feeding problems

[Sunny]

Hi everyone. How often and how much should a 130 lb. 2yr old female newf be feed? I think my breader kept her hungry and I have had lots of problems with her trying to kill- literly- any animal getting close to the same food she has access to. This is not limited to my Peke and two cats. I have had an unbelievable time trying to get her from three to two times a day for feeding. Any other dog I have had I have free fed letting them help themselves when they were hungry. With her I have to measure her food and then give it to her. She steals anything she can eat from the counters and is always always hungry. Has eaten a bag of pototes, whole chocolate cakes, half a pail of bird seed, anything but onions. I give her two cups dry and an apple every morning and 3 cups at night around 5. She starts asking for food about 2 pm and whines and crys and barks and goes to the door, when I get up she runs to the food cupboard. She puts her feet on my lap and stands on me or on the chesterfield beside me. This goes on and on until feeding time and then she thinks she was finally won. The only thing I can do is leave. Then to make matters worse after she eats she is still hungry so goes out and poops and eats that. I have spent much money on preperations to stop this habbit but nothing has worked except watching her everytime she goes out and rewarding her with more food if she leaves it. This means I have to keep her in the house so I can monitor her. She gets plenty of treats during the day and in the evening. Nothing like sh-t breath from a dog you are supossed to cuddle with.

thanks, JO

 

[bridge2itnf@aol.com]

Well im no expert by no means but sounds like she might have a abnormal defienchcey, i cant spell either. maybe a little decepline problemt too. really it sounds like she has a vitiman defienchey. bridget

 

[misamala00]

It sounds like you have a real problem.Misha was like that when we got her - always hungry, but in time she slowly lost her adiction to food. We didn't do anything special, but she did always get plenty of food to eat - at first I gave her her regular food and when she still asked for food, I gave her stuff like apples, carrotes or other vegetable. At first she ate all that too, but didn't ask for more and now she only eats it if she really is still hungry. And she still gets more food if she asks for it.
I never intentially limited her meal times. She got her food three times a day until she was almos a year old - but her portions were small. Than she decided on her own she doesn't need food three times a day and she usually slept through one meal. Now she gets two meals a day and sometimes leaves her morning meal.
It really changed the situation - she's a good eater, but very slim and with a lot of energy. And she only asks for food on her meal time.
As for your dog eating her poop - this could really mean that there's something she misses in her diet. You may try changing her food or add some supplements (consult your vet first). Or it could only be a habit she got as a pup - and habits can be broken (but not easily).

Good luck
Mirjam

 

[sarnewfie]

Sounds like bad behavior to me, if you feed her to much she will get overweight and that is just plain not healthy, my guys are hungry at times, when they get that way they get yogurt or veggies for treats, they get a total of 2 cups of dry and 1/2 canned daily split into two feedings, but......
any dog must be taught manners such as gaurding bowls, aggression with food is not acceptable, and this dog may not have been worked with properly,
here is how i got my female to slow down eating, i held her dish as i squatted on the floor the dish was even with my chest, she ate with my face in close vacinity, be careful though if you try this, you dont want her to feel threatened, you also must teach her to respect you and food, a sit stay before letting her come to her food is a must and will help tremendously, it starts out with a quick sit stay with you close enough to correct her.
what brand of food are you feeding, if it is cheap stuff it is doing her no good most times, i would talk to a reputable dog trainer or newf breeder in your area to see if they can help you directly with your girl.
beware overweight newfs!!!!!!!

 

[sarnewfie]

one more thing, make sure she is cleared for pancreatitus.
some dogs look so thin becouse if incipidus diabetes, or from kidneys that are underdeveloped such as what happened to our doberman.
he waz eating 12 cups daily pedigree dog food eating trees and fecees.
he looked like a skinny underdeveloped bony malnourished dog, he exhibited many of the behaviors your girl is, and it turned out we could not even see kidneys on Xray, wich meant he was operating on less than 20%. he also peeed constantly and huge amounts, doesnt sound like what your girl is doing, but i would make sure she is checked by the vet and have them check her pancreas.

 

[Sunny]

thanks for all the suggestions. She is not overweight but starting in that direction, definately not thin. I have no problem with taking food from her mouth or removing her dish she just won't let any other animal near. She is never NOT hungry. If you throw a treat her direction instead of just going over to pick it up she hurls herself, will actually fall from trying to turn so quickly, it is like it is life or death for her if she does not get the treat instantly.
I use a good quality food I think, have tried most of them and settled on ProPlan.