Chris
05-06-2006, 09:04 AM
This is probably OLD NEWS for all the savvy and seasoned dachshund nutritionists out there.
But i learned something while caring for the mastiff.
Who knows what garbage or forest scraps she was eating before (aside from what the kind man who was feeding her as a stray left out for her when she came by his house). We fed her Nutro Ultra that the boys are on. After the first day or two she got leaner. Not rib showing lean, but we could really tell the difference. We were in a panic that we weren't feeding her enough (which is understandable when you have a small horse of indeterminate weight lol).
I was asked "does she have a waist?" and "is she using her food". (and are her ribs showing? nope they weren't). If she is going to the bathroom a lot (big piles), she is eating too much and/OR not using her food. If she is only going a reasonable amount, she is using it and you are feeding her right. If she doesn't go at all, or barely goes, she is not getting enough but is using what she gets.
Now, I am not saying base a dog's diet based on that, but they always say that the charts on dog food are "guidelines". And this is the way you see if you need to differ from it or not. (so like is say, old news to you guys).
The interesting thing i recall is that when Alex was on the first of many diets...when we got him, he was on proplan and after he was neutered, his metabolism slowed a bit (that was half the reason, and the other half i found was DH giving too many handouts!). Anyway, we went from proplan maintenance to reduced calorie. And despite cutting out some treats, he was going to the bathroom left and right and gaining! And it dawned on me now that it was all filler and not enough calories and stuff that he could actually use and was just going in and out. I knew that it was not enough for him as he acted like even a bigger little piggie when he was on it, but i was not fully on deck with all the rest.
Anyways, back to the mastiff. She probably lost the weight because she was hanging on to all the garbage as her body was storing it not knowing when her next meal would be, and also because she was getting a better food, there was more good stuff in it for her body to use versus just a bunch of filler that was sitting there.
But i learned something while caring for the mastiff.
Who knows what garbage or forest scraps she was eating before (aside from what the kind man who was feeding her as a stray left out for her when she came by his house). We fed her Nutro Ultra that the boys are on. After the first day or two she got leaner. Not rib showing lean, but we could really tell the difference. We were in a panic that we weren't feeding her enough (which is understandable when you have a small horse of indeterminate weight lol).
I was asked "does she have a waist?" and "is she using her food". (and are her ribs showing? nope they weren't). If she is going to the bathroom a lot (big piles), she is eating too much and/OR not using her food. If she is only going a reasonable amount, she is using it and you are feeding her right. If she doesn't go at all, or barely goes, she is not getting enough but is using what she gets.
Now, I am not saying base a dog's diet based on that, but they always say that the charts on dog food are "guidelines". And this is the way you see if you need to differ from it or not. (so like is say, old news to you guys).
The interesting thing i recall is that when Alex was on the first of many diets...when we got him, he was on proplan and after he was neutered, his metabolism slowed a bit (that was half the reason, and the other half i found was DH giving too many handouts!). Anyway, we went from proplan maintenance to reduced calorie. And despite cutting out some treats, he was going to the bathroom left and right and gaining! And it dawned on me now that it was all filler and not enough calories and stuff that he could actually use and was just going in and out. I knew that it was not enough for him as he acted like even a bigger little piggie when he was on it, but i was not fully on deck with all the rest.
Anyways, back to the mastiff. She probably lost the weight because she was hanging on to all the garbage as her body was storing it not knowing when her next meal would be, and also because she was getting a better food, there was more good stuff in it for her body to use versus just a bunch of filler that was sitting there.