Dog Owner Chat! (for-fun poll added) (new chat)

[FuzzyThePunkCat]

So how much do you guys think I should feed Wolf? I think I'm gonna go with 5 1/2 to 6 cups. Possibly 5 1/2.

[Saracirce]

It's all dependent on the quality, ingredients, and analysis of the food, the size of Wolf and how active he is. Even then, there's room for error because each dog's metabolism is different. There's no cut and dry answer.

[FuzzyThePunkCat]

I think I'll go with 5 1/2 cups a day. Here is what he eats in dry http://bluebuffalo.com/dog-food/wildern ... animal=dog and here is what he eats in wet (he only gets wet in his dinner) http://bluebuffalo.com/dog-food/freedom ... animal=dog

[Cardinal]

5 1/2 cups AND a can of food on top?

Personally I'd feed 5, no canned on top and excersize him religiously. Go from there, weight wise. If he slims down to much and can't keep muscle, add a bit. If he gains muscle and doesn't slim down to a lean mean fighting machine then cut the food. 5 cups of food is like.. 2100 calories, 6 cups would be over 2500. My 60lb dog on a rough sprint-up-hills-all-day gets about 1200 calories, 900 on an 'off' day.

[FuzzyThePunkCat]

5 1/2 cups AND a can of food on top?

Personally I'd feed 5, no canned on top and excersize him religiously. Go from there, weight wise. If he slims down to much and can't keep muscle, add a bit. If he gains muscle and doesn't slim down to a lean mean fighting machine then cut the food. 5 cups of food is like.. 2100 calories, 6 cups would be over 2500. My 60lb dog on a rough sprint-up-hills-all-day gets about 1200 calories, 900 on an 'off' day.

Not a full can, just a spoon full. Lol I would never feed a full can to him in a day xD A full can can lasts him about 3 weeks to a month. At the moment he weighs about 60-65 pounds I predict. He was weighed a month ago and weighed 55 lbs and since he gains about 10-12 lbs a month I'd say about 65 lbs.

[Saracirce]

Clemmy may not be coming around anymore for some complicated reasons and that makes me really sad. Her visits have been the highlight of my weeks and I just... ugh.

Also, the people I petsit for and offered to train their dogs, they just keep shrugging off my suggestions and making excuses and blahblahblah. So it's pointless for me to do anything with those dogs.

I'm going to crawl under a rock and hide now.

[renki]

Is it just me or does the numbers of cups you are feeding makes no since. With quality you are supposed to feed less, what the heck has bb done? I feed TOTW and its only 3 cups for a 90lb dog, but seeing as my old girl isnt active she gets 2. If you are feeding 5 plus a can you dog must be St. Bernard, really active as in running at least 3 miles a day, or very over weight.

EDIT
Saracirce, I feel your pain as for as owners not listening. I have a problem with my grandmother and her HA service dog, my aunt with her out of control english bulldog, and a friend with two border collies. Good lord Jesus I loved the collies, a blast to work with but sadly no one listened on how to fix the problem and are now 'rehoming' one. AKA putting on craigslist for any dog fighter to use as a bait dog.

[FuzzyThePunkCat]

Is it just me or does the numbers of cups you are feeding makes no since. With quality you are supposed to feed less, what the heck has bb done? I feed TOTW and its only 3 cups for a 90lb dog, but seeing as my old girl isnt active she gets 2. If you are feeding 5 plus a can you dog must be St. Bernard, really active as in running at least 3 miles a day, or very over weight.

I think it is just that way for puppies because he is growing very rapidly and needs the food. I'm not feeding a can, I'm feeding a spoonful of wet food daily for taste (I only do this because I brush his teeth daily, if I wasn't brushing them I wouldnt feed wet). The vet said Wolf is at a perfect weight for his age (6 months).

[renki]

Even on the feed chart that is why to much. Even if a puppy is hungry you dont want to give him to much protein at once, it could seriously screw up its growth. That is a lot for a puppy, and from what you are saying that is a lot of weight to put on so quickly.

[FuzzyThePunkCat]

Even on the feed chart that is why to much. Even if a puppy is hungry you dont want to give him to much protein at once, it could seriously screw up its growth. That is a lot for a puppy, and from what you are saying that is a lot of weight to put on so quickly.

From what I've seen with other American Akitas, Wolf is in the perfect weight and size range. I met a few of the breeder's female pups when they were 6 months old before Wolf was born and he is a little bigger than they were then. From what I can see by his siblings' owners' Facebook pictures, he is the same size as his brothers. Our vet says his weight gain each months has been normal for the first 6 months. Addie was the same and gained 11 lbs every month for her first 6-7 months and then slowed down a bit. He actually doesn't act like he is starving or anything. He has always eaten slowly and sometimes doesn't finish his food. He had a growth spurt from 4-5 months and that was the only time he ate fast.