am i feeding her to much?

Question

my black lab is 4 years old and i dont know if im feeding her too much i have a stack and store dog food holder and i leavi it open everyday all day and shes really fat. she already had 2 litters of puppies.

please help!

Answer 1

You should develop a schedule for feeding. Dogs can get overweight if food is just left out for them to eat. There should be directions on feeding on the package for the brand of food you are feeding. Adult dogs ususally need 2 meals a day.

Answer 2

a dog should be fed no more than once or twice (at the most)daily. the amount of litters she has had has no relation to how fat she is. follow the recommended feeding amounts listed on the back of the dog food bag for the brand you feed her. She should be listed as a medium sized dog. Overweight is unhealthy for any creature. If she has been spayed, she will tend to be fatter than non spayed though. I would suggest you walk her at least half an hour a day to start and work up to about an hour to help her loose the weight and get the excersise she desperately needs.

Answer 3

yeah, you're feeding her too much. Dogs are like people, they need a set amount of calories per day, and over-feeding will make them fat.

First off, some dogs are food-obsessive and can't control how much they eat if they're given the opportunity to have food all day. For dogs like this it's essential that you get them on a feeding schedule or they will become overweight (which can lead to serious medical problems). I recommend feeding a dog 2-3 times a day, this way you reduce the chances of them gulping their food and getting bloat. Only feed them a set amount and split it over the feedings (so if you feed 2 cups of food you might feed a bigger morning meal, a smaller afternoon meal and a medium early-evening meal). When you do start feeding them this way, only leave their food out for 20 minutes, if they eat it, good, if not then they weren't hungry and they will probably eat later.

Second, if you're giving him/her treats you need to cut back (especially if it's biscuits). Treats are high in calories and you have to feed less to balance it out. There are healthy treats out there if you still insist on giving treats until your doggie loses weight.

Third, I've never had a weight problem with my pets but I know there are foods out there designed to have less calories. I would suggest speaking to your vet about a food like this, then feeding according to the back of the bag. If you don't want to buy a new food, then you should still feed slightly less than the back of the bag says to (split it over the 2-3 meals). Don't do it for your dogs current weight, but rather the weight she should be for her size/breed.

Finally, for awhile, you need to increase the amount of exercise your dog is getting to burn excess calories. You probably won't need to do so much once the weight is off, but it's a lot like a person. Walks are always good, and if you can get your dog swimming or running, that's also good.

Good Luck!

Answer 4

1. Always make sure that your dog has access to plenty of fresh water!

2. Not all dog food is the same! Choose a brand that is well known and considered quality. This is a perfect question to ask your veterinarian if you don’t already have something in mind.

3. Now that you know what brand you want to buy, pay special attention to what specific formula is best for your dog's age, weight and activity level.

4. Feed your dog the same amount of food, once or twice per day. It’s not healthy to feed them a lot one day, and then not much another. Using a measuring cup will ensure that you are giving them what they need.

5. Don’t over feed your dog! Even if they might still look hungry (certain breeds always want to eat, like labs!) it’s unhealthy. Just like for people, obesity can cause many health problems for dogs.

6. Don’t underfeed your dog. It’s important that your dog is getting all the nutrition he needs. If you think your dog is too thin, consult your veterinarian and increase the amount of food he gets. Also consider switching to a higher protein food.

7. If you switch from one dog food to another, do it gradually. Once a dog is used to something she can have digestive problems with a quick switch.

8. Wet vs. Dry food? The nutrition is about the same in both types of food, so choose whichever is easiest for you. Often, feeding only dry food is less expensive, but for a finicky dog, wet food might be your only option. A little bit of both is really your best bet.

9. Avoid table scraps. It can be tempting to give your dog the leftovers, but it usually leads to bad habits and obesity. If your dog is obese, cut out treats and stick to giving him raw vegetables as a substitute.

10. Never feed your dog chocolate. For some dogs it can be toxic.

11. Avoid giving your dog bones unless you buy them at a pet store. Your dog might love to chew on a bone from the local butcher, but be aware that bones can cause intestinal obstructions, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation.

12. Pay attention to your dog's eating habits. If he exhibits any extreme changes or won’t eat, consult your veterinarian.

Keep in mind that your dog depends on you to have a proper diet.

Answer 5

I think you answered your own question. If she's really fat, then yes, she is being allowed to eat too much.
I can't let my dogs eat anytime they want - cuz they would also be fat.
You should just feed her twice a day. Cut back her food & give her more excercise to help her be healthier & live longer.
You will be doing her a favor.

Answer 6

Uhrmm...i tink ur givin her a " all u can eat buffet " lol..perhaps u shud juz restrict her to mayb 2-3meals a day according to her "supposed" to be weight? divide d food into 2portions n feed her that way?i used to have a friend that owns a cat,n d bowls r always full..good gawd her cat must be one of d laziest,fattest cat i've ever seen . Plus, i dun tink it can be healthy for her if she's overweight..perhaps she wud be more prone to deseases in older age?

Answer 7

If she's fat of course you are. Put her on a diet immediately or she will suffer as she ages.