Puppy and food...

[Beastlover]

Ok, my puppy is 4 months old. We have been feeding him a good puppy food...he is a yellow lab/golden retreiver mix. I already talked to the vet and she agrees, the food is fine. It is just the "puppy" thing.

I gotta tell you. He eats his food in seconds flat. Then he is trying to eat the other dogs' food too...he is like RAVENOUS for theirs!! I cant keep him away!

Im thinking of switching him over to the "big boy" dog food. I just want to make sure Im not rushing it. Ive had golden retreivers that were/am overweight. I dont want my lab/golden mix to have that issue.

He is slender now, but Im wondering if the puppy food just is not enough for him. Should I switch him?

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

Switching him to dog food rather than puppy food may actually keep him from getting too fat. Puppy food is specifically designed to make them grow faster. I'd say 4-6 months is an okay age to switch a bigger breed of dog over to dog food from puppy food, from everything I've read.
HOWEVER, rather than just switching them over abruptly mix the foods together at first and if your dog seems to have digestive problems with the new food, switch him back to the puppy food.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I figured if my dogs are within weight they are getting plenty of food. Wanting to eat the other dogs food does not mean he is starving, just that he wants to eat it.

 

[Beastlover]

Thats what is confusing me. Spencer cant sniff his way out of a paper sack. The lab/golden...omg. He is constantly sniffffffingsnifffffingsniiiifffing. So, consequently, he is always getting into the others' food!!

 

[Liberty Belle]

Our 3 month old beagle is that way, too. I put an empty tylenol bottle or his med. size kong toy in his food bowl. He has to work around them and it takes him longer to eat the food. If I don't do that, he engulfs it in seconds.

 

[Beastlover]

Our 3 month old beagle is that way, too. I put an empty tylenol bottle or his med. size kong toy in his food bowl. He has to work around them and it takes him longer to eat the food. If I don't do that, he engulfs it in seconds.

Yes!! I asked the vet about that (after they used "vomit therapy" to get my sterling silver chain out of his stomach) and she suggested putting a can of soup in the middle. It does not help!! He is a machine!!

 

[Liberty Belle]

Yes!! I asked the vet about that (after they used "vomit therapy" to get my sterling silver chain out of his stomach) and she suggested putting a can of soup in the middle. It does not help!! He is a machine!!

It helps Hunter, but he still wolfs it down too fast. Oh, I also have to feed Shiloh (older dog) out on the deck and Hunter in the kitchen.

If that doesn't help, I don't know what to do!

 

[MickeyMouseGal]

It's ok to put a puppy that age on a quality adult large breed food. Puppies often bolt their food, but perhaps feeding him several smaller meals will help. Sometimes when they are having a growth spurt, they are more ravenous than usual, but it should subside a little as he gets older.

 

[donald&daisy]

You're not the only one with this problem. My shih tzu loves to wolf down his food. We bought him a "brake fast bowl." It has helped so much with slowing dow his eating. Its the same concept as discussed above. Here's a pic:

And here's a website, although you can find them other places. http://www.brake-fast.net/ I highly recommend it. Also, you may just need to feed your dog more, lol. Of couse, mine would eat as long as I put food in front of him.

 

[Beastlover]

It's ok to put a puppy that age on a quality adult large breed food. Puppies often bolt their food, but perhaps feeding him several smaller meals will help. Sometimes when they are having a growth spurt, they are more ravenous than usual, but it should subside a little as he gets older.

Yes, we feed him 2x a day...he came from a litter of 12!! Yes, that was 12!! So, Im thinking that is part of it. Just by the size of his feet, and the way he "lumbers" around here...I think he will be a big boy. Mom was an average to smaller golden. I never saw dad. He was the neighborhood stud.

 

[Beastlover]

You're not the only one with this problem. My shih tzu loves to wolf down his food. We bought him a "brake fast bowl." It has helped so much with slowing dow his eating. Its the same concept as discussed above. Here's a pic:

And here's a website, although you can find them other places. http://www.brake-fast.net/ I highly recommend it. Also, you may just need to feed your dog more, lol. Of couse, mine would eat as long as I put food in front of him.

Well isnt that just a trick little gadget??? Im going to look into that!!

Funny, my daughter has the mom, and one of charlie's brothers. Same problem with him too. They too asked the vet about the ravenous puppy syndrome, and you know what they told them? TO KEEP FOOD IN THEIR BOWLS ALL THE TIME!!! What??? Its the same vet too!!

 

[MickeyMouseGal]

Yes, we feed him 2x a day...he came from a litter of 12!! Yes, that was 12!! So, Im thinking that is part of it. Just by the size of his feet, and the way he "lumbers" around here...I think he will be a big boy. Mom was an average to smaller golden. I never saw dad. He was the neighborhood stud.

Maybe you should try three times a day for a while. I have found that most young dogs eventually eliminate the noon meal on their own.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Well isnt that just a trick little gadget??? Im going to look into that!!

Funny, my daughter has the mom, and one of charlie's brothers. Same problem with him too. They too asked the vet about the ravenous puppy syndrome, and you know what they told them? TO KEEP FOOD IN THEIR BOWLS ALL THE TIME!!! What??? Its the same vet too!!

OMG, Hunter would be rolling instead of walking. He's gotten into Shiloh's food a couple of times and his belly was huge.

 

[MichelleVW]

If you're feeding a good quality dog food you should be fine switching the puppy over to adult food.

I got tired of buying two bags of food so my puppy has been eating adult food for awhile.

 

[nephthys43]

it's a lab thing... my daughter is the same way... it took a heck of a lot of training to get her to stop trying to steal everyone else's food. she'll still try if i'm not in the same room. labs will eat until they explode. what brand are you feeding? definately switch to an adult food. large breeds that eat puppy food grow too quickly and can have bone/joint problems because of it.

 

[nephthys43]

btw... we need some pics...

 

[LiveLaughLoveDisney]

Try putting water in the food bowl with the food. My dog eats quickly like that and our vet told us to put water in with the food. It worked so well that we do not have to put water in with the food anymore he eats slower now.

 

[Beastlover]

it's a lab thing... my daughter is the same way... it took a heck of a lot of training to get her to stop trying to steal everyone else's food. she'll still try if i'm not in the same room. labs will eat until they explode. what brand are you feeding? definately switch to an adult food. large breeds that eat puppy food grow too quickly and can have bone/joint problems because of it.

Yes, I have the same thing!! Purina ONE for large puppies. Vet said it was fine food for him...

Im thinking I'll be switching after we come back from vacation so I can keep an eye on any digestive problems!!

I have heard that labs are also called "bottom feeders"...they will eat anything until they explode!!

As for pics: here ya go!

and another with his mentor, Spencer (by the way, Spencer is the one who inspired the cute little brown dog emoticon you used!!)

 

[luvwinnie]

Try putting water in the food bowl with the food. My dog eats quickly like that and our vet told us to put water in with the food. It worked so well that we do not have to put water in with the food anymore he eats slower now.

I don't know why your vet would suggest that. Wetting dry food can cause bloat which can be fatal. I'll try to post a link.

 

[Beastlover]

I don't know why your vet would suggest that. Wetting dry food can cause bloat which can be fatal. I'll try to post a link.

Weird, vet had my DD (owner of mom who had the litter) wetting the food down. We got Charlie when he was 5 wks old (vet also said he was ready) and we continued to wet the food.

Now he gets it dry...