# Feeding question



## cbull (Feb 14, 2011)

I've read on this board how many of you can look at your dog and tell if he/she is at a good weight. I have a 4 month old Olde English Bulldog. What do you look at to tell if your dog is at a good weight (ex. too thin). Right now I can feel her ribs if I pet her. I can't see them when I look at her though. Behind the last rib she gets narrow. 

Right now I have her on Acana Prairie and she eats a little over a cup per day. She weighs roughly 13 lbs.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

You should be able to see her back couple of ribs. You should see a definate waste line behind the rib cage when viewed from above and you shouldn't be able to see hip bone or spine.


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## cbull (Feb 14, 2011)

I can definately see her waistline from above. I can see her last rib as well. But, she just acts like she's starving when it's time to eat. She gobbles it in seconds and then stares at the bag wanting more. Is 1 1/4 cup not enough to keep her full? She get's kibble as a treat during training time as well.


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## Adam76 (Dec 24, 2010)

I think alot of dogs act like they are starving most of the time, I know mine does but that doesn't mean I'm gonna feed him more than he needs. It's better for the dog to be on the thinner side, fattening them up wont do anything but cause problems down the road, from your description your pup seems to be fine.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

The way I check is to feel the ribs - you should be able to feel a small layer of fat, but not too much. 

Put your hand on her back (from behind) with your thumb on her spine and your fingers going down over the ribs. You should be able to feel the ribs, but not see them (and you shouldn't feel bone, there should be a thin layer of fat).

If you can take your hand and slide it up and down alot (too much fat moving) or if when you push the skin it gets wavy (easy to see on my bald dog), she's too fat.

It sounds like, from what you say, your dog is not too fat.

Edited to add: I agree, lots of dogs act like they are starving all the time. Which is why, in my opinion, lots of dogs get too fat - owners can't turn a back on that begging face!


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## Mokapi (Apr 7, 2011)

I read somewhere that dogs always act like they're starving because instincts tell them that they don't really know when they'll get another meal, so they snarf down what they're given and immediately want more so that they can make themselves full. Like wolves  

Chip needs to lose some weight. xD


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## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

I always like to see the last two ribs on my dogs and be able to easily feel all of them. 

I keep my dogs all on the lean side, and they do all act like they're starving but they are very well fed. 

As long as body condition is how you describe, I'm sure its fine. If you're doing any major activities or long hikes I might increase that amount. I know that during the summer months I have to increase feeding amounts because my dogs are so active.


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## cbull (Feb 14, 2011)

Great feedback. It's weird because one day I'll look at her and think she's perfect. Literally, the very next day I'll think she's getting chunky. LOL. 

She's fairly active. She's been cleared by the vet to take walks. So, she goes for 15-20 min walks every other day. Should I raise her food amount?


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## Savage Destiny (Mar 16, 2011)

RawFedDogs said:


> You should be able to see her back couple of ribs. You should see a definate waste line behind the rib cage when viewed from above and you shouldn't be able to see hip bone or spine.


This isn't always true, about the spine anyway. A lot depends on the dog's conformation. For instance, Riddle has a bit of a roach back, and her spine sticks out, fairly visibly. She looks like a little stegosaurus when she curls into a Riddleball. Melon, however, is even skinner than her (you can see all his ribs, thank you growth spurt), yet his spine does not stick out.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I agree not all dogs are created equal. My dogs are not thin by any means but when my last rescue came to me at 37lbs, she was a mere pittance of my other dogs, but you still couldn't see her ribs, she is now at a healthy 50lbs and muscular like these dogs are meant to be.


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## AmeliaPond (Mar 25, 2011)

I don't know if this is helpful for you or not....










If you do a google image search for healthy weight for dog, other similar charts show up too.


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