I hadn't heard of Great Life, but I grinned reading that it had bok choy...My girls love stir fried bok choy. When Kaleigh was getting a bit chunky the Vet said carrots. She didn't like raw carrots but loves cooked mashed carrots. Mine are big veggie eaters. I usually flavor their veggies with bone broth. They love cabbage and that isn't fattening either.
Fat Sheltie
- Thread starter Mandy177
- Start date
Cubby2014
Forums Enthusiast
I weigh the dogs' food on a food scale as a scooper actually has a lot of variance. Cubby is big at 17.5" and lean in the low 30's eating 85 grams twice a day which is 2/3 cup twice. Melli is a wide girl at 16" inches and change and eats 65 grams at 1/2 cup twice. We have gone through a very big food transition. We used to eat Acana but the fat is just too high. We landed on Fromm Heartland Gold Large Breed Adult (the pieces aren't big or anything) which is fabulous with my shepherd's sensitive stomach at 24% protein and 12% fat. This is a superb beef/pork option. Just recently we have moved to Addiction Wishbone Pasture (lamb) at a lean 26% protein and 10% fat to assist in long term sheltie gallbladder health. The dogs are doing amazing on this food. There are several chicken duck that are lean foods from exceptionally responsible companies. They are Horizon Amicus Adult/Senior & Weight Management (turkey, chicken, 30% protein & 10.5% fat), Addiction Wishbone Lake (Duck/fish, 26%, 10%), Annamaet Lean Low Fat (chicken, duck, herring, 30%, 9%), Earthborn Holistics Grain-free Large Breed Dry (chicken, 26%, 13%), Earthborn Holistics Grain-free Weight Control (chicken, 25%, 7%). I am not a fish fan because our seas are so contaminated and so are farmed fish.
My recommendation is to choose a lean grain-free food, weigh the amount for consistency, make sure you reduce slowly by maybe 1 or 2 grams a week until the dog leans out, and stick it out no matter how crazy hungry the dog acts.
My recommendation is to choose a lean grain-free food, weigh the amount for consistency, make sure you reduce slowly by maybe 1 or 2 grams a week until the dog leans out, and stick it out no matter how crazy hungry the dog acts.
Hanne
Forums Sage
Minnie 2 years is a big girl - 17" and 23½ lb she gets 60-63 gr. Twice a day.
I do not want her to be too heavy, so hope I can keep her about 24½ lb
I do not want her to be too heavy, so hope I can keep her about 24½ lb
Hanna weighs 19 pounds and is about 14.5" at the shoulders. Vet thinks she should be around 16 pounds, but I disagree, I can see her waist looking down from the top and she has a really big coat
which makes her look bigger than she is under all that fur. She gets a measured 2/3 cup of kibble ( split between 2 meals) plus one treat a day - either a petite greenie or a strip of chicken jerky.
She is always hungry - so i am not willing to cut her food back any further.
which makes her look bigger than she is under all that fur. She gets a measured 2/3 cup of kibble ( split between 2 meals) plus one treat a day - either a petite greenie or a strip of chicken jerky.
She is always hungry - so i am not willing to cut her food back any further.
Cara Sandler
Forums Enthusiast
It's really hard to generalize weight with shelties. They all have such different builds. My Spirit Joy is very dainty, with tiny little bones and slender little muscles (though her muscles are rock hard!!!!). She is 12" and about 12 pounds and is at her ideal weight.
If your dog has a nice tuck at the waist, and you can feel her ribs (not that she should be bony, but you should be able to feel them a little through her skin, once you push her hair aside), then she is probably just fine
If your dog has a nice tuck at the waist, and you can feel her ribs (not that she should be bony, but you should be able to feel them a little through her skin, once you push her hair aside), then she is probably just fine