# Dog gained weight on blue buffalo wilderness



## Vera (Nov 26, 2012)

I have a ACD/Austrailian Shepherd mix, about 3 weeks ago I changed her food from Iams to Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon. She's doing great, she has more energy and her coat is noticeably softer and more shiny however she's gained a couple of pounds. I was feeding her a 1 1/2 cups a day when feeding Iams and I've only been feeding 1 cup of the Blue Buffalo. She weighs just under 50 lbs but my veterinarian told me she should weigh 40. I take her on walks and play fetch with her for a couple of hours a day. So I'm not she if she's just predisposed to being over weight or if I should be feeding her less? I didn't want to cut her food back more because she's already being fed less than the recommended amount. However, I was told that the amounts listed on the side of the bag are usually over estimated. Any thoughts?


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

Have you had her thyroid checked just to make sure nothing is wrong there? 

1 cup does seem like a small amount of food bu it all depends on the activity level and metabolism of the dog. 
It's better to cut the food amount back then to have an overweight dog.
I don't recommend going to any kind of weight loss food, they're mostly gimmick and tend to just have more fillers to dumb them down. I'd reduce the amount by 25% for a couple months and see if it gives any results. If you're worried about your dog feeling hungry (which is usually more in the owner's head than the dogs... some dogs will act hungry no matter what the amount they were fed is...) you can try soaking their food in water so it's engorged and gives a more full feeling.


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## Vera (Nov 26, 2012)

Thank you for the advice! I'll have to try that. I do feel bad sometimes that she might be hungry, but I guess wild dogs and wolfs don't even eat every day.


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## Vera (Nov 26, 2012)

Oh, I missed the top part of your post... I haven't had her thyroid checked, I can definitely look into that. I haven't talked to our vet very much about her weight and food because she tries to push science diet on me. I can't find a vets office that doesn't sell it around here.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

you can try their weight loss formula Blue Buffalo Wilderness Healthy Weight Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food


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## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

I had great success with Wellness Core Reduced Fat (grain free) when rehabilitating my MIL's grossly overweight cockapoo before rehoming her (MIL had to go live where the dog wasn't welcome). Just remember to feed the amount for what the dog should weigh, not what she weighs now. You can also add in a couple of tablespoons of no salt green beans to add filling fiber with few calories. I also divided the portion into morning and night time feedings to help speed up her metabolism and keep her blood sugar more stable. It also tricked her into thinking she was getting more food.


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## riddick4811 (Nov 2, 2011)

I second getting her thyroid checked. But some dogs are just easy keepers. 

Casper my Dogo is an easy keeper. He can maintain 115lbs with 2 1/2 cups a day of most foods, but it leaves him hungry and he gets nasty when he is hungry. And trust me, no one wants an unhappy Dogo Argentino! I tried Now Fresh large breed senior food. He can eat 4 cups a day, 2 cups 2x a day and was very satisfied! The kibble is huge and he has to chew it too so I think that helps. He lost 10lbs back down to 115lbs. He had gotten up to 125lbs on the previous food (Earthborn) and dropped the weight, eating more and not exercising anymore. Vet still wants him at 110, but he has a waist, a tuck, I can feel his ribs, see the last couple, but he still has a bit of padding on his chest but being 9 yrs old, I'm satisfied with his weight. I just tried a bag of Victor Yukon and he started gaining weight so I had to cut him down to 3 cups. He is ok with 3, but any less and he gets cranky and tries to eat the small dogs!


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## _unoriginal (Apr 8, 2012)

Please also keep in mind that BB is higher in calories than Iams.

I used Iams lamb and rice because that seems to be a popular one and you didn't specify:

Iams® Healthy Naturals' Adult Lamb Meal & Rice
337.6 kcal/cup

BLUE Wilderness Salmon Flavor is a High Protein, Low Carb Dog Food
415 Kcals/cup


Not having said that, feeding not enough is just as unhealthy, IMO, as feeding too much. If your dog can't maintain properly on the food, then it's likely just an issue with that food in particular. It's not uncommon, as there's no singular best food for all dogs. I know around here, there are quite a few comparable brands price/ingredient-wise so it's not so much of a hassle to switch.

Also keep in mind that the guidelines on bags of dog food are just that, guidelines. Some dogs maintain on much less or much more. It's entirely dependent on the dog as an individual and you shouldn't be worried when you don't follow them. Keep in mind that dog food companies are in the business of selling food. They WANT you to feed more so that you BUY more. I've never met anyone with a healthy, in-shape dog that feeds the amount on the bag. Everyone I know feeds less.

One last thing, I soak my kibble-fed dog's food in water until it's soft. It takes him longer to eat and he seems less hungry, even if he gets less than his normal 1 cup per meal. FWIW, he's a 70# Dogo (mix likely) and is fed 1 cup of Nature's Variety Instinct LID per meal, 2 meals per day. He maintains very well.


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