stuff to add in Canidae

[cavkingcharlesx3]

i just recently switched my dog from Natural Balance to Canidae. I've been adding green beans because i've heard they're a great filler if you want your dog to lose weight. are there other things i can add in that are nutritious, tasty, and still do not add too many calories so he doesn't gain weight?

 

[Dekka]

Why did you switch? How much do you feed? My guys just get an appropriate amount of kibble. If you add greenbeans, you will have more (and stinkyier) poop to pick up on your walks. I only suggest it if the dog needs to lose serious weight and is pining for food.

 

[cavkingcharlesx3]

well i switched because of the whole pet food recall crisis, even though the reduced calorie formula was not affected, i just want to be safe and i heard very very good things about Canidae. plus it's a bit cheaper than Natural Balance. i just switched yesterday, fed him like 4 green beans with the food for dinner right now.

the recommended about for feeding is about 1/2-3/4 cup a day according to the back. he weighs about 28 pounds, but i'd like him to be 25 pounds.

how many cups would be an appropriate amount for him?

he's pretty big boned for a Cavalier though. definitely not delicate or anything like that. i'm also feeding him 3 times a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner) i found if i do this, he does not ask for food in between meals.

 

[Beanie]

Try feeding him the amount of food listed on the back under 'senior/light.' You'll probably find that giving him the suggested amount of food for an adult is too much, especially if he's a little chunky already!

 

[cavkingcharlesx3]

Try feeding him the amount of food listed on the back under 'senior/light.' You'll probably find that giving him the suggested amount of food for an adult is too much, especially if he's a little chunky already!

oh that's what i was referencing when i said 1/2-3/4 cup a day

 

[Dekka]

My guys eat way less than the recommended feeding. If you are feeding a 'lite' formula your dog is already getting more than enough filler, and you shouldn't really be adding more.

 

[Sush]

A 4 year old dog usually only needs 1-2 portioned meals a day. I would personally only feed a puppy (under a year) three times. If I were you I would probably give him 1/4 cup twice a day and if he seems to be just STARVING on that meal plan... add a few green beans to each meal (like you are doing). It takes more calories to EAT one than is actually IN one. Yeah the poops may be a little stinkier but if you can handle that then go for it.

 

[MafiaPrincess]

Cider eats grain free orijen and apparently should be getting 1¼ - 2¼ c a day. She gets 1 cup divided into 2 meals.

I find many feeding estimations are high for what a dog actually needs.

 

[cavkingcharlesx3]

any more suggestions?
he's currently getting 1 cup of the Canidae ALS a day, but i'd like to reduce it to 1/2-3/4 cup a day.
however, when i feed him less he gets really hungry, so is there ANYTHING i can add at all besides green beans? maybe a little bit of cooked chicken/turkey and some veggies? i'd really like to reduce his food, but it's painful to watch him be hungry, so i'd really appreciate some suggestions on healthy additions i can put in so he won't be so hungry.

* i'm increasing his exercise amount a day though.

 

[Dekka]

unfortunatly dieting means being a bit hungry (I lost 60 lbs a couple of years ago..lol I know the feeling) One cup is a lot of food for a little dog. I would go down to 3/4 for a while and see how it goes, you feel a lot more hungry in the beginning.

 

[Herschel]

unfortunatly dieting means being a bit hungry..

Seriously. Just because he acts hungry doesn't mean you need to feed him. Get him on a schedule and let him eat his set amount (1/4 cup per meal) twice a day. So what if he acts hungry? Find something else to occupy his mind (like exercise).

 

[cavkingcharlesx3]

is adding other things like a little bit of carrots, greenbeans, lettuce, apples, cooked turkey going to be detrimental to his weight loss? or is it an ok thing to add in to fill him up a little more?

 

[Herschel]

is adding other things like a little bit of carrots, greenbeans, lettuce, apples, cooked turkey going to be detrimental to his weight loss? or is it an ok thing to add in to fill him up a little more?

Use canned (unsalted) green beans, they work like a charm. Carrots and apples (no seeds) would also work well, but they will be less digestible. Cooked turkey is still going to add a lot of unnecessary calories.

 

[cavkingcharlesx3]

that's good. he loves things like cucumbers, apples, carrots, peaches, melon, etc. so maybe i will try adding those in.
how much green beans do you recommend adding in addition to his 1/4 cup of food?

 

[Herschel]

that's good. he loves things like cucumbers, apples, carrots, peaches, melon, etc. so maybe i will try adding those in.
how much green beans do you recommend adding in addition to his 1/4 cup of food?

An extra 1/4 cup at first, but phase it out gradually. Food shouldn't be the best part of his day and I hope that you don't keep giving him add-ons "just because you love him". It's like the parents that feed their (overweight) kids because they're so cute. Meals should be focused around nutrition first, taste second.

If you want to give him all sorts of treats/food, etc. Make him work for it. Have you considered agility to burn off some extra calories? Or maybe an extra long walk while heeling (he'll get treats every few steps)!

 

[cavkingcharlesx3]

well i'm only 18 with no car, so i'm not sure about agility. i'm not sure if i could get the transportation, or afford an agility class. he does love to jump over stuff like pillows in the house

i'm thinking of just giving him extra long walks when it's not too hot (it gets in the mid-upper 90s in the day around here) so i just walk him at night and in the morning.

thanks for your advice, it's really very helpful

 

[ToscasMom]

Tosca loves raw carrots. You might want to try them too.