For those who feed Nat. Balance...

[Roxydog]

I'm feeding Natural Balance Ultra Premium. Roxy gets 3 cups of dry food each day and 1 can of wet every day(1 1/2 dry and 1/2 can wet each feeding). She is at a good weight for her size...although I dont think it would be too bad if she gained a tiny bit but I really would prefer if she didnt. Lately the poor thing just seems starving!! Its been for the last month that she licks up every bite and begs for more. Roxy was never too big on eating and could care less if she ate for an entire day. Lately however she gets very excited about meal times, gobbles her food down and seems hungry afterwards. She begs at the closet door where her food is kept. This is all very recent and is very atypical for my pup. Should I start feeding her more?? It seems to me like she is already eating a lot...even more than she should perhaps. How much do those of you feeding N.B. feed your dogs each day?? Am I just starving the poor thing for no reason?? Thanks for any responses

 

[magoo's_mama]

MAgoo gets 2 cups dry twice a day for a total of 4 cups plus a small amount of the grated food roll maybe 1/4 cup. Maybe she just really likes it, is going through a growth spurt?

 

[lillys7]

I heard of putting a toy in the bowl slows down the gulping...my guess is growth spurt or just eating too fast and not feeling full right after...

 

[gmacleod]

How old is Roxy? Young puppies in particular do grow in spurts, and their nutritional needs vary accordingly (some pups go through 'picky' stages, some ravenous stages, and some do both LOL). If she's still quite young (less than six months) then I'd be inclined to increase her food a little bit when she goes through the ravenous stages - it's because her body needs the extra nutrition for growth. If she's older than that, then you need to use your best judgement on whether or not she's at, and maintaining, a correct weight and feed accordingly.

 

[Roxydog]

Roxy is 2 1/2... not a pup and I'm pretty sure shes finished filling out as well. This whole ravenous stage is a new development. Roxy has always been picky about her food and usually has no problem turning up her nose to a meal. I have not changed anything about our schedule or her food. It's just baffling to me how she has suddenly developed this appetite. I dont really want her to gain weight cos she seems very healthy to me now but I also dont want to starve the poor thing. I suppose I will just keep up what I'm doing and ride it out for a while. Its just so sad to see her begging at the food closet door...

 

[Cami]

Has she been exercising more than usual lately? This would account for the additional need for calories. Or, she may just be training you into a guilt trip and playing on your nice side! I suppose if I just kept offerring food to Cami that she would continue to eat until she A) Burst or B) A squirrel passed by within her sight.

Another thought was that it could be a medical problem. Has her thyroid been checked recently?

 

[AZ Boxer Boys]

We feed ours N.B. too. They each get 4 cups a day - 2 in the morning and 2 at night. Plus a few treats throughout the day - we use the NB treats. While ours would never turn their noses up at any type of food, they don't act they're starving like your Roxy is.

I think Cami had a good thought - is she exercising more? Have you weighed her lately, has she lost any weight? Perhaps increasing her food just every so slightly - an extra 1/4 cup per meal to see if that helps??

Cindy

 

[Topmoon]

Another thought on the medical side is cushings - even though it is usually in "older" dogs. I have just had my second dog diagnosed with cushings. The excess steriods makes them hungry all the time but you would also see other signs as the disease progresses, such as excessive water drinking, panting, enlarged stomach, thining hair. A blood panel done by the vet could help determine whether this should be a concern - and hopefully it isn't!

 

[beasleymom]

Beasley is on NB (Duck & Potato) and gets 1 cup dry mixed with a tablespoon of the Duck & Potato canned twice a day. Sounds like I'm starvin' him but he also has several goodies stashed around the house to keep him busy during the day. I cut up bits of the NB Turkey Rolls to use as treats or stuff into his Kongs and them hide them for him. He's a little guy at 52 lbs and he's about 2 yrs old but he doesn't seem to have the ravenous streak your Rox has. As I read your post initially I was also thinking along the lines of a metabolic change in your dog rather than a specific food/ingredient in the food triggering the appetite. If you're worried then get the bloodwork done and see what's up. Better to know...but hopefully it won't be anything!

 

[4WhiteSocks]

I feed NB also, and really like it. Shelby is 8 months old today, and she has 2 meals per day: 1 1/2 to 2 cups of dry and 1 whole can of the wet food per feeding.

She also receives treats (Nutro Natural Choice Lamb & Rice Sticks or NB Duck & Potato Treats) during the day.

She is by no means overweight at 45 lbs., and will typically eat all of her food at each mealtime.

Hope you're able to come to a conclusion with your dog....she is beautiful.