Free Feeding/Weight Gain Questions

[Princess10]

Last night I really noticed Princess has put on some weight. I'm going to pop into the vet today & check to see where she's at, I'm guessing close to 8lbs. She held steady at 6.9lbs. for months, then lost weight post spay, to where I could easily feel her spine, just too small for her, now she seems to have gone in reverse.

I did switch her to TOTW & Acana mixed & usually put down about 3/4c. to 1c. a day. Sometimes it will sit the whole day with only a few bites gone & I have to toss it the next day. But there are other days that she eats it fairly early in the day & then I worry about leaving her without food all evening & night so I give her a refill. She has also been getting cottage cheese with one meal once or twice a week. It's low-fat from 1% milk, so hopefully not too unhealthy for her.

I've tried mixing in green beans & sliced carrots only to find every single one flung onto the floor. She doesn't seem to like any fruits or veggies that I can even think of off hand that I could try to fill her up on.

My question is, would you restrict her food? On the days she finishes it early is that just it then? I have a medical condition that sometimes makes it difficult for me to get out of bed at the same time everyday so I really don't want to schedule feed her if there's another solution. Also, she gets lots of indoor exercise, but not much outdoors this season as it's been raining so much. With all of the running indoors I'm sure it's equal to many walks in a day!

Thanks & sorry for the novel!

[AlicetheYorkie]

Since she sometimes finishes all the food in one sitting, can you only put about half her amount in the bowl and if she eats it all, the other half later in the day? Not necessarily a schedual, but just so you'll have something to give her later if she eats alot that day in the morning without giving extra. Free feeding is fine, but you still have to only offer the daily recommended amount per day (adjusting according to the dog of course).
If you put it all in the bowl that she should have that day, when she eats it all, that's it.
If she's gained weight, you do need to cut back - if it's only because you've been giving that "extra" on the days she eats it all early, just cutting that out should help her get back to a good weight.
If you want to give her veggies to help her feel more full, try cooking them gently. My dogs all love veggies, but the won't eat them raw, only when they're soft from some cooking. Steaming is best if you can

[bchgirl]

How old is she? Usually the dogs fill out a bit passed their first birthday. Also what formula of TOTW are you feeding? The bison formula is very high calorie and the serving suggestion is 1/2 c to 3/4 c a day. That's without adding any additional food or treats...remember those still have calories also....if they aren't active enough to burn up the calories...they will put on weight.

I free fed also...but have food available at all times. Mine do not overeat nor is anyone overweight.

[Jinger]

I can't free feed Zoe, due to the other 3 dogs...she'd starve. But, I can feel every vertebrae in her spine and I worry she's so thin. I feed her (by hand...only option so far ) at least twice a day, often 3. Do ya'll know anything about Halo food? I like what I read on the label, but maybe we need a more caloric food?

[bellababy08]

Originally Posted by bchgirl

How old is she? Usually the dogs fill out a bit passed their first birthday. Also what formula of TOTW are you feeding? The bison formula is very high calorie and the serving suggestion is 1/2 c to 3/4 c a day. That's without adding any additional food or treats...remember those still have calories also....if they aren't active enough to burn up the calories...they will put on weight.

I free fed also...but have food available at all times. Mine do not overeat nor is anyone overweight.

Yes, Thats what my Bella did...She is almost 3 yrs, she weighed 8.6 lbs for a year and looked thin...Than she went up to 9.9 lbs and looks heathy...I free fed Wellness super5mix and she just picks at it all day so I know she isn't over weight...she just filled out more once she hit 2 yrs old.

[ritapatt]

Ziva just turned two and I am amazed at how much she has grown in the past year- she is just larger all over! She weighed 6 1/4 lbs at a year and now seems to weigh about 7 1/4! She eats TOTW-salmon 1/3 c per day+ veggies and 1 tsp cottage cheese,1 tsp of meat or egg. A few snacks (toast nibbles with me in the am)here and there. I offer her the 1/3 c at 10 am but she eats most of it at dinner. She is a busy little dog but mostly in the house.

[Britster]

Jackson held a steady 12lb weight from 6 months old-1 year and then a little over a year old he grew to 16lbs. He was still not overweight at all though, he was still just filling out and I think a lot of it was muscle.

He is 16lbs and eats 1/2 cup per day of Acana, he gets about a tablespoon of wet mixed in with each meal (or, sometimes in replacement of wet, chicken breast, etc). Free feeding did not work for us because he never ate. He would go 2-3 days sometimes without touching the bowl and I'd rather know when he eats anyways...

Our schedule is usually not the same every day. He's not into eating first thing in the morning and sometimes I will sleep in (especially now that school is done for summer) so often I'll give him 1/4 cup with wet around noon and then 1/4 cup with wet around 7pm. Or... sometimes it's even giving him a meal around 3pm and then dinner again around 7. It varies every day and he doesn't seem to mind... I just like to get him food him twice a day and I know if he doesn't eat, then something is not feeling right with him.

[Princess10]

Princess is 16 months old. Of course if she's just filling out I don't mind at all, I was very happy she was the biggest of her litter when we got her, but I don't want her to be unhealthy for her frame size.

We just finished a TOTW sample pack (big) & she's on a bag of the Pacific Stream Salmon formula now with just a small bag of Acana Ranchlands mixed in with the 5-6lbs. bag.


**Update** Though I didn't post this yet...I ran her to the Vet's office & got her weight. She's 7.4lbs. A Tech was out at the desk & I had him give her a quick look, he said she looks good, not too big or too small. So there it is again, I must worry too much!
I am going to take the advice here & try to break up what I give her throughout the day. I'm sure if she does eat it all early she will let me know if she's going to collapse from starvation--she has no problem telling me anything else!

[Buster Brown]

[QUOTE=Princess10;3542214]Princess is 16 months old. Of course if she's just filling out I don't mind at all, I was very happy she was the biggest of her litter when we got her, but I don't want her to be unhealthy for her frame size.

We just finished a TOTW sample pack (big) & she's on a bag of the Pacific Stream Salmon formula now with just a small bag of Acana Ranchlands mixed in with the 5-6lbs. bag.


**Update** Though I didn't post this yet...I ran her to the Vet's office & got her weight. She's 7.4lbs. A Tech was out at the desk & I had him give her a quick look, he said she looks good, not too big or too small. So there it is again, I must worry too much!
I am going to take the advice here & try to break up what I give her throughout the day. I'm sure if she does eat it all early she will let me know if she's going to collapse from starvation--she has no problem telling me anything else![/QUOTE]
LOL too true with Yorkies they will definitely let you know.

[Princess10]

Yes, she's not going to live a second uncomfortably in her pampered life! lol.

I'm thinking she must have lost quite a bit of weight post spay & that is why I thought she gained so much.