[BaileyGirl]

I got a new pug/beagle (puggle) puppy a few days ago and took her in for a new puppy exam today. The vet thinks that she is a little chubby, not horribly overweight, but her little belly is somewhat more round than I guess it should be. We were worried that she might not eat much after she was shipped from the breeder, but she's a little pig! LOL!

We have her on Purina One Healthy Puppy Formula right now, which is what the breeder had been feeding. She's 9 weeks old, and the recommended amount to feed in cups for a puppy up to 3 months old is 1/4 to 1/3 cups. However, this appears to be the recommended daily feeding amount, if I'm not mistaken. So does this mean that I'm supposed to start out with 1/4 to 1/3 cups and break that down into 2 or 3 feedings per day? That seems like an awfully small amount of food!

I'm currently giving her 1/4 to 1/3 cups per feeding, and am feeding her twice per day. She gobbles the food up and will seem hungry in between meals! I guess I'm just worried that if I give her 1/4 to 1/3 cups per DAY rather than per FEEDING, that she'll be even hungrier. Is this what I'm supposed to be doing? I don't want her to get even chubbier, but I also don't want her to be starving in between meals. Does anyone have any advice? She gets exercise during play time and loves to play fetch but she gets tired quickly and will take naps so the exercise/play time doesn't last for a super long time. I haven't been able to take her out for a walk because it's been raining and I don't want her to get cold.

[briteday]

Purina One is not the worst, and you are doing the right thing by keeping her on the breeder's food for a while. But I would start now doing some research on food and think about changing to something in the higher quality category.

Second, I would be a little reluctant to call a 9 week old puppy chubby. Hmmm..... most puppies are chubby. It's kinda like baby fat until they start to get more active and eventually wear it off like when children start walking.

When it comes to how much to feed, I go more by weight of the dog than age. A 9 week lab weighs a whole lot more than yours. That's why there is a range on the bag that you're looking at. And the amount stated on the bag is usually for a whole day, split into 3 meals for a pup under 6 months.

It has been my experience that most pups eat like it is their last meal. And some dogs are more food oriented than others. Most of our dogs eat like the last supper. But we currently have one that is a "dainty eater." She sits and stares at the bowl, eats one piece at a time, etc. She's been like this since she was a pup. But the norm around my house is to chow down, got more ma? I have one that doesn't even chew her food. Our dogs are about 10 pounds each and they get 1/2 cup total per day, so since they are adults, fed 2x/day, that works out to 1/4 cup twice each day. But remember they weigh 10 pounds and are full grown. Your pup weighs much less (? weight at the vets?) but is still growing. And I keep a measuring cup in the food bucket and really measure at every meal, no eyeballing the amount.

Also, I work in a shelter and I have never seen a beagle that wasn't overweight. I mean really overweight. I don't know much about the breed specifically but we had a friend whose beagle got into the food while they were at work and the dog had to go to the vet to have its stomach pumped it was so sick. And I would say the pugs I see are 50/50. We did just have one picked up as a stray this weekend and it looks like it could be 3 pugs into one! But I've also seen some very well balanced pugs. So definitely the beagle in the pup is probably going to be a chow hound attitude. And possibly the pug part too. This will be a lifelong issue so learn the ropes now and stick to it.

Bottom line, the vet is probably aware that at least the beagle breed is very hard to control weight and prone to overweight. I would be concerned, but not overly so. Watch for trends in the weight rather than a one time observation. If you take the dog in for the next shots and the vet mentions weight again, then discuss what and how much you are feeding, ask for suggestions. Be sure to measure food and watch treats. Definitely no table food. Just my opinion.

[BaileyGirl]

Thank you, Briteday! Good to know that being slightly chubby is normal for puppies just like with human babies. At the vet's office, Bailey weighed in at 4 lbs, 12 oz and she is 9 weeks old. Yikes, it sounds like I'm currently giving her the same amount of food as you are with your adult dogs - 1/4 cup per feeding twice a day. How much would you recommend that I give her, based on her weight?

I'm definitely going to gradually switch her over to a premium dog food. I'm thinking of Natural Balance because I've heard good things about it and it's available at Petco near my house. Do you think that would be a good choice for a pug/beagle mix?

Thanks for the info on the beagle weight control issue as well! I wasn't aware of it so I really appreciate you bringing it to my attention. I will definitely keep it in mind - I've been trying to buy low fat treats for Bailey and the only human/table food she has gotten so far are a few small pieces of cheese and plain fat free yogurt. I haven't tried peanut butter yet because I heard that it's fattening. Hopefully the weather will get nicer soon so I can start taking her out for walks!

Thank you again for your help, Briteday! Great info

[briteday]

I can't tell you whether or not Natural Balance is right for your dog. We have one of our older dogs on Natual Balance Fish and Sweet Potato because she has food allergies and this one has worked out best. Personally, I don't think I would choose that particular flavor mix for a pup because, ironically, the fat content is very low. Pups need fat to produce cells for growth. But other Natural Balance flavors may be a good choice. I think the Ultra flavor is rated highly. There are other premium foods that I have sampled on the dogs that they liked as well but like you, I like the fact that NB is available at Petco. One less stop in the monthly shopping. Bottom line, do your research, get some samples (try a privately owned pet store, they get samples from the manufacturers, free), test them on the dog, and then decide. Our other dog is on Kirkland small dog chicken, rice, and vegetables. It is made by the folks who make Diamond brand. Not sure how they stack up in the premium market but our dog came on that, is doing well, the ingredients list looks very reasonable to me, and once again, (not a make or break factor, but it helps) is available in my regular monthly shopping rounds.

weight regarding amount of kibble...my rule of thumb, and I'n not an expert, is that I feed pups up to 6 months 2 times the amount stated for adults on the bag. So if your pup is close to 5 pounds x 2=10 pounds, it would not be unlikely that you would be feeding, minimum, the same as I am feeding my 10 pound fully grown dogs, at least 1/2 cup per day. The formula has worked well for me but, again, not the expert, you might want to ask your vet how much he THINKS you should be feeding your pup since he thinks it's overweight.

