Diet advice for my dogs?

Question

My dogs are a ten year old mutt (Sham) and a seven year old Saint Bernard (Dela). Sham is VERY over-weight while Dela barely holds her own. We exercise regularly but cannot get Sham's weight down. I tried switching to a leaner dog food and Dela's weight plummited. I also cannot get them to eat at regular meal times, they will ignore the bowls until they are ready to eat so it is hard to cut back on the amount Sham eats, because he'll just eat from Dela's bowl. I've tried to entice them to eat when I serve their food with VitaGravy and simular items, but they just like the good stuff off anf leave the food for later. They are on Beneful Dog Food right now, any advice on changes in diet that would help? I'll be asking a simular question in cats because my cats have the same problem. Thank you.

All my animals get checked on regularly and are in good health, other than the fact Sham eats too much. But like I said I'm having a hard time cutting his diet because he'll steal from Dela.

I wonder how many of you people telling me to have a set meal time have a 24/7 availablility at a retail job. There is no regular schedule in my life, sometimes I go in at eight in the morning and am home for the evening, and sometimes I close and don't get home until after eleven. It's nih impossible to put anything on a regular schedule. (And GitEmGang, it's feeding dogs for gods' sakes, is the anger really necessary? I'm sorry you think I'm an idiot, but it's far easier to ask others advice in what I ahould feed my animals than do the research myself.)

Answer 1

First off. Beneful is one of the worst foods you can feed. It is made with all kinds of ingredients that are bad for dogs.
Go to naturapet.com for more information on dog nutrition and read "Food Pets Die For" by Ann N Martin. You will be shocked and amazed at the disgusting things they put into pet food.
Then you need to put everyone on a STRICT food schedule. You pick 2 times a day for feeding times. Once in the morning and once in the evening. Put the food down for everyone and leave it for 20 minutes. Then pick it all up.
IF THEY DON'T EAT, THEY GO HUNGRY UNTIL THE NEXT FEEDING.
No snacks/treats at all either!!!
It will take probably twice for them to realize the new rules and eat at meal times. It seems harsh, but it won't hurt them and will get them all eating properly. Food that is healthy for them in the proper proportions.
Be firm.
Be patient.
Don't worry.
This is best for everyone in the long run.

Answer 2

GetEmGang hates everyone, just ignore lolol

Even if you can't have a set feeding time, you need to feed them separately. Try to keep it as close to the same time as possible, but I also have an irregular schedule and my dogs are used to eating at weird hours (just like me). Put them in separate rooms if necessary, give them an alloted time (10-15 minutes) then pick up whatever's left. This way you can also give Dela a more fattening food to help build her up.

I'm not a big fan of "light" foods, I don't believe they have enough nutrition. I'm not a big fan of Beneful either, but if your dogs are doing well on it then do what works for you. If Sham is convinced that he's starving, add some green beans to his food to help fill him up.

Here is an excellent article on chosing a dog food.

http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/dogfoods.html

Answer 3

hi, i have 4 great danes, 4 different ages. i use NUTRO'S lamb and rice. wow what a great food. puts weight on and makes coat shiny and skin nice. i found chicken based dog food made all of them have the runs, and lots of shedding. they use "by products" meaning the head, feet, beaks, feathers! all the parts we wont eat and none of the meat.i feed in 24/7 feeders and dont put any junk on it. they all regulate themselves. i put a dish with a little kibble wet in the am b/c they Wake up hungry and i dont want a pile up at the feeder. then the rest of the day they come nibble at different times. its great.

Answer 4

Is it less expensive? That is determined by if you'll discover a low-cost supply of materials and what measurement puppy you could have. A 50 pound puppy demands approximately one million pound of meals an afternoon. Expect to pay at any place from $one million-$five consistent with day relying on what meat you utilize and what dietary supplements you upload. Is it higher? That additionally is dependent. Meat from a questionable supply and an unbalanced recipe isn't any higher than grocery retailer kibble. High fine component sourcing with a correct nutrient stability (consistent with chunk or over the years), is simply as well because the great fine kibble. For a few participants, uncooked probably higher (ex: an chubby residence puppy), for a few it probably worse (ex: a searching puppy expending a gigantic quantity of vigor and energy everyday). Personally, I have visible a few puppy's who is well being has been stored by way of uncooked, and others who've been harmed by way of it. Is it messy? That additionally is dependent. Prey mannequin may also be while you need to blank your ground after your puppy dragged uncooked meals in every single place. Barf is messy whilst you're hanging the beef and bone via the beef grinder. Store purchased isn't very messy for those who use pre-portioned patties. To transfer them over, use the identical procedure you could whilst switching kibble manufacturers. Slowly combine within the uncooked meals with their present vitamin over one million-two weeks. Not definite what 'ur' is in dating to uncooked. There are not any breeds that are meant to now not consume uncooked, but when your puppy has a scientific situation you will have to seek advice a holistic vet earlier than replacing their vitamin. As a 'truly' individual I have feed prime finish kibble, prey mannequin uncooked, and stress pasteurized retailer purchased uncooked. I have bought dog food, adding uncooked, for the beyond eight years. My possess puppy's did horrible on prey mannequin uncooked. My dog constructed a progress similar crisis from extra calcium, and my grownup vomited bone shards nearly day-to-day. This didn't look correct to me. Both of my puppy's did very good on a shop purchased, AAFCO accepted, stress pasteurized uncooked. It used to be simply too pricey to maintain up with. They have each performed simply as good on prime finish kibble with 30-35% protein and no less than 60% of the materials coming from an animal supply. The key with any vitamin is stability. A puppy will do poorly on an all meat vitamin. It may also do poorly on a vegetarian vitamin. In nature, a puppy could first consume gut, belly, and bowels. These organs include digested grain, fruit, and veggie. This is how they get main hint vitamins and minerals. They could then consume the muscle meat and a small quantity of bone. We can imitate this with a vitamin that's 70% muscle meat and organ meat, 20% cooked grain & veggie or recent inexperienced tripe, and 10% bone. My great recommendation to to pay concentration on your puppy. If the uncooked is operating, keep it up. If the uncooked isn't operating, return to kibble. Keep an open brain and do not get caught on a unmarried feeding philosophy. Every puppy is certain, so consistently do what's great in your person.

Answer 5

HELLO?? Knock,knock...anybody *IN* there???

YOU are in charge of feeding,right? YOU buy & portion & offer?? Then WHY are you LETTING them DICTATE to you???

First=FEED SEPERATELY!!(duh)
Feed at a SET TIME! EVERY NIGHT AT 10,for example.
Offer *PLAIN* DRY ADULT FEED *&* ALLOW 15 minutes for dog to eat,then pick up the bowl. NOTHING else for **24**hours!!! Repeat! REPEAT! And AGAIN!! until dog eats MEASURE RATION in time ALLOWED!!! Takes a WEEK?? SO WHAT?? Takes TWO WEEKS??? SO??

DOG WILL ***NOT*** STARVE!!!
Geeeeeeeeeze,grow a SPINE,eh?

Answer 6

try to give them raw uncooked meat , animals eat like this naturally, there are lots of additives in processed dog brands foodstuffs. they could be retaining water due to salt additive. Give it a go ...x

Answer 7

Have thyroid function (T4) tests run on your animals. It might provide some very useful information.