Changing Feeding for Blue

[excuseme]

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We never tell any of the girls off for scavenging but if the item is brought to us we do take it away and say thank you/good girl..
Hubby always said that our beloved "Sika" RIP would never go hungry, as she was always managing to find something stinky to eat

 

[BlueBear]

We never tell any of the girls off for scavenging.
Hubby always said that our beloved "Sika" RIP would never go hungry, as she was always managing to find something stinky to eat

Sounds like Blue dragging manky old sausages out the bin and scoffing them. If it wasn't for the raw diet we would probably be ordering new carpets

 

[excuseme]

Raw products are not aloud all over the house, the girls are restricted to the kitchen which has an easy clean tilled floor until all eating is finished ( bones included )

 

[BlueBear]

Raw products are not aloud all over the house, the girls are restricted to the kitchen which has an easy clean tilled floor until all eating is finished ( bones included )

We are trying to do the same, he is restricted to the kitchen by 2 x stair gates while we try and get him to behave when he comes in the lounge.

 

[colettedb]

August gets raw in her crate with the bedding removed. Afterwards cleaned out with antibacterial wipes and then bedding replaced for bedtime

 

[BlueBear]

Blue is doing well on his raw diet. He has 500g of raw beef mince (80.10.10) for breakfast, another for lunch (or lamb) and about 300g of Millies Wolfheart 50% lamb / 50% veg kibble for his dinner. A have an assortment coming soon so he can have a variety of different flavours going forward (chicken, duck, lamb, beef, veal etc).

As he is 6 months now, I think we should be reducing to just 2 meals a day, so I'll give him 500g of raw for breakfast and 500g of raw for dinner with kibble toppers for both meals (about 100 - 200g each). Would you think this is about right for him ? He weighs 40Kg now and a big chunky fella so I think around 1.2Kg to 1.5Kg per day would be about right ?

I'll change his feeding times to around 8:30 am which is about 40 mins after his morning walk and around 17:00 which will be about 30 mins before his evening walk. He gets a 40 minute walk at lunch time so I'll give him a treat (pigs ear / bone / chicken wing etc) as lunch time snack.

Would that be about right please ?

 

[JudyN]

The amounts look about right, but do monitor his weight & condition - get your hands on him regularly and monitor how easily you can feel his ribs.

As for timings, it's often recommended that you leave at least an hour after a meal before walking to reduce the chances of bloat, though there's a lot of conflicting advice on the internet - ensuring he doesn't bolt his food, e.g. by using a slow feeder bowl, can help prevent it. Is it possible to move his meal earlier and/or walk later? Of course, if it's just an on-lead pootle round the block you might be OK.

 

[Tinytom]

My boys are both 45kgs still get fed 3x daily instead of twice and are 2 and coming up 2 ...they are deep chested dogs so I prefer giving smaller meals 3 x daily ...as your boy is a giant breed I would be careful taking him down to 2 meals so soon

 

[BlueBear]

The amounts look about right, but do monitor his weight & condition - get your hands on him regularly and monitor how easily you can feel his ribs.

As for timings, it's often recommended that you leave at least an hour after a meal before walking to reduce the chances of bloat, though there's a lot of conflicting advice on the internet - ensuring he doesn't bolt his food, e.g. by using a slow feeder bowl, can help prevent it. Is it possible to move his meal earlier and/or walk later? Of course, if it's just an on-lead pootle round the block you might be OK.

Thanks for your help Judy, he seems to be in good shape and I can just feel his ribs under his skin.

 

[BlueBear]

My boys are both 45kgs still get fed 3x daily instead of twice and are 2 and coming up 2 ...they are deep chested dogs so I prefer giving smaller meals 3 x daily ...as your boy is a giant breed I would be careful taking him down to 2 meals so soon

OK thanks TinyTom I'll keep him at 3 meals a day then as per your advice. It won't be long before Blue is 45Kg he is growing so quickly.

