Hi my puppy Winnie is 13 weeks on Wed, I am currently feeding her on Nature's Menu banquet nuggets, she was weaned onto the prize choice blocks with veg & occasionally banquet nuggets, but when we got her she was understandably off her food & seemed to favour the banquet nuggets so to make sure she was eating we started to give her them all the time. However, she seems to be permanently hungry & I'm not sure if she is just greedy or not getting enough.When I got her wormer from the vet last week they weighed her & she was 4.6kg is that good or bad?

She has 6 chunks 3 times a day & a chicken wing in the evening but seems ravenous most of the time & if food is dropped on the floor will be on it like a shot!! My previous dog who sadly died in Nov was a doberman he was the same but we know he was a good weight & was just greedy & food orientated.

Just wondered if anyone had any ideas I don't really want to start feeding dry but dont feel I can do the 'proper' raw feeding as have very weak stomach!! (wimp!) but obviously if the nuggets aren't filling her up will need to try something else?

Have to admit that at this age I still have them on 4 meals a day.  Unless these "chunks" are ginormous, it wouldn't be enough for my pups at that age.

What breed is Winnie?  When feeding raw it's helpful to know what her adult weight is expected to be as you'll need that to calculate the right sort of amounts to feed her.  You can feed to her puppy weight but an adult weight is usually easier to work with...

I have to say that it doesn't seem like enough food but I have gundogs

Many puppies spend their youth in a state of semi starvation - or maybe that's just what my pups told me (!?!) - so I wouldn't worry about the hunger unless you discover you aren't feeding her enough.  It's so important to feed your puppy well as she has a lot of growing to do.  If you don't feel you can commit to a good raw diet then please reconsider a good kibble.  In truth there's no reason why you cannot combine them but it helps to do your research on raw before deciding.  Are you feeding raw simply because her breeder did?  I'm not a big fan of pre prepared raw meals as I like to mix my own but that's personal choice.  If these nuggets suit her then you can just increase the quantity if she's not getting enough.

Edited to add I'd still be feeding four meals too and wouldn't consider one wing as enough for one of those meals

Hi thankyou for your reply's. She is a cocker spaniel.

I did feel that a chicken wing as a meal wouldnt be enough but was told it would be fine by a few people (breeder included) that feed raw.  I have looked into kibble but do like the recommendations I have been getting regards to raw feeding. If I was to make my own what would you recommend? I have looked into it but it all seems very confusing.

Ideally you want to be feeding her 4 equal meals at her age.  If the chicken wing is her last meal of the day then it may not be lasting her all night and leaving her very hungry in the morning - she could probably eat two...

What is her current weight?  What is her expected adult weight?  How much (in weight) of food are you feeding for each meal?   Finally what times are you feeding her?

It may just be a question of recalculating her amounts and redistributing those amounts across 4 meals

Raw feeding is excellent but it doesn't suit everyone and it's vital to do your research first.  You need to understand what you are trying to achieve with a growing puppy and what proportions of meat, bone, and offal you need to feed for balance.

Have a read of authors such as Ian Billinghurst, Tom Lonsdale and Kymythy Schultze for good background advice then you can start working out what best suits your dog. 

You could try Natural Instinct, which IMO is a much better quality of raw food than Prize Choice/Nature's Menu. They also do complete mixes which take the guesswork out of raw feeding for those new to it. Here is a link to their website: http://www.naturalinstinct.com/

They also do complete mixes which take the guesswork out of raw feeding for those new to it.

The nuggets the OP is feeding are complete, that's the point of them.

To me none of it seem strange -if I fed any of my dogs as much as they wanted, they'd all be seriously overweight. :) Chicken wings especially is fattening and if I gave that as one meal, I'd give a 30 kg adult dog just 2 or at the very most 3, so one for a pup at less than 5 kgs does not sound too little to me.

I feed by eye rather than amount and if you feel she looks well then you are probably doing OK. Have you kept to the amount the breeder told you or increased it slightly as she has grown? Mine are a large breed so no comparison but if her ribs are lightly covered you are doing things right. The nuggets have everything she needs it's just a case of adjusting it to her weight. to be light rather than rolly poly is what you are aiming for so put your 2 thumbs on her spine and your fingers one her ribs, does it feel very boney or is there a thin layer over her ribs? You should be ably to feel her ribs easily but not have it feel like a skin covered skelliton (Sp???)
If you think she is the right weight but is still starving (All my pups tell me I starve them !) try adding a little extra veg to her meals to bulk it out a bit. Not too much and stick to the more leafy veg, cabbage, etc.. or give her a piece of fruit after her meal to chew and play with, or a raw carrot. Make sure you adgust the amounts as she grows and if she gets a bit ribby give her more but if she looks a bit chubby then cut it down. If you want to give her a change but cannot stomach raw raw then something like a few raw sprats are easy to give. Raw is not so hard once you work out that a variety over a couple of weeks that includes tripe/liver/heart/chicken wings/necks/carcasses/small amounts of veg (Not essential) fish/the odd egg/some red meat/rabbit/beef etc.. will give her all she needs, it really is not rocket science just common sense. I am sure she will do just fine.
Aileen

I have felt her & I can feel her ribs with what feels like a thin layer of fat over them but when she is laying on me her back legs at the top feel very bony? I am giving her the amount it says on the packet for her weight. The guidelines are a bit vague they are 1-5kg feed 5-18 nuggets per day, 5-10kg feed 18-30 per day. Winnie is having 7 nuggets at each meal, 3 times a day plus the chicken wing in the evening. For the last 2 nights i have given her Arden Grange puppy kibble in the evening instead of the wing which has just given her the runs, up until now her poo has been very firm & non smelly which is what I've been lead to believe is one of the benefits of raw feeding.

