Grain Free Weight Gain?

scottfree

New member
Hello Everyone,
My 3 year old nuetered male has put on so much weight since I got him 9 months ago. He was in a bad situation when he came to me and he was 80 pounds. They were feeding hin Alpo. I switched him to Fromm grain free immediately. He thrived on it, but put on 40 pounds in 9 months. I was feeding him 4 cups a day which is less than the bag says. He was always hungry too. I switched to Fromm Large Breed Adult. He doesn't like it, but I thought it would help him lose weight since it is much lower in fat and protein. Has anyone else experienced weight gain on grain free foods? I could cut back to 3 cups a day, but he was acting like he was starving on 4! Any advice would be much appreciated. I just got 2 year old female this week and I'm concerned about her gaining weight on grain free also. Thank you!
Scott
 

YorkvilleNewfie

New member
You do need to feed less with grain-free, high protein type kibbles than of the more standard types and yes, it DOES leave them acting as if they're being starved to death (case in point, my Mila).

Don't pay attention to what any bag says regarding feeding amounts. If he's feeling fat, gradually cut down on the food, whether he likes it or not. If he's feeling too thin, gradually increase it. To judge his weight, open your hand, palm-side down. Feel your knuckles on your open hand. THAT is just right. Now make a fist and feel your knuckles. THAT is too thin. Now open your hand and feel your knuckles on the palm-side. THAT is too fat.
 

ElvisTheNewf

Active member
Elvis needed to lose weight but acted like he was being starved to death. We started adding some green beans to his meals. They make him feel fuller but don't add unnecessary calories. He's lost about 30 pounds just by doing this!

He was getting 4 cups of food - 2 in the morning and 2 at night. We were told to cut him down by 25%, so we keep the 2 cups in the morning but give him 1 cup of kibble with 1 cup of green beans for dinner.
 

victoria1140

Active member
dont go by the feeding amounts, according to Merlins food he should be on 500g+ a day , he is currently fed 200g with a few additions to help him loose weight
 

new_2_newf

New member
this is one of the reasons I put Sulley back on a 'less good' food. He was starving on the grain free, and he wasn't digesting it very well any more he was very gassy. So we went back to Eukanuba and it's be a lot easier on everyone ever since. It really is up to you and what you think is working best for your pup...you've got to pick the feeding routine that works best for you guys. And grain free isn't a sure fire fix for every dog on the planet.
 

Bonnke's Mom

New member
About every three weeks when I have a free day to watch him I feed Bonnke in the morning then give him a large raw knuckle bone to chew on and then no food for the rest of the day. He is so satisfied from his bone that he doesn't seem to want extra food for a while. Sometimes I think they are looking for something in their food dish besides the kibble. This seems to work for his weight control but may not work for others. Just an idea to try.
 
Top