my lab is now 2 months old and im aware that labs are prone to hip dysplasia. i wanted to know the right food measurement to be given to my lab i dont want him to be over weight.
2006-06-21 05:53:53 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
i would suggest a 1/2 c. in the morning and 1/2 c. in the evening. leave it down for 20-30 minutes and then pick it up. if he doesn't eat all of it at one time, add the next serving to the next meal and give it to him again. if you wanted, you could had 1/4 c of wet to each meal as well.
2006-06-23 06:16:35 · answer #1 · answered by mirleta_liz 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A standard cup measurement is 8 oz, a measuring cup.
I recently got an 8 month old puppy and he was not being fed enough and was really skinny. The previous owners were feeding him the amount that the package said was right for a full grown dog of that weight. Not enough for a growing puppy! Puppies are SUPPOSED to gain weight as they grow!
Look on the back of the bag, but make sure U are feeding puppy food and following the directions for a puppy and not the directions for a grown dog. He should be fed 3 times a day until 6 months of age.
Don't be too rigid about the amounts. The amount he needs will also depend on his activity level, and he also needs to grow, so the amount he needs will go up with time until he stops growing.
Another strategy is to let him eat as much as he wants to eat in a 10 minute period. Then pick up the bowl. He won't be able to overeat.
2006-06-29 14:57:39 · answer #2 · answered by Diane D 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He should be on a Large Breed Puppy food and you should feed him according to what the back of the bag says for his weight. *also note, that your vet may modify the diet if he feels the pup is not growing accordingly, they (vets) should be trained to know what to look for if the pup is growing too quickly, this is why your monthly vaccine and exams during puppy-hood is VERY important* -At about a year or a bit sooner, you can slowly turn him on to an adult dog food...make sure to adjust the measurements of food accordingly. All foods have different calorie and fat values. Also, take into consideration his activity level and amount of treats. If he has a low activity level (odd for a lab, but it is possible) decrease recommended feeding measurement. If he gets ALLOT of treats, remember they are still calories them selves, so you may have to cut back on the food.
*also, Do NOT free feed your puppy or dog. Most dogs will eat it all in one sitting, and you will constantly be filling the bowl. This is how most animals (especially cats) get obese. Obesity effects cats and dogs in the same ways that it does humans. It is much easier to maintain a healthy weight on your pet, than it is to help them loose weight, and by that time it may be too late...Let's keep them healthy from the start!!!!
2006-07-04 23:14:47 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I feed my dogs straight out from the beggining with full feeders they eat whenever they want. A dog will as a puppy sometimes overstuff but they quickly learn to only eat what they need. When they grow older they will very well regulate what they need to eat. When you feed a dog daily a regulated amount they will skinny or fatten due to changes because a person does not know the exact amount a dog needs. I have seen dogs get overwieight on 1/4 cup more a day because it was summer instead of winter. They will eat all the food usually if you feed daily not matter how much it is.
2006-06-21 06:17:45 · answer #4 · answered by dogdude1969 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We feed 1/2 cup 2x a day morning and evening until the age of 1 year. Then 1 1/2 cups once a day. Dry food.
You are correct to keep the weight down on a lab. However the weight does not cause displaysia. Displaysia is an inherited disease.
2006-06-21 06:01:22 · answer #5 · answered by Jeeves 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Food manufactures tend to tell you to feed more than what the puppy actually needs. You don't want to get him over weight since labs are prone to hip dysplasia. Go to this website it is very informative http://www.purina.com/dogs/health/index.aspx Also feeding your dog three times a day will help to. Don't leave food out so that he has access to it all the time. This will eventually make him over weight in the future. Maybe give in about 1 cup three times a day. Place the food down, let him eat. Food that he doesn't eat after 10-15 mins pick up and don't let him have any more until his next meal.
2006-07-03 05:36:19 · answer #6 · answered by red_roxy81 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
for this you should consult a veterinarian or animal nutritionist
but the simplest thing to do is consult the food bag and get a basic amount remember that the amount s are usually based upon what the approximate weight of the adult dog will be not the actual weight of the dog being fed. thus if the bag states 1 cup for a 10 pound dog then you would feed 1 cup to a puppy whose adult weight is determined to be approximately 10 pound. this amount is also the daily amount not the per feeding amount. so if you are feeding your puppy one cup of food per day and would be feeding three times per day then you would feed 1/3 cup every time you feed it. this is a continuously changing measurement for puppies as you should be recalculating the amount every time you change the number of feedings per day. IE 1/2 cup for twice daily feedings.
2006-07-05 04:15:09 · answer #7 · answered by reispinscher 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the back of the bag tells you too much so that you'll have to buy more food sooner. I was told by my vet to feed my 8 week old lab 1 cup of food 3 times a day. I did that for about two months than upped it to four times a day and now I leave food out all the time and he eats when he's hungry.
2006-07-04 15:16:04 · answer #8 · answered by Andrea H 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Read your dog food bag and adjustthe amount from there.
The standard cup is an 8oz. measuring cup like you use in the kitchen.
Some dogs need more food if they arevery active and some need less. I weigh mine weekly and adjust the food needs from the ones recomended on the bag.
Good luck with you puppy.
2006-06-21 06:29:11 · answer #9 · answered by tlctreecare 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
feed him as much as he can eat in 20 minutes. He is a puppy and puppies require lot of good quality food. Don't buy the cheap stuff as that has alot of filler. Buy him a good quality food such as Royal Cannine orTimbrewolfe. These foods are more expensive than purina but will save you money in the long run. They use human grade products and do not contain many fillers, The dog will eat less and poop less as well as he is getting more of what he needs without having to digest as much junk.
2006-06-21 06:01:32 · answer #10 · answered by Dragon Queen 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Read the back of the dog food bag. Also - make sure that you feed your puppy a premium food such as Nutro/Nature's Recipe/Bil-Jac. You won't regret spending the extra $ for the food once you start comparing your puppy to other puppies on the cheaper food (ie eyes, coat, muscle tone....)
2006-07-03 15:27:33 · answer #11 · answered by 2bizy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