How do you determine how much to feed?

seems these dogs if i let them they will destroy a bag of food like watching a movie with popcorn.

i notice in a lot of dogs, the prorportion of the feeding either seems to little or these suckers can eat.

how do you determine whats a good amount for your dog?
and do you believe you can feed them more, or that portion is to basically keep him full but yet in shape?

Raw food


dog food kept my dogs fat and when i tried to get them ready for shows they would lose muscle. So keeping them on raw and adjusting if I see spine more of the sides i feed.
Dog food

I feed mine four cups of kibble a day, plus a quarter to half a cup worth of goodies... i.e. liver and rice or can food. But I do believe dogs don't eat to get full but to get the nutrition their bodies need... so if you feed a low quality food with a bunch of fillers they will eat more of it vs a food with a better quality protien tends to fill them up with less food... also makes clean up easier...

i have a pitcher that holds 2 qaurt,s dry food and that is where i start,and i adjust it by how they look. i have a couple big male,s that eat 1 1/2 of those pittchers and i have a couple of smaller dog,s that get the same because they are so active. if a dog dont eat all they get less from then on,unless they look like they need more. i keep them a little lean but not as much in winter. i just judge how a dog look,s and if it need,s more or less.

rahjr wrote:i have a pitcher that holds 2 qaurt,s dry food and that is where i start,and i adjust it by how they look. i have a couple big male,s that eat 1 1/2 of those pittchers and i have a couple of smaller dog,s that get the same because they are so active. if a dog dont eat all they get less from then on,unless they look like they need more. i keep them a little lean but not as much in winter. i just judge how a dog look,s and if it need,s more or less.

thanks for your feed back. ok thats good based on looks.they never seem to get full lol

rahjr wrote:i have a pitcher that holds 2 qaurt,s dry food and that is where i start,and i adjust it by how they look. i have a couple big male,s that eat 1 1/2 of those pittchers and i have a couple of smaller dog,s that get the same because they are so active. if a dog dont eat all they get less from then on,unless they look like they need more. i keep them a little lean but not as much in winter. i just judge how a dog look,s and if it need,s more or less.

I have to agree with you.. I feed them on based on how they look, my dogs are very active, plus I work them out a couple times a week on the flirt pole.... to get that lean muscle plus cardio... they play in the back yard all day.. but not a work out.. having said that.. I depends..I diff feed them more on work out days as oppose to rest day.. I have noticed that raw in addition to kebble, works well for me.. raw doesnt have all the nutrients and calories they need to I add some good kibble to give them a balance diet.I only feed raw to my pups that are 8 months old and older..feeding them to much protein as youngers can give you joint and leg problems, ie cowhalk....

GIL wrote:I feed mine four cups of kibble a day, plus a quarter to half a cup worth of goodies... i.e. liver and rice or can food. But I do believe dogs don't eat to get full but to get the nutrition their bodies need... so if you feed a low quality food with a bunch of fillers they will eat more of it vs a food with a better quality protien tends to fill them up with less food... also makes clean up easier...

Amen!!!!! What he said.

I feed according to what my eye tells me...is the dog in good flesh? With nice muscle definition? Or should the food be increased, decreased, changed etc.
Sometimes though a dog doesn't need more food just exercise. A dog who isn't receiving adquate physical exercise muscles will atrophy, resulting in diminish size and mass. People will often mistakenly feed more when thats need is some a little exercise.

I agree with Linda too... but want to add, that too high of protien can effect developing pups, I do not recomend using a high protien puppy food with this breed. IMO a good quality adult food once the pup is 3-4 months old is best to reduce the chances of issue.