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How Much To Feed?


Guest psdirector

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Guest psdirector

We've had our boys, Hutch and Tibbs, for two months now. They were in a prison program between the track and our home. When they came from the prison, the notes we got from their "moms" said that they had been eating 3 cups of kibble, twice a day, but had been changed to 2 cups of kibble 3 times a day. We feed a little under two cups in the morning with a spoon of yogurt on top, they get two Kongs with kibble during the day (one when DH leaves for work, one when my daughter comes to let them out at noon). I've measured and each of the Kongs does not hold a cup of food. In the evenings they get a little under 2 cups each with a dab of wet food on top. We feed Iams green bag.

 

Hutch is 83 lbs and Tibbs is 78 lbs. They are active dogs - when they go out in the yard, they RUN and chase each other and run some more and they go out at least 5 times a day, sometimes more. I can see their ribs (more so on Tibbs than on Hutch, but he is a very large greyhound).

 

Are we feeding them too much? It's hard to tell from them, because they are very food motivated and they LOVE to eat. The only time they don't finish every scrap of food in a matter of seconds is if one of them has an upset tummy. Usually by the next meal, it's game on! We give a small (very small) treat at bedtime, but other than that, they don't get treats.

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It largely depends on the individual dog. My Henry is 5, and he eats four cups of kibble a day (two in the morning and two at night). He also gets some mix-ins to take his pills. My 20-month-old gets six cups a day (three in the morning and three at night) because he's a bigger dog and still has some filling out to do. Ideally, you want to be able to see the last two or three ribs. The spine should have a nice curvature without a lot of bony protrusions.

 

Soooo... with that being said, I might scale back their kibble at this point if they look good and are still getting lots of mix-ins. But that's just a personal preference. I like to keep my dogs a little leaner because they're both really active. Henry is maybe two or three pounds heavier than his racing weight.

 

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Here's what Henry looks like, and he's been steady at this weight for several years.

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Guest Doggone

Autumn's foster was feeding her 5 1/2 cups of kibble per day, and when she came to me, the location of any ribs was a mystery :D. She came off the farm at 65 lbs. in early February, she came to me March 1st, and at her first vet visit, she weighed about 70!!!

I've cut her down to a bit more than 3 cups of kibble and she's gradually losing some of that "pudge". She's seven, and not very active, so I don't give her a lot of treats. She's a "mature" lady, and already has a bit of arthritis in one hip/leg, so any extra weight could add to the problem. I'm trying to help her stay as fit as possible for as long as possible :).

I look forward to being able to see those few ribs! :D

Edited by Doggone
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I would feed based on how they look, not how much they want to eat. :) In most greyhounds, you should be able to see the last 2-3 ribs and the tips of the hip bones when they're at a good weight. If they look bony (ie. more ribs, protruding spine, and more of an outline of the hip bone), feed more. If you lose sight of all bones and they start looking soft and round, feed less. Make adjustments as needed, as their caloric needs can fluctuate. Even though Hutch and Tibbs may be similar in size and have the same activity level, their metabolism may still be different and they may need slightly different amounts of food to maintain a good weight.

Edited by JJNg

Jennifer &

Willow (Wilma Waggle), Wiki (Wiki Hard Ten), Carter (Let's Get It On),

Ollie (whippet), Gracie (whippet x), & Terra (whippet) + Just Saying + Just Alice

gtsig3.jpg

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It also depends on the food type and their exercise. My two get a 20 - 30 min walk each day. My 82 lb. boy gets 4.5 cups a day, and my 62 lb. female gets 4 cups a day. Plus milkbones a few times a day, Their food is Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream. Their weight is ideal for both of them.

 
Forever in my heart: my girl Raspberry & my boys Quiet Man, Murphy, Ducky, Wylie & Theo
www.greyhoundadventures.org & www.greyhoundamberalert.org & www.duckypaws.com

 

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