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Topic Dog Boards / Feeding / switching back to dried after light diet HELP
- By Ellies mum [gb] Date 24.02.06 11:56 UTC
My Newfoundland puppy who has had a sensitive tummy since the day I got her got very ill was on a starvation for 42 hours and it was touch and go if she was going to need a drip, ( suspected culprit was some ones chicken treat at puppy training.) she has a severe chicken intolerance and I also am having terrible troubles finding a complete food that does not have any chicken used even for basting!
she has now been on 3 meals a day of home cooked fish and potato for the last two weeks and her tummy is now really good, always a nice solid pooh, what is the best way too reintroduce the dried food again? is it best to mix it all in the same bowl or to feed it seperate? since she was starved she is acting like a straved dog and she bolts down her food like she has never seen any before in her life, the fish and potato doesnt really need chewing but the dried food she wouldnt be able to bolt down like that, I am worried if i put it all together she will just hoover it all up together.
also I am at a loss as to the quantity comparision between the food i am giving her at the minute compaired to the dried, her tummy also seems to have trouble coping with even a few spoonfulls extra, she often plays on the bowl is empty I need more hubby gives in and gives her a little extra and it makes her loose again. is there any sort of rule as to how much quantity the dried gives, I know once its soaked in water it swells to about 3 times the size it starts out at.
any suggestions greatly appreciated, I really dont want to rock the boat again now I have got her this good!
- By Jeangenie [gb] Date 24.02.06 12:01 UTC
I would start with just a very tiny amount (a tablespoonful or so) of your chosen dried food, and thoroughly soak it before you mix it with her fish and potato, so that it's already fully swollen. Then you'll be better able to judge the right quantity. If she's okay with that then as the days go by you can gradually increase the amount of dried, and also slowly start to feed it less soaked. Although I always serve dried food with water in the same bowl.
- By onetwothree [gb] Date 24.02.06 13:07 UTC
There are no rules about how much to feed.  There are guidelines printed on the food pack of whatever food you are feeding, but they are just guidelines and many people feed more or less than those recommendations.

You should look at her weight and decide if she needs more or less food. 

If you want to give her more food but it results in sloppy poos, rather than adding to her meals, you might want to try feeding her smaller meals more often.  That's a good way to get food into her and hopefully avoid the sloppy poos.

I don't think it makes much difference if you mix up the fish and potato with the dry food, or if you give it to her separate.  It might make her more willing to eat the dry food if you mix it in with the fish and potato.
Topic Dog Boards / Feeding / switching back to dried after light diet HELP

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