Recently I rang the pedigree helpline, to see how many puppy pouches I should be giving my labrador. For the past 3 month or so I had been feeding him the 'wet' mixed pouches, 3 times a day. *(He is nearly 2 yrs old)* He was slightly overweight, but the vet said that is quite normal with the greedy choc labs.
Although a few weeks ago I rand the pedigree dogs helpline. They suggested to give my dog 13 pouches per day. I was amazed by this, but I couldn't disagree at the time?
Any comments?

I have two chocolate labs and neither is overweight or has ever been.  All labradors are hungry noses but their weight gain is down to your management.  I feed a raw diet but when I did feed commercial I never gave the amount recommended by the manufacturers. 

I wonder why your vet thinks it's all right for a chocolate lab to be overweight, when actually obesity is the best way to shorten a dog's life? If he's overweight on 3 pouches a day then cut him down to two (with plain mixer if these pouches aren't a complete food). Manufacturers' guidelines invariably recommend too much for most dogs, and this just seems to prove it!

I've never fed puppy pouches, Don't know anything about them. Protein content of what so I can't comment on them. But I will comment on your vet's comment. All I can imagine about him is that for saying that he must be a fool! NO dog should ever be over weight, it's just a prescription for slowly killing the dog! The other thing I feel I should say, As you call them Puppy Pouches, I imagine they must be a puppy food. That being so I would have stopped feeding them at 6 months old at the latest. I'm a firm believer in getting my puppies off of puppy food as early as possible.

Sorry if this post sounds hard on you. It's not meant to be. However as to your vet, yes, it is meant to be! An overweight Labrador puppy is anything but desirable.

Regards, John

I have found with my breed and a lot of freinds dogs also that most dogs need only around 2/3rds or half the amount stated by pedigree or other pet food manufacturers.  there are some manus' whose feding guides are more realistic.  Never found one yet that underestimated.

I also was shocked how much dog food you should feed according to packets. I enquired at my vet and he said if everyone was buying that amount of food per day the manufacturers would be rolling in it? Another marketing ploy I think I was feeding cesar and found it wasn't enough for him now give him 1/2 pack of naturediet and he does great!!

13 pouches a day!!!! I'm gob smacked.

May I ask why your dog is on Puppy pouches at nearly 2 years old? I would say that two meals a day would be sufficient, so to my reconning he could drop a meal and perhaps lose a little weight to advantage. He definately does not need puppy food nor 3 meals a day at his age.

Dawn R.

I wonder if the vet meant that the average Labrador is often over weight - and this might be defined as 'normal', rather than it was acceptable for a Lab to weigh so much?

For the past 3 month or so I had been feeding him the 'wet' mixed pouches, 3 times a day.

Nursey there are adult PC pouches no mention of puppy ;)

Still think 13 a day is way OTT

Moonmaiden, the OP states puppy pouches in the first line of the post.

Dawn R.

Doh Must collect my new glasses ;)

I'm curious as to why he's still on puppy pouches at his age? Most labs are onto adult food at about 9 months of age ...