The breeder weaned her onto prize choice frozen blocks but as I said on my last post she didnt seem keen so we stuck to the nuggets but now she is older & much hungrier I may try her again & blend up some veg to go with it, last time I gave her broccoli & spinach is that ok or should I stick to giving 1 veg and vary it at each meal?

Thankyou for all your help.

> The nuggets the OP is feeding are complete, that's the point of them.

I realise that, I was just pointing out there are other raw complete options available, and as I said, IMO, Natural Instinct is much better quality than Prize Choice/Nature's Menu.

> The guidelines are a bit vague they are 1-5kg feed 5-18 nuggets per day, 5-10kg feed 18-30 per day. Winnie is having 7 nuggets at each meal,

Manufacturers guidelines are always a bit vague.  If you can answer the questions about her weight, and how much these nuggets weigh, you can check a raw food calculator for a more precise estimate.

My border terrier boy is loving raw, but when i offered him prize choice chicken yesterday he decided he'd rather go hungry (he never does this) so stick to what your pup likes and if thats the natures menu then great. There is some fantastic advice above :)

I agree it is fantastic to get advice from people who really know their stuff I have bee frequenting another forum but so far havent had much in the way of help you all seem much friendlier & willing to give advice.

I have looked at Natural Instinct website it all looks very good. Will look into local stockists first I think as I dont really want to order a freezer full to find out she turns her nose up!!

Think I might try some other meaty bones from the butcher as well to give her something to get her teeth into, she eats a chicken wing in no time at all!!

I did have her weighed last week & she was 4.6kg but will weigh her again later & weigh the nuggets so I can use that calculator to work out if she's getting enough.

Just wanted to add cockers will eat till the cows come home given the chance, till I changed to dachsies in 2004 I grew up with and had cockers of my own, they will steal food when your back is turned. She will probably have had to compete with her litter mates for food before she came home to you hence the gobbling up of any food she comes on.

What are her stools/poo like, if you are over feeding then they tend to be soft rather than firm that you want her to pass in order to empty her anal glands naturally.

As long as you can feel her ribs without poking too hard she is fine, her legs will get fatter when she puts muscle on the bones.

Remember not to over exercise her, 5mins x her age in months so 15mins walks increased to 20 mins when she reaches 4 months old. Do any training in the house or garden for a few minutes a few times per day as that will tire her out but not exhaust her.

I am clueless re raw feeding bar for the occassional bone or chicken wing, I hope you find something that suits her soon.

Keep us posted on how she progresses.

Thankyou Rhodach that is all really helpful, I have had dogs before but really want to do everything right this time, I have done a lot more research instead of just opting for supermarket dog foods etc.
Unfortunately Winnie has been really unwell since early afternoon, she has been sick quite a few times. I already knew she had a bit of an upset stomach as her stools were runny mid morning but she didnt start being sick until 3ish, I am going to call the vet in the morning to see if they can have a look at her if she's no better. I havent given her any food since her lunch which she brought up later & now seems to have an empty stomach, will I be ok to give her some food in the morning? As I'm typing she seems to have perked up & is playing with her toy so hopefully is on the mend. Do you think it might be the arden grange I have been giving her in the evening for the last 2 nights?

I have been walking her for 15 mins twice a day is that ok? Or should it just be once a day?

Sorry I didn't see this till now, hopefully the vet has seen her and she is feeling better.

A sudden change in food can upset a pups stomach so it should be worked in slowly over a week mixing an increasing amount of new food in with a decreasing amount of the old.

Normally 24hrs of boiled chicken and rice in small frequent amounts will settle the stomach and plain yoghurt, a dessert spoonful at a time, will settle the bowels.

Let us know how things went at the vets.

I presume she has had all her vacs before you took her out. The walk should be 15 mins per day, 7.5mins there and back or you carry her home after walking for 15 mins which will mean she will too heavy soon to carry, the walk is just to socialise her to the outside world at this age, too much and it can affect the growth plates in the long bones in her body making the dog have longer legs than the breed should have due to delay in the growth plates closing.

Thankyou for your reply. The vet thinks she has picked a but up (hopefully not from her 1st puppy class she went to on mon!!) she had an antibiotic injection & has a 5 day course to take plus some paste to firm her poo up. She is feeling lots better since her injection & has been eating small amounts of pasta & boiled chicken (ran out of rice!! vet said it would be ok?.

She is practically back to normal now with loads of energy & has put weight back on & isnt as bony thank goodness!!

Sorry I took ages to reply but have been really busy!!

Yes she had all her jabs before I took her & I waited a week after the 2nd one before her 1st outing. I will make sure I stick to the 5 min per month rule

just to add no problems with giving pasta instead of rice. I raw feed but do raw raw ( raw meaty bones) I agree if you cant yet stomach the full monty the nature instinct or other raw completes are good. The chichkeen wings or drumsticks quarters etc are good if you can handle those or some tinned fish or whole fish too

It is handy to keep the sachets of plain microwave rice/pasta[cheaper supermarket brands are now appearing] in your cupboard for times like these, 2 mins in micro. and excess can be kept in the fridge for later,keep boiled chicken pieces in the freezer, makes catering for an upset stomach much easier than starting from scratch each time.

Hope she is back to normal soon

Thankyou I have been giving her chicken wings in the evening but havent tried tinned fish yet so might give that a go soon, do you mix it with anything else?

That's great idea about keeping rice sachets & boiled chicken ready would definately save time!!

She certainly is back to normal!!