Once the weather gets nicer, at least into the 40's, I would get the pup used to a daily walk/play session. You'll know when she is tired and it's enough. But once they get past the roly poly stage they are usually pretty active and she should be driving you nuts with constant activity.

[BaileyGirl]

I agree, I was planning to buy the Ultra flavor because I'm just not sure which specific flavor she would prefer...so I figured the Ultra would be a good all-around choice. I was considering Innova as well but would have to go to a speciality feed store to buy it, and I heard that it's richer in protein or fat content, so figured it would be safer to go with the Natural Balance Ultra. I've heard good things about RAW as well but since I know nothing about it, I don't want to risk endangering her health due to my inexperience.

Whew, good to know that I've been feeding her the correct amount all along. Your rule of thumb sounds good to me! I am somewhat wary about asking my vet for further advice about dog food or feeding. When I told him that she is currently eating Purina One Puppy Formula, he recommended that I feed her a "better quality" dog food such as Iams, Eukanuba or Science Diet! I know that others have had this same issue with their vets. If we start to see a trend with her weight, however, I will definitely seek his advice on dieting.

Thanks again for your help and advice, Briteday!

[briteday]

You might ask friends, breeders, or go to dog shows and ask people around you who they like as a progressive vet. You need a vet who is not being bought by the commission he gets from the food he sells. And osmeone sho is open minded enough to know that not all dog food comes from the vet's office or the grocery store.
Also, even though we live in a fairly rural area, we have several privately owned pet food stores. They sell the premium brands and get free sample from the manufacturers to hand out to clients. So I went in with my allergy tale of woe with one of my dogs, take the dog along if you can so they can see the dog. Most of the owners are very knowledgable about these things, will be able to give you a range of products to choose from, send you home with a sack full of samples to see what your dog likes, and then you can make your choice from there. I found that my dog liked Natural Balance Fish and Sweet Potato (food allergies to red meat and grains), patronized the high priced boutique for a month or so and then found it at my local Petsmart. Since the independent store was so helpful I still go in for treats and miscellaneous supplies because they are so knowledgable.
And like I mentioned our other dog is doing fine on the kirkland brand. I ws lucky enough to have a neighbor using it with her dog and she gave me a few days worth to try before I bought the 20# bag.
Good luck.

[Captbob]

__________________________
This is a dog food rating system created to help people find a quality food. This is not concrete but to be used as a guide. This was created by Fredalina of the GDR.


Giving Dry Dog Food a Grade:
Start with a grade of 100:

For every listing of "by-product", subtract 10 points


For every non-specific animal source ("meat" or "poultry", meat, meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points

If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points

For every grain "mill run" or non-specific grain source, subtract 5 points

If the same grain ingredient is used 2 or more times in the first five ingredients (i.e. "ground brown rice", "brewer’s rice", "rice flour" are all the same grain), subtract 5 points


If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points

If it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points

If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract 3 points

If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points

If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points

If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points

If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points

If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog isn’t allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points

If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isn’t allergic to beef), subtract 1 point

If it contains salt, subtract 1 point

Extra Credit:

If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points


If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist, add 5 points

If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points

If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points

If the food contains fruit, add 3 points

If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains), add 3 points

If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free, add 2 points

If the food contains barley, add 2 points

If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds), add 2 points

If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point

If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point

For every different specific animal protein source (other than the first one; count "chicken" and "chicken meal" as only one protein source, but "chicken" and "turkey" as 2 different sources), add 1 point


If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point

If the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide-free, add 1 point



94-100+ = A
86-93 = B
78-85 = C
70-77 = D
<70 = F

Authority Harvest Baked / Score 116 A+

Bil-Jac Select / Score 68 F

Canidae / Score 112 A+

Chicken Soup Senior / Score 115 A+

Diamond Maintenance / Score 64 F

Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice / Score 92 B

Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula / Score 99 A

Natural Balance Ultra Premium / Score 122 A+

Natural Balance Duck and Potato / Score 106 A+

Hund-n-Flocken Adult Pet (lamb) by Solid Gold / Score 93 B

Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium / Score 73 D

Innova Pet / Score 114 A+

Innova Evo / Score 114 A+

Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables / Score 110 A+

Merrick Grammy Pot Pie/ Score 118 A+

Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy / Score 87 B

Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice / Score 23 F

ProPlan Natural Turkey & Barley / Score 103 A+

Purina Beneful / Score 17 F

Purina Pet / Score 62 F

Purina Come-n-Get It / Score 16 F

Royal Canin BullPet / Score 100 A+

Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult / Score 106 A+

Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice / Score 97 A

Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ / Score 63 F

Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies / Score 69 F

Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken / Score 110 A+

Wolf King Adult Pet (bison) by Solid Gold / Score 97 A

Some foods that have all ready been rated: