Water and food

[Laura Pearl]

I know this site is intended for doodle owners, but I have a general dog question. In 4 days, my big dog franks three gallons of water; is this normal? And my puppy gets the same amount of food as the big dog, but seems skinny, should I feed him more? It has been years since u have had dogs, so I am uncertain.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Laura, I am confused. What kind of activity has your big dog been doing in the last four days? Is this something new for the big dog? How can a puppy be getting the same amount of food as a big dog? Is he eating all the food and what kind of food are you giving? How has it been years since you had a dog, if you have a big dog? Please join the Food Group. It is a great place to learn about recommended foods and ask a question about food.  You can also do a search and see if it has been discussed before.

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup

[Laura Pearl]

The big dog belonge to a friend. I got him last summer so he would not have to go on Craig's list. I was away this weekend. I filled his 3 gallon auto pour bowl on Thursday. I am sure he was more active as I had a teen taking care of him. He always drinks a lot of water, this just seemed odd to me. Last fill the jug lasted a week. Both dogs get a cup and a half of food twice a day. He does et it all. And the puppy is eating Puriba puppy food. The big dog gets big dog food. The eat separately.

[Adina P]

If they are eating different foods then even though they are eating the same amount, it is different food with different calories so they are not really getting the same.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Thanks for explaining all this :) Thanks for taking your big dog. No dog deserves to end up on Craigslist. I would watch big dog to see if he continues to drink large amounts of water. Possibly the teenager spilled some or whatever....could be so many things. Our Vern drinks a lot of water. If he sees a full bowl, he is compelled to drink every drop. I think he is just part hog.

As for the food, here is a good discussion why not to feed Purina.

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/why-we-...

Sometimes, you might think you are saving lots of money, but the quality of food is very poor and you have to feed more than some of the better brands. The DK Food Group is a great place to start looking for better foods. Here is another great discussion.

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/cost-co...

I also would be concerned if your pup is not gaining weight and he should be examined by a vet and take in a fecal sample to be checked for parasites. I know this is a lot of information and I think you got your puppy from a pet store, so the absolute best advice I can give you is to get Pet Insurance as soon as possible. Good luck to you and thank you for helping Big Dog.

BTW, I love food names and love Salt and Pepper. I always thought a Biscuit and Gravy would be fun, too.

[Jen and Annie]

If the pups are sharing the bowl of water, the puppy is likely drinking some as well.  As Laurie said, increased activity will increase water intake.  If the puppy is skinny and not gaining weight, you may not be feeding enough, or there could be a parasite that is preventing the puppy from gaining weight - a visit to the vet might be in order for that.

Purina is really a poor quality food with little nutrition value... I think that you generally need to feed more of a poor quality kibble to get the nutrients into the dog.  I'm not recommending that at all - I would actually recommend feeding a higher quality kibble (go to the food group - Under groups and you will see good information there).  But first, I would recommend visiting a vet for a 'well puppy' check up and fecal screening.

How old is the bigger dog?