Puppy food amount question. Forgot to ask vet.

[reveriereptile]

I have a english bulldog puppy that turns 14 weeks old on Wed. I forgot to ask the vet when I seen him how much she should be eating. Right now I've been feeding her 2 cups a day split up into 3-4 feedings. On the bag it says 3-5 3/4 cups for 3-6 months old. She is a little more than 16 lbs. She looks healthy but has been acting more hungry. She got wormed on Friday and I found out she had worms (assuming tapeworms) even though she is mostly an indoor dog so I wasn't sure if that was making her hungry. I can't just give her a bowl with food in it and let her eat as much as she wants cause she won't stop eating to the point that she starts throwing up. That's why I have a set amount. The breeders told us when we got her that she would do that if we offer her as much as she wants during feeding time. Should I increase her amount to 3 cups a day or maybe a half cup? I don't want to over feed her or under feed her. The vet said she looked very healthy on Friday.

Forgot to add that the last 4 days she has been waking up around 4-5 am wanting to be fed. I don't mind feeding her at 6 am but not 4-5. Her last feeding is at 6-7 pm. That's why I was wondering if I should increase her amount.

 

[redhen]

I would increase her amount..shes growing.

 

[Wifezilla]

What kind of food are your giving her? She is going to be hungry all the time if she is on a corn-based (or other grain-based) feed.

I feed my cat Taste of the Wild brand (no dog at my house at the moment). They also have a dog formula.

Dogs are not designed to eat grains. It is filler, it spikes their insulin and blood sugar and makes them hungry. It also makes them either hyper or pile on fat. Science Diet, Iams and other expensive vet-pushed dog foods are garbage. Most of them use corn or rice. So does that cheap junk you get at Walmart for $5/ton.

Get your dog a good meat based feed like Taste of the Wild, Blue Buffalo Wilderness, CORE Wellness...or better yet raw feed.

 

[reveriereptile]

Right now I have her on Purina Puppy Chow. I know it isn't a good brand but I have found a hardware store that has some of the better brands like Innova and Solid Gold (that is recommended on bulldog sites) that I am going to slowly switch her over to.

 

[Brindlebtch]

Those are both good brands. I have fed Innova and it is a very good dogfood. The trick is, you don't want your puppy really fat as it is growing and dog food companies are in the business of selling their product, and generally reccommend a more than adequate amount of food on their bags. I have a pic of my first puppy when I was feeding her from the directions on the bag and she was a TUB! I mean, you could see the rolls of fat on her.

I think 3 cups for an English Bulldog pup is a LOT. How much does the dog weigh?

 

[Wifezilla]

Innova EVO is good stuff. I have used the cat version.

When it comes to dogs, we always fed free choice. I never had a fat dog.

 

[Wolfwoman]

Quote:
You must never have had a lab or a husky...

lol All but two of my dogs would be elephants if I let them free feed!!

But usually puppies can be free fed until they are 6-8 months old at least... if she eats til she pukes, maybe LET her for a day until she realized the food isn't going away, generally that's why they gorge.

 

[reveriereptile]

I think she is around 16.1 or 16.5 pounds. When weighed on Friday.

 

[Brindlebtch]

Quote:
I've tried that with my AmStaffs and they were very roly-poly. I mean tub-o-lard. My girls pretty much live to get fat and have to be carefully fed to maintain athletic weight. The boys are a little more into self control.

 

[Brindlebtch]

Quote:
I just don't see how a 17 lb pup should be eating 3 cups a day. That is a whole lot for a dog that size!