 

[Flobo]

I can't offer any advice re the feeding but I would like to say what a lucky boy for all your thought and devotion in always striving to meet his needs, wonderful!
Also up to date pics always welcome of course!

 

[BlueBear]

I can't offer any advice re the feeding but I would like to say what a lucky boy for all your thought and devotion in always striving to meet his needs, wonderful!
Also up to date pics always welcome of course!

Ahh thanks Flobo.

Here he is after being told off for trying to steal the Kit-Kats.

 

[colettedb]

Not advice but a little aside… since transitioning august to only raw food she has stopped eating outdoors cat, dog, bird and fox poop - maybe a coincidence but I am pleased either way

 

[excuseme]

That's excellent.
Sometimes what appear to be filthy habits, are because other nutrients are required that they are not getting in their commercial / complete foods.

 

[Flobo]

Awww, he is just too cute! (still wouldn't have a pup if you paid me though!)
Bet you've been having 'fun' with that coat in all this rain and mud...

One of my old clients has a large breed, Leonberger cross(always fed a raw diet and is in double figures now, just a by the by), but she told him off for something when he was younger, when they were out, and he left the park and went and sat on somebody else's doorstep!! A sensitive soul for such a great big lummox!...

 

[excuseme]

Ahh, what a big baby !

 

[excuseme]

We have a girl who hates us shouting at each other. She puts her "guilty" head on, as if she is at fault, and will disappear to the shed outside (with a dog flap) and cosy dog bed for anyone who want's peace and quiet. She waits until the coast is clear or until she is called back indoors.
Her daughter is very similar.

 

[BlueBear]

Awww, he is just too cute! (still wouldn't have a pup if you paid me though!)
Bet you've been having 'fun' with that coat in all this rain and mud...

One of my old clients has a large breed, Leonberger cross(always fed a raw diet and is in double figures now, just a by the by), but she told him off for something when he was younger, when they were out, and he left the park and went and sat on somebody else's doorstep!! A sensitive soul for such a great big lummox!...

He's getting better but he is just so stubborn. I have to drill it into him constantly not to attack the hoover or try and take things off the kitchen worktops. Finally, it's starting to sink in.

We take him to puppy training each week on a Saturday (gun dog training) and thats been a god-send. He walks to heel, sits on command, stays and knows "leave" and to come back to us when whistled. He goes up a group next week so hopefully that will help us to control him a bit better. He tends to ignore other dogs now on walks but still goes berserk when he sees our builder or Bernard (the old man who sits in the unused bus shelter with his friends every morning at 07:30am).

The figure of eight lead has been a game changer too.

 

[Hemlock]

I expect you are already keeping interesting things off the worktops, but a layer of tinfoil can be useful as well. Or else a babygate across the doorway.....
The noise and erratic movement of the hoover is often too much for a puppy to ignore - how about put him in a different room with a chew or a kong while you use it? Some battles are just not worth engaging with.

 

[BlueBear]

I expect you are already keeping interesting things off the worktops, but a layer of tinfoil can be useful as well. Or else a babygate across the doorway.....
The noise and erratic movement of the hoover is often too much for a puppy to ignore - how about put him in a different room with a chew or a kong while you use it? Some battles are just not worth engaging with.

Thats very useful, I hadn't thought of tin foil. We have 2 stairgazes in place. One to prevent him going in the living room and the other to prevent him getting up the stairs. It's difficult to have some normality in the kitchen because for the past year the house has been torn apart and is now being rebuilt with 3 large extensions. I think I've managed to train him to stop attacking the hoover by bribing him with treats for sitting and staying but I've had to put all the loose items in a Tupperware box to stop him stealing stuff and taking it to his bed. I've already had a full bottle of olive oil and a full bottle of sunflower oil splashed all over the kitchen floor and over his brand new bed

I'll definitely try the tin foil though. I'm really intrigued ...