Hi All

I have posted on here this week about the James Wellbeloved biscuit food, my westie is on the turkey and rice adult maintenance kibble, on the back of the bag it said for the weight of him he should have between 170-220g per day, i emailed them directly to ask roughly what they would suggest a westie of around 8 kg should have, they emailed back to say to start him off at 200g per day and see how he goes. I weighed 200g out and this is a huge amount of biscuits per day, at the moment he is eating around 70g per day as i weigh out more but he eats what he wants and then walks away, i cannot ever see him eating 200g per day and this was a HUGE heap of biscuits in the weighing scales, a bigger dog maybe but not a westie. I know Hamish has some chicken added to the biscuits but even so it seems a hell of a lot to feed, especially in one meal.
I just wondered if anybody else fed the JWB as to how much there dogs eat of it, especially if they have got dogs the same weight/size as Hamish, perhaps he is not eating enough but you cannot force the biscuits down him and if he eats and then walks away i am assuming that he has had enough?

Helen

My 20 Kg elkies don't even get 200g of dry food(not JWB )
Archer

My scottie puppy (approx 7.2kg) will eat 200g of JWB in one day (over two meals) and still ask for more, but then she's a little piggy....

Since all dogs are different in the way they process their food I would let him be the guide.  If he's looking good on what he has and is the right weight and condition and has plenty of energy then don't stress about getting him to eat more just because the manufacturers recommend it - don't forget their priority is making money and selling more food (I know I'm very cynical ;) )  Hamish just might be a boy who doesn't really need much food (maybe he's related to me - I only have to be in same room as cake to put a stone on :rolleyes: )

Hope this helps
Regards
Dill

Helen,

Just wondered if he is eating ok now? dont' worry about the weight on the bag, just give a little hand full. You best guide is your eyes, if he looks healthy then he will be.

The "Biscuit" food is actually known as complete food, biscuit is something completely different that you add to ohter food to make the dish balanced. Sorry if it reads I am correcting you, that is not what I entend just so that you have the terminology correct in case you dicuss the diet with anyone and they misinterpret that you are feeding biscuit and not a complete diet. If that makes sense.

Techincally by adding food to the Complete food you are actually unbalancing the food. I do however think that adding chicken would not cause any problems to the diet.

I find that westies eat a lot less that most manufacturers quote.

BFn

Hi

Thanks for your reply, Hamish is eating a few of the JWB but not as many as i thought he would eat, i put some chicken onto his JWB last night and weighed out around 80g of JWB to go with it, he ate some of the JWB and ALL of the chicken (he absolutely adores chicken) i then weighed out how much JWB were left and there were around 40g, he sniffed the bowl and walked away so i assume he had had enough, i am just concerned that he is not eating 1/2 of what it says on the packet, but i assume he must be full. He is fine in himself he has his mad times and is playful, he still sits by his treat cupboard as if i am going to give him a treat but i haven't, he loved the markies and the gravy bones that i have got in a tub but i am not giving him any at the moment.
He had some tuna mixed with the JWB this morning and again ate some of the JWB all of the tuna and then walked away, i did get him some cesar on Friday when i went shopping and gave him a tine of this yesterday morning for his breakfast on its own with no JWB added and he cleared the bowl and licked it clean, but i don't fancy giving him this every day as i am not sure what this is like to feed all the time.

Helen

Helen I fed a westie of mine on ceasar and winalot mixer & she used to clear the bowl. She lived till a good age if she had not had pyometra or she would have lived longer. Sometimes I wonder about the dry feeds I am toiling with my rough collie puppy to eat dry. She only eats what is added sometimes. The puppies are what we make them FUSSY EATERS but as long as they eat

Jean

Hi Jean

I gave Hamish cesar yesterday morning on its own, it was the 150g tray and he ate the lot and licked the bowl clean. It said on the back that for a small dog they should have 2-3 trays a day, how many trays did your westie used to have of a day mixed with the mixer, did you put so many grams of mixer to 1 tray or 2 trays?

Thanks
Helen

Sounds like you are doing Ok with him. I am being honest when I say that when I did feed complete foods I never ever worried about the bag quantities , if they look fine, not too ribby or skinny looking , healthy then they are getting enough.

If you are happy to feed various bits and bobs, chicken, mince, fish etc why not forget the complete and get a bag of terrier mixer.   You have to remember if he is eat all the extras you add to the food he is never going to be able to eat much of the JWB complete.

Just a thought.  I honestly wouldn't worry. :-)

Helen I used the cans with a handful of mixer she got this at dinner time in the morning she had toast or cereal
and usually some of my lunch or an egg, biscuits were the marrowbone type we used to call them Roly polys Yes maybe it doesn,t sound an ideal diet but she was as strong as any other westie about here

Jean

Hi

Did she just have 1 can a day mixed with the mixer? What did she have in the evening or did she just have someting at breakfast and lunchtime?
Sorry to ask all these questions but i am just trying to see how many meals she had per day.

Thanks
Helen

Helen Only one can with a handful of mixer about 5pm. Breakfast and lunch were the same time as me & mostly whatever I was having Also her dog biscuit and other treats Westies are made for spoiling sorry can,t help it I,m still the same with our dogs

Jean

Helen I also make cheese & garlic bites the dogs love them you will find the recipe on the Dog treats site. A lot of goodies to make on that site

Jean

Jean do you have the addy for where i can find the cheese and garlic bites? It would be much appreciated.

thanks

christine