[3RingCircus]

I have two Leos, giant breed puppies, both with health issues. I feed Bailey two times a day because he needs to be medicated twice a day, not all at once. I feed Barnum three times a day for similar reasons. Although eventually his meds will change to twice a day.

According to their proposed IDEAL adult weight, I've fed them about three pounds a piece with Bailey being slightly less at around 2.8 pounds. I haven't been weighing the chicken hindquarters until today. I just thought I'd check them out - usually a pound a piece.

I've tried to feed Bailey twice a day with two hefty hindquarters. I'd say these equal around 2.5 pounds. I figure Bailey will be around 140 pounds and essentially a couch potato to a semi-active dog. He's just shy of two years old, an adult. Although sometimes Leos aren't full grown until three years old. I can only estimate his adult size based on his sire's and dam's sizes. Although, I just saw picture of his sire, he's 150 pounds now at nearly five years old.

Anyway, Bailey acts like he's starving on 2.5 pounds of food a day but... his ribs aren't that easily felt. However... he's very hairy right now and blowing coat. So there's a lot of fluff. Go figure. His waist is defined. Occasionally, I've fed him three times a day. He loves that. So maybe I could feed 2.5 pounds one day and 3 pounds the next? I worry about feeding him two much at one sitting. And of course he needs to eat at least twice a day.

Barnum, OTOH, is doing great on his 3 hindquarters a day, equaling three pounds per day. This might be on the low or high end for him depending on his IDEAL adult weight. The problem with that is his growth will most likely be stunted due to EPI. Although, Barnum is still growing and is fairly active. You wouldn't know it looking at him snoozing in the hallway right now. Out like a light. I try to gauge his three meals around a pound a meal. I'd say he sometimes get a little more. His waist is well defined. I'm estimating he'll be 150 pounds, but like I said he could be stunted to 140. EPI in young puppies causes stunting of growth.

This will give you an idea of how much Barnum's growth is stunted:
Bailey was 112.5 pounds at eight months old.

Barnum was 105.2 pounds at ten months old.

 

[DaneMama]

I feed based off of body condition and not based on weight. I get a good baseline from their weight but that's about it. I also just estimate how much I give, just eye balling it. If I notice a dog looking a bit ribby I increase their rations and vice versa.

 

[RawFedDogs]

Yes, go by body build. Forget weight. It's just a number. It gives you no useful information.

You should be able to see (or easily feel in the case of long hair dogs) your dogs back couple of ribs. You should see a definate waste line behind the rib cage when viewed from above. You should not be able to see hip bone or spine. Look closely at your dogs and adjust their diets accordingly.

Don't try to get your pups to grow larger by feeding more food. All you will accomplish is creating fat dogs.

 

[3RingCircus]

Thanks danemama08 and RFD. I basically know this already to feed based off body condition. I was trying to feed by the 2 to 3 percent of IDEAL adult weight. We've been very careful about not feeding too much to make them grow bigger faster. Not good for giant breeds. Bailey and Barnum are our 2nd and 3rd Leos.

My husband was the one saying he couldn't feel Bailey's ribs while he was sitting. I felt them while he was standing. So he's not too fat, just right. Bailey's got a very dense coat. When I look downward I see the indentation at the waist. Sideways his torso goes upward toward the hips. I know if I got him soaking wet, he'd look too skinny but in fact isn't.

Should I feed the biggest meal in the morning? For instance, when feeding two meals and they need 3 pounds of RMB each. Two pounds in the morning?

Thanks.

 

[DaneMama]

The bigger meal doesn't have to be at any particular time of day. Just make sure they are getting enough per day. If you notice your dogs having "hunger pukes" in the morning feed more at night and vice versa...

 

[Aso]

Hi everyone,
Please help and excuse the "simple" questions but I'm very new to the forum and raw feeding. Can someone please explain "hunger pukes"?

We are picking up our baby Bordeaux who will be 9 weeks by then and we have been getting very mixed responses to our decision to raw feed from puppyhood. A lot of "raw feeders" that I have been in contact with locally (Australia) have been against starting so early, saying that he won't get the nutrients needed for slow steady growth and that we will basically stuff up his bones by feeding this way. Is there anything different that we should be doing with feeding raw meaty bones to a giant breed puppy?

Thank you everybody

- Cath

 

[RawFedDogs]

No. I have raised one Great Dane puppy on a prey model raw diet and danemama08 has raised 2 and is raising the third now. I have known a LOT of giant breed puppies raised on PMR with no problem. They will actually grow better on the raw diet. There won't be any growth spurts. They will grow slow and steady which is the healthiest. They will eventually reach their pre-programmed size but just at a little slower pace. I know several breeders of giant breeds who wean to raw.