[Pegasus]

We are having issues with Marbles..

Before he came to us, a week ago, she fed him 1.5 cups of food in the am...that was it i guess, maybe some treats?

So, we feed Snoops 2x a day so we split up Marble's food to 3/4 a cup. 2x a day...same amount total, just split up

..in one day he was SO skinny..horrible you could see his ribs in one day???

So we bumped it up to 1 cup 2x a day..he acts like he is starving. And it doesnt seem like the "Beagle is hungry all the time" thing..he is actually devouring his food..like he never gets enough..he just keeps going into the kitchen wanting more food. AND he drinks water like crazy...is this normal?

Should we limit food and water to him? He is 6 months today, and I just feel like he needs to grow and I maybe his metabolism is high...I feel so bad limiting food when he just keeps going in there for food..he is wanting to even eat Snoopy's food, and Snoopy eats a lot less, but mixed with wet.

And, he doesnt want treats, he wants his food, which makes me feel like he is really hungry?

Thanks
Manda

 

[Murphys Dad]

He is still a puppy and he is growing. I think about six months is when you can safely cut them back to being feed twice a day, but someone with puppy experience will need to confirm it. I think about the time they are a year old you can throttle back to once a day if that is your schedule but I’m sure for now, Marbles needs more nutrition than Snoopy. None of my dogs have been pups so I’m no the expert here but if you can feel their ribs is the way it should be but if you can see their ribs they need a more nutrition.

 

[Pegasus]

Thanks Bob for your advice.

I have never had a puppy alone...many when I was a kid on a farm..hehe...but mom and dad took care of that.

Snoopy is fed 2x a day (~ 3 yrs) and Marbles who is 6 months today was only fed 1x a day, with one cup of food, and we are still feeding the same thing to him.

So we broke it up and now in one day his ribs are showing..sure as an adult this is good....but as a pup I feel like he needs more??

I just feel splitting it up to 2x a day is best for the dogs..but Marbles seems starved all the time, he doesnt want treats he wants HIS dry food only, which makes me think he is really hungry.

I fed him 2 cups of food the other day when we went from one day of healthy looking pup to ribs showing, it just didnt seem right, so i fed him a lot, and he ate it all!!

And now he looks back to normal...the bag on the food says we are feeding too much, but Im not sure if I should still limit the food or to let him eat a bit more b/c he is growing

manda

 

[missmollygirl]

Manda-

First, congrats on adding Marbles to your family. He is a handsome little boy.

Here is some "food for thought." Are you feeding Marbles a puppy food? (I didn't notice if you said so or not.) Puppy foods are higher in protien than adult and that may be part of the issue here. I have always kept my dogs on puppy food for the first year of their life for smaller breeds and 1 1/2 to 2 years for large breeds. Also, since you have split his feeding time into two separate ones, that may be why he is acting hungry. He expects more in one feeding. I also do agree with you on split feeding times. When Molly was a pup, we did 3 times a day until she was about 6 months old, then we went to two. It seems a lot gentler on their digestive system when you feed them more than once a day also.

 

[Murphys Dad]

I've never believed in recommended portions, the proof is in the dog. Activity and individual canine characteristics far outweigh a one fits all recommendation on the back of a package. You should be able to clearly feel their ribs but their should be enough meat on their bones so that you can’t see their ribs when they are walking or rolled on their side or back. I regulate the Bagel’s food by that and he has stayed fit for the 9 years, 9 months he’s been with me! I know growing pups have definite nutrition needs that exceed those of adults of the same size. Bones are still grow even after they have reached their adult length. I hope some of the pup experts will chime in but I’d be more concerned with Marbles not getting enough nutrition now. At his age, if he did get a little too much, he could shed the extra pound or so in no time.

 

[jeffmeden]

Do his ribs show only after filling up on food and water? My little one will devour food like it's his first meal in a week, and goes after water with equal ferociousness. But, he eats 3 times a day for a total of over 500 calories, which is plenty by any standard. When he's done with his meal, his belly is so big his ribs are bulged out and he can barely walk :hi: .

I would keep an eye on his weight and let that tell the story, if he is growing steadily, is active, and has regular potty trips, then there is nothing to worry about.

 

[madison069]

So far I let Dixie eat as she please, i put a cup and a half in the bowl first thing in the morning, and she will graze through out the day. She looks and acts healthy, the vet also said she is looking really good.

 

[angelaH]

I would rather slightly overfeed a puppy than underfeed. If you notice he is getting too fat you can then cut back. Another thought, has he been treated for worms?

 

[iain langman]

You can feed him up if he is under weight but when you notice that he is putting on weight then cut back a little so you can gage what his food intake should, like I said in another post change the amount by small amounts according to his weight every dog is different so it is a trial and error thing untill you get it balanced.

Has he been wormed if not then this could be a reason why he is always hungry.

 

[Marley's Mommy]

on my last visit to vet I asked how Marley's weight and size are. FYI - he is 6 months old and weighs 23 pounds. He is quite slender and lean, good proportions, ribs are not visible but you can feel them with your hands. Vet said that is exactly what you want. Said he is great size/shape. He said if you feel around the ribs and cannot palpate them, the pup is heavy. If you can see the ribs through the skin, and or feel every single one, he is too thin.

So, I say all this if you can see his ribs, he probably needs to eat more. I feed eukanuba and the recommendation is 2 cups for his weight and age, and I feed one cup in the a.m. and one in the p.m. He is very active so I am aslo able to give him treats without cutting back ont he food. He gets liver treats, carrots, etc.

Have you read the recommendation on your food bag?

You can always call your vet but I think seeing the ribs is a great sign that he is not getting enough.

 

[Smeagle]

At six months I would not be too worried if he looks under weight. I would be feeding 2 cups of food a day, one at night and one in the morning, as a puppy of this age, he will need more food than he will as an adult because he is growing.

Puppies can look awfully skinny when they are growing as they often have growth spurts and grow "up" and then "out" later down the track.

It is normal that he has not yet filled out, this happened to my beagle at approx 8-10 months and now she is a fatty! We actually had to cut her off puppy food a while before 12 months because she started putting on weight /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

 

[beagletails]

Up to 6 months I fed 3 times per day and now that my dogs are older they all get fed 2 times per day. The thing is that even though 3 of them are Beagles they need different amounts to keep them at their optimum weight. Maya is perfect for her size, but Tate who is 1 year old is getting a little husky with the same amount of food. Suki is way too skinny so needs to have a little more food at least temporarily as she adjusts to our home and lifestyle. Moral of the story...every dog is different and just keep a close eye on how the dog looks and what your vet says.