sarah_5707 Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Hello everybody! I finally get to bring home my 8 month lab next week, and i'm curious about suggestions for his diet. My parents own a butcher shop, so their labs eat 'scraps' and marrow bones, but I've noticed that they are on the chubby side. I've been sifting through previous forums, and I've read conflicting advice, about wet food to dry food ratio and what kinds of raw meat is healthy for my pup. As I said, he is around 8 months old (we think), and he is just under average weight, but the hospital he is at is slowly bringing his weight up a bit. I would ask the hospital all these questions but I think they are a bit sick of me ringing for updates and with new questions all the time(everyday!), and I think I will get just as good, if not better advice from fellow owners. I'm not sure how to write these questions so i'm just going to make a list. How much food should I be giving him daily? Should he still be drinking pet milk? Should he still be on puppy food at his age or should I ween him off? If he stays on puppy food, what age do I ween him off? Is he too young to be eating 1/2 marrow bones? If he is getting raw meat daily, does he need to be getting canned food? Is feeding him meal scraps OK for his health? I think that's all. Another partially related question, Cody apparently tips his water dish over, within minutes of it getting filled. Repeatedly. Does anyone have any ideas of how to stop this? Or water bowls that are pretty hard to tip over without getting too big? The vet suggested one of those clam pools for kids, but I'm hoping there is a smaller solution than that! Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Hi have a read of this thread CLICK HERE for all the info on feeding raw. basically dogs need meat/bone/offal ..bones should be digestible and not the hard marrowbone type Your dog definitely does not need milk of any sort To avoid tummy problems- keep to whatever he is being fed now ..and GRADUALLY change him to whatever is your choice. Most canned food is not worth the money - he is better eating a balanced raw/fresh diet and/or a good quality balanced dry food. Dogs don't need table scraps ..and a lot of what we eat can be harmful to them - onions, chocolate ..... ANY dog can be fat, on ANY diet, if the owners feed too much . Simple Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espinay2 Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Weight is more about the amount rather than the type. Chances are if you parents dogs are chubby they would be so no matter what type of diet they fed so don't let it put you off a raw diet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espinay2 Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Apologies posting from my phone in an airport so funcionality limited! How much food should I be giving him daily?....... Approx 2% of bodyweight Should he still be drinking pet milk?........not necessary and I wouldn't bother Should he still be on puppy food at his age or should I ween him off?.....he is an adolescent now and I would be feeding him adult food. Is he too young to be eating 1/2 marrow bones?.....personally I would only give marrow bones whole if you are going to give them at all. Artificial hard edges are setting your dog up for broken teeth. Non weightbearing bones that can be totally eaten are better. If he is getting raw meat daily, does he need to be getting canned food?.....on my website I have a page on feeding our dogs which has lots of links to learn about raw diets. Is feeding him meal scraps OK for his health?...... The odd heathy table scraps are fine (see my webpage) but don't go overboard, never feed cooked bones and limit cooked fats, high salt foods and gravys, fried foods and high sugar foods. Cody apparently tips his water dish over, within minutes of it getting filled. Repeatedly. Does anyone have any ideas of how to stop this?....... Go to a garden centre and get a smaller glazed water pot. When full he won't be tipping it. You can also get no spill travel bowls. I use one inside as with the insert in it also helps limit slobber and wet floors. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mason_Gibbs Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I use a water bucket for my 2 labs, the baby sometimes tips it though. I feed my adult male 1 cup of biscuits daily and about 250g meat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyBlue Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I think that's all. Another partially related question, Cody apparently tips his water dish over, within minutes of it getting filled. Repeatedly. Does anyone have any ideas of how to stop this? Or water bowls that are pretty hard to tip over without getting too big? The vet suggested one of those clam pools for kids, but I'm hoping there is a smaller solution than that! Thank you! Mine can't drink without wet feet I have two stainless steel buckets and a clam shell. I also used to have a large shallowish ceramic bowl and a slightly deeper one both now broken With labs you need lots of water both deep and shallow so there is always some left to drink after the digging frenzy is over. The clam shell is fantastic as they can stand in it, dig in it, wallow in it and basically get as much of it on them as possible. After getting back from a walk the first thing mine does is submerge herself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 A metal bucket .. with the handle tied to fence/verandah post whatever ... plus a clam shell or other large container . Y I have noticed that a dog in a pen /kennelled will upend bowls for something to do . A dog at home, getting several training sessions a day ... walking on lead at least an hour a day .. spending time chasing soccer balls /chewing bones ... may not bother as much . Some dogs do enjoy it others lose the habit once removed from a kennel environment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mason_Gibbs Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Mine also have a pool from spring until the end of summer, both swim after a walk as mentioned above they feel the heat pretty badly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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