How much kibble should be given per feeding? How much does your Dood eat?

[Christine & Camus]

I would like to know how much your doodle eats per day.  Camus gets 2 cups of Taste of  the Wild kibble per day, 1 cup AM/1 cup PM, with a couple of tablespoons of grain free canned food mixed in.  He weighs 83/84 lbs.  If I give him any more that 2 level cups (dry measuring cup) per day he gains weight.  He cannot afford to gain any more weight so I stick to 2 cups, but he is ALWAYS hungry. He is ~ 2 1/2 years old and gets Lots of exercise, any very few treats - mostly the mini Zukes. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

That sounds really low!  Do they get treats?

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Rarely treats.  Rarely toppers.  Each cup of that variety of TOTW is 388 calories - at least that is what I thought I read on the bag.   Maybe I goofed in reading or calculating.  I bought TOTW Pacific Stream today and it says 360 calories per cup.  My guys are mostly couch potatoes.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Karen, was this comment for Christine or me?  It was at the page break so I thought it was for me but when I re-read, I couldn't tell.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It was for you, Nance.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

If we feed Clancy more, he gains weight and he is NOT thin.  The vet hasn't ever said he needed to lose weight and he is really big boned, but IMO he shouldn't weigh more than he does so we try to be really careful with his intake.  When we got him (granted he was a rescue) he weighed 10 pounds less - and he didn't seem skinny at 55 pounds but he probably was not at his optimum weight.

[Christine & Camus]

Do you add anything to their kibble or give them treats? 

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Both girls are eating Instinct's Duck & Turkey, 464 cal/cup, once a day in the late pm. Dinner for each consists of 1 cup kibble to which I add 1.5 cups of  topping- chicken or ground beef mixed, chopped carrots, no sodium added green beans and I toss in app 1/4 cup of craisins.

Samantha usually finishes 85% of her dinner, weighs 72 lbs and is 23" tall. You can find her ribs if you try.

I am lucky is Charli finishes 60%, weighs 52 lbs and is 28" tall. Her hip bones stick out through her coat.

They do get treat during the day, I can't get DH to stop so I started making my own and they are small.  

I can't feed them any less but if they do finish their dinner I will put in 1/2 cup of kibble - my philosophy is if they are truly hungry, dry kibble they will eat.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Riley is now 10 months old, he gets two cups of Orijen puppy food per day divided into two meals.  I add half a cup of toppers which are usually boiled beef or fish or yoghurt. He gets dehydrated chicken or Ziwi Peak dried food treats.  He isn't fat just lot of hair which makes him look much bigger! He is weighing 52 lbs.  He sometimes leaves some food in his bowl which I lift after 20 minutes.

[Christine & Camus]

Taking weight into consideration, it sounds like everyone's doodle eats more than Camus. Poor Camus, he would love to eat more, but on a bright note I fed him the "green bean diet" last night and this morning and he inhaled it.  A much happier boy.  If only he enjoyed "Air pudding & Wind sauce."

[Ann]

I really found this interesting as we have often asked the same questions to other pet owners.Bella is 85 pounds, definately favors her retriever  ( GD ) side in her build. She presently eats 3 cups a day and we walk at least 45 min a day .She has a cup of TOTW in the am and at night has another cup plus  a cup of her homemade food ( all grain free) , so am thinking of cutting her down to 1/2 cup dry at supper. Thanks for all the info here :)