# How much food?



## glitzydebs (Jun 10, 2011)

Please help as I'm still obsessed with Pushca's food consumption
She has her recommended portion of N I which she just woofs then maybe a chicken wing treat or the odd fish treat but she will hang around the kitchen looking so sorry for herself and pleading with me to give her a scrap. 
She looks fantastic: wet nose: glossy coat and sparkly eyes but is she still starving or just greedy? How can you tell?
Thankyou as I am so embarrassed when we go out people must think I starve her


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## embee (Dec 27, 2010)

I think ultimately you can only go on how she feels - does she feel really boney or does she feel 'well covered'?

I find this difficult with Remy who always seems ravenously hungry and is also fed NI. When I went to the vets last week for her second jab I has to ask the vet 'she feels a little boney to me what do you think?' she agreed so I upped her food a little.

Can you pop her into the vet to be weighed (most vets positively encourage you to drop by for weighing so the dog becomes used to visiting the vet and the scales are usually in the reception area). You could then be cheeky and ask a nurse or assistance to have a quick feel and see what they think - making sure you won't have to pay for a consultation first


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

delta would eat all day if i let her. 

if she is that food moravated do some traing with her make her work for the extras. 

i know a lot of dogs who look at you for food. mine.inclided. 

in most dogs minds they think. they should eat as much as possible as they. might not get latter. in the wiled they would gorge themselves then not eat till they find their next meal, this could be days or weeks apart. 

as humans we over feed our dogs or offer to much the them so alot becom picky and dont eat because they know its avalable. i deliberetly give.my girls a starving day. 

so her beint hungree is a good thing. get her a big raw bone to gnaw on.


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## Dylansmum (Oct 29, 2010)

I don't weigh Dylan's food as I know roughly what his portion should look like in the bowl. I feel his ribs every now and then and find it an accurate guide to his weight, which is also checked at the vets occasionally. You should be able to feel the ribs, but with a bit of padding, but not too much! When Dylan's coat is long, he looks a bit podgy, but feeling the ribs is a good indicator. Personally I think that the NI recommended amounts are a bit low for very active dogs. I feed Dylan 3% of his weight - anything below that and he loses weight. I also give him lamb bones for recreation a few times a week, but although he eats well, he is not strongly motivated by food and rarely scrounges. If you want to up Pushca's food, do so, but just keep feeling her ribs or as Mandy suggests, pop into the vets and weigh her every now and then.


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## glitzydebs (Jun 10, 2011)

thanks everyone I think she feels just right to be honest but I will pop Into the vets just to be sure. I do think the NI portions are a bit small as she is very active Especially now she's discovered squirrels!


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