like to feel the ribs but not see them, but that is a Brittany. Two different animals.

That volume of 30/20 is a huge amount of food for a 65 pound dog. If nothing else cutting back will make clean up easier.

[AZ Brittany Guy]

I'd definitely cut his feed back.

65 pounds does not seem overweight for a lab. How tall is he at the shoulders? You have a full picture you can share? Can you feel his ribs? I like to feel the ribs but not see them, but that is a Brittany. Two different animals.

That volume of 30/20 is a huge amount of food for a 65 pound dog. If nothing else cutting back will make clean up easier.

It would be for my breed. You may be right. I just think it is hard to judge based on the OP's picture. He thinks the dog needs more food and I am not sure what he wants his dogs to look like. An overweight dog is the kiss of death. I have seen too many dogs live a short life because their humans over feed their dog thinking they are doing them a favor.

I tend to agree but........................

[Del Lolo]

4-5 cups ?????????????????????
What the heck kind of food are you feeding ?

[ezzy333]

He is feeding a 65 pound Lab pup. It is a lot of feed but is not surprising for a Lab while it is growing but the pup is getting old enough so that the growth is slowing down and the feed should probably be cut back slowly.

Ezzy

[displaced_texan]

4-5 cups ?????????????????????
What the heck kind of food are you feeding ?

Diamond Puppy (30/20) according to the original post.

[mountaindogs]

I have a 6 mo. Old maybe 40 lb. GSP that eats 6 cups of 30 -20 and is all legs no fat.
A 68 lb GSP that eats 5 cups of 35/25
And a 65 lb lab that eat 2 cups of 30/20
And a 65 lab that eats 6 cups of 30/20
Every dog is different

[frontline]

He was getting about 4-5 cups a day, in two seperate meals.
It only takes him probably 5 minutes to eat his food, but (it is slower than before) he seems to walk around and "stall" before eating even after i say "okay" multiple times.
Just switched dog food on him and he seems to be doing fine on the new food.
As long as he is not eating slow because he is getting sick than I'm fine with it
Isaac and Banks

I raise labs and that is a bit too much food and he's probably not hungry. At one year old he requires less food. Cut down on his food by 1/4 cup a meal and see how he does. You will probably have to reduce his food further so he's eating about 4 cups/day to get to where he should be. He will gradually thicken up even with less food as he continues to mature (don't rush him). Feeding him in excess now can make him fat and yes, overfeeding will give you more to pick up in the yard. You should be able to feel his ribs with a light pressure, feed to condition. Once he's fully matured he should be eating 3-4 cups/day. Don't buckle if he seems hungry, labs love to eat but they are more trainable if you feed them properly.

[Double Shot Banks]

I understand it seems like a lot, but when he he standing you can see a few of his ribs, mostly when he turns.
He is a very healthy and active growing dog, and as you can see from the picture, I do not think he is overweight at all.
Like i said i have just switched foods to Diamond Active Dog 24/20 and he is getting about 4-4.5 cups a day (in 2 meals)

This first picture is a few months old, from early summer but he has not changed a whole lot since then.



Here he is around the same time, i think he still had some of his winter coat at this time as you can tell


Thanks for the help and concern
Isaac and Banks

[AZ Brittany Guy]

He looks good to me. I don't think I would worry too much about him eating slow. Actually it could be a good thing. I think Labs have had issues with their stomachs rolling and some people think it is because of fast eating and exercise right after eating.