How Do I Know If I'm Feeding Her Enough?

[PoppyDog]

Poppy is 13 months old, still on puppy dry food and last time I weighed her was 12kg. I think she would be heavier now but only a little.

I worry that she is a bit too skinny? She has 1 meal a day. 1 cup of dry food and an individual serving of Natures Gift wet food. Or sometimes instead of the wet food she will get a raw egg, some left over human food (cooked mince, steak or chicken) or just dry food.

She gets treats in the form of carob drops, shmacko's, raw hides and sometimes bones (although I haven't given her those in a while).

Anyway when I run my hand along her coat I can feel her ribs but can also feel some flesh. And you can't see her ribs. I can also feel her hip bones near her bum. She is happy though and I know it's important for her to be a healthy weight, not chubby! I see mostly chubby dogs so I don't have a healthy dog her size to compare her with!

WDYT?

*NB - I know people have lots of varying opinions on WHAT to feed but this thread isn't really about that*

[Sandra777]

What breed is Poppy? How hard are you feeling to feel her hips and can you feel them really easily (as easily as her ribs lets say)

Sighthounds have prominent hip bones but if I could feel the hip bones on my Staffords as easily as I can feel their ribs I'd be upping their food, so it does depend on body shape.

[PoppyDog]

She's a crossbreed.

Her Mum was a CKCS x Poodle and her Dad was a CKCS.

She is very much like a CKCS but bigger in terms of height and weight.

[tlc]

Do you have any recent pics of her? I know a few cav x poo and they are way lighter than 12 kgs. I know you said this threads not about what to feed but at 13 months imo she should be on an adult food. if you could post a photo it might be easier to judge her size. All the cav x poos I know are very short in the legs.

[wuffles]

PoppyDog my friends have a CKCS x poodle and he weighs 12kg.

Sometimes it's hard to tell on longer coated dogs, isn't it? My little Aussie is very lean, you can easily feel her ribs and hip bones. If you trust your vet, you could always ask them what they think.

[PoppyDog]

Here is one that shows her body quite well. She's doing her favourite "Must sniff dog on T.V" trick! Lol!

I will ask my vet next time I see her. She will be due for her 12 month booster vax soon.

I posted about puppy dry food VS adult dry food just before her 1st birthday and got mixed responses. Basically the general theme was it's up to you when you change over between 12 and 18 months. I noticed Super Coat had "Junior" and "Adult" and that completely confused me. If anyone can explain the difference between the two and which one I should be buying then I''ll grab a bag next time I shop and start mixing her food and swapping her over.

[PoppyDog]

PoppyDog my friends have a CKCS x poodle and he weighs 12kg.

Sometimes it's hard to tell on longer coated dogs, isn't it? My little Aussie is very lean, you can easily feel her ribs and hip bones. If you trust your vet, you could always ask them what they think.

Yeh, I think her longer coat does make it tricky! But I'm happy for her to be lean. I remember meeting some pure Cavs at the dog beach and they owners were so friendly coo'ing over Poppy! But the first thing they said was "Oh look, a skinny one!" Haha! Needless to say their cav's were a little on the round side!

[persephone]

If anyone can explain the difference between the two

Read the ingredient lists on the pack.. and you will see there are probably differing protein/calcium levels ....

[Pretty Miss Emma]

I don't know what others think, but I sort of rather my dog be a teeny bit skinny than overweight. Particularly if they are happy and healthy. Yesterday at the beach I saw a BC who I thought must have been about 8YO (just had that roundish I'm getting older look). She was only 2!! My young girl is 15 months and is soooo much skinnier than this dog was and is very much within her healthy weight range! Her owners were a bit horrified when they saw my girls and I said that I was happy with their weight, maybe they could lose 1/2 kg. They are now going home to put their dog on a big diet!!!

I think too often people follow the feeding guides on the food too strictly, they are a guideline and you ned to work out what ration keeps your dog at it's correct weight. It's like with people we all process our food a bit differently and store our reserves differently. I use the test of being able to feel ribs and spinal processes (without having to poke so hard my dogs moves away!! And without them being too obvious). I need to start using the same philosophies for myself I think!!

[meluchja]

Here is one that shows her body quite well. She's doing her favourite "Must sniff dog on T.V" trick! Lol!

I will ask my vet next time I see her. She will be due for her 12 month booster vax soon.

I posted about puppy dry food VS adult dry food just before her 1st birthday and got mixed responses. Basically the general theme was it's up to you when you change over between 12 and 18 months. I noticed Super Coat had "Junior" and "Adult" and that completely confused me. If anyone can explain the difference between the two and which one I should be buying then I''ll grab a bag next time I shop and start mixing her food and swapping her over.

She looks fine to me but I'm no expert. Acutally I think she looks very pretty I have a mini schnauzer X mini poodle and I always get comments on how skinny he looks. I choose to ignore them now. My guy has very long legs, and eats as much as he can. By that I mean going by the feeding guidlines on the BH adult formula, he should be getting between 1/2-1cup of food, he would on average eat about 1/2-3/4cup of food. He is happy, lots of energy etc, so I don't worry anymore. He is lean I can definately feel his ribs and parts of his backbone. But I guess some dogs are just leaner than other. Like others say, as long as she seems healthy enough, eating well, I wouldn't worry.

[Starkehre]

She looks like she has plenty of weight on to me.

Often in that position dogs look leaner than they would appear when standing normally as their body is extended.

So, I would assume if anything she may appear to have more weight on her when in normal standing position?

Either way, I certainly would not be trying to increase her weight.

I always judge what to feed my dogs by how they are looking. I never go by feeding guides. They do tend to recommend over feeding from what I see.

[piper]

She looks like she has plenty of weight on to me.

Often in that position dogs look leaner than they would appear when standing normally as their body is extended.

So, I would assume if anything she may appear to have more weight on her when in normal standing position?

Either way, I certainly would not be trying to increase her weight.

I always judge what to feed my dogs by how they are looking. I never go by feeding guides. They do tend to recommend over feeding from what I see.

I agree. I can't see any overly obvious tuck around the waist area so going by that I think she is fine.

Ignore the comments of "skinny" - most people do not know what a fit lean dog looks like these days, some vets don't either. And if I fed any of mine what the packets say they would probably be unable to walk.

She looks bright, alert, good coat condition. If she is all of these things and feels good then I would not worry too much. You said you can feel ribs with a light covering and that sounds about right. Also she is still a gangly teenager and yet to fill out so I would not want more weight on her.