Question about feeding a dog

[CAMSmama]

We adopted a dog about 2 months ago and I was wondering how much food should I feed her? she's almost 6 years old and 50 pounds. the amount the old owners told me(1 &1/2 cups twice a day) doesn't seem to be enough, she's always still hungry and tries to steal food from the kids. We did change her diet some, we refuse to give her table food,(except for one piece of turkey on Thanksgiving:D) and we feed her IAMS instead of the Food Lion brand they had her on and we increased to 2 cups twice a day, any advice? I can't get the vet on the phone, and since she's otherwise healthy, I don't wanna fight the car thing if I don't have to. Thanks in advance

[SLance68]

If you look on the bag of Iams it will tell you how much you should be feeding your dog. Now as for the "I'm still hungry" from the dog - that is what dogs do. My brother & his GF could not figure out why their beagle was getting so fat until his GF came home one afternoon and saw my brother feeding the dog. She informed him that she feeds the dog every morning and my brother didn't know so the dog was getting double feedings. Guess who is on diet doggie food and only gets fed once per day. My Springer I had I would feed her in the morning and she would not touch her dog food until after dinner was over in the evening and she realized she was not getting any people food. So it does depend on the dog some but they will eat whatever you give them.

[Jackie_Blu]

If it were me, I would just feed her what you have been, and try to talk to the vet monday. In the past I have had dogs that you could feed plenty and they would still act like they are starving esp. if they see a person eating. They were always looking sad and hungry cuz they simply were "bums" when it came to people food lol If she is used to getting table scraps at her age it may be hard to break her from snatching food from the kids.

[Shann]

I agree, go by what the bag says. My Bella always has that "I'm hungry" attitude and is more than happy to clean your plate or get into the garbage the moment you turn your back on her :rolleyes:

Congrats on adopting your furbaby :D

[luvcub]

lol,my dog is a mooch,he eats 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup all day,but he is a pek and a small dog,many many times,he will sniff his food and walk away,I can beg and plead,he will turn his nose up at me,but let me bring my plate to the living room,and he is all up in it,thank goodness he is a low rider,lol.
He gets the crumbs only,and thats if it dropped on the floor. I have never meet a dog who doesnt want a bite of real food,and will snag if they truelly get the chance,best thing to do is put your pet in another room when plates are being made or baby is eating.,and the kids wont want to share their plates with him.
Good luck hon.

[MsLynn]

i had a self feeder and she would eat when she wanted too. that way i knew she was getting enough.. you're feeding iams so thats great.. alot of the cheaper dog foods don't have enough protein and they will keep eating to feel full. I had bailey on pedigree and a 50 lb bag would last me a month, she was healthy and ate when she wanted and never overweight

[krisharry]

I agree w/everyone else. My dogs are complete boaches and would probably eat til they explode. Just call the vet's office on Monday for advice if you feel it's still not enough. In the meantime, I can assure the dog will not starve on 2 cups a day.

[Kimberly61]

I leave food out all day for both my dogs and they eat when they are hungry, I have always done that since they were both pups......I also feed them dinner which consist of sharing a can of canned dog food and they get that at a certain time of the day and if I dont get right on it at the particular time of the day they are all up in my face letting me know that tick tock its dinner time lol................your vet will advise you to go by what the bag of food says or they will not talk to you until you pay the fee to go in......dogs keep a schedule just like us humans and once you get him on a schedule he will adjust to it, so he more then likely is used to what you are doing plus getting table scraps.

[DBackFan]

I also leave food out at all times for both my dogs and neither is overweight. If they know they always have food they only eat when they are hungry. I firmly believe this.

[dangerousfem]

me too.. I keep food in the bowl all the time.. she eats when she is hungry..

[SLance68]

It might not work for her dog leaving food out all day. Dogs that were raised that way from a puppy will be fine where other dogs will gobble down anything left for them until they literally pop.

As Kimberly61 mentioned that dogs have a schedule - you are not kidding - I use to hate daylights savings time. It would screw up my dog for a few weeks until she could adjust to the time change.

[CAMSmama]

Thanks for all the info, I appreciate it. I was gonna do the self feeder thing, but she's kind of hyper still (and clumsy)even at her age ,and I'm afraid I'd have food all over the house. I'm gonna call the vet (and hopefully get through) monday, just to be sure.

[Njean31]

self feeders here for our wiener dog and yorkie. they share it and eat when they want.