New 5 month old puppy!!! What to feed and how much???

We feed Blue Buffalo here, we love it and so does our dog. At 5 months old we fed Sandstorm twice a day, I forget how much! He was on a different food then so I can't really compare it to the BB, but I am sure the chart on the BB is pretty accurate for how much.
 
KarenCurtis said:
We feed Blue Buffalo here, we love it and so does our dog. At 5 months old we fed Sandstorm twice a day, I forget how much! He was on a different food then so I can't really compare it to the BB, but I am sure the chart on the BB is pretty accurate for how much.
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I was actually very surprised at the ingredient difference between the blue buffalo grain free and the "basics" version. I had begun with a bag of the grain free...salmon...but the protein content made me nervous, so I was thinking of going back to Kirkland. Then...a friend suggested the "basics" version and I was very pleased when I read the ingredient list. It's a bit pricey, but for now....we're sticking with it. I've been monitoring their weight to make sure I'm feeding accurately for their systems.
 
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start free feeding when they are pups, and they pick at it all day. Worked well for our last 4 dogs. Blue buffalo is good, especially the basics and wilderness i believe
 
Lacey'sMamma said:
start free feeding when they are pups, and they pick at it all day. Worked well for our last 4 dogs. Blue buffalo is good, especially the basics and wilderness i believe
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I just want to comment and say that although Lacey'sMamma says free feeding works for her, I think in the majority of cases it is not a good idea. I would recommend against it for most people and their dogs.
 
corbinam said:
I just want to comment and say that although Lacey'sMamma says free feeding works for her, I think in the majority of cases it is not a good idea. I would recommend against it for most people and their dogs.
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Absolutely agree. Free-fed dogs have a much higher chance of being over-weight. Also, if they are fed a measured meal at the same time every day, they will poop around the same time every day. It's much easier when you know exactly when they have to poop. I also like to use a portion of my dog's meal as treats and I like to put her kibble in a treat dispensing toy. You're dog is much more likely to work for their food as treats or in a dispenser, if it's not left out 24/7. Lastly, one of the signs of a dog not feeling well is if they don't eat. It's harder to tell if they're not eating, if their food is always left out all the time.

My dog is fed 2x a day. I usually stop feeding 3x a day at 4-6 months old. Depends on the dogs growth. My dog is 14 pounds and eats 1/2 a cup of TOTW kibble a day. Other brands that I like are Wellness, Acana, Blue Buffalo and Go!.
 
I do a great deal of writing about canine nutrition and I don't know a single vet or nutritionist who recommends free feeding, especially for breeds such as Shelties that are prone to being overweight. Measured portions are the only way to keep track of what they're eating when you need to put weight on or take it off them.

We feed puppies up to six months of age 3 times a day and adult dogs twice, morning and evening.
 
I transitioned Emma over to adult food around 11 months of age - she gets 1/4-1/3 cup twice a day of Summit, with green beans added. Liam I put straight on adult food when I got him. He tends to inhale his food, whereas Emma eats a little more slowly.

What I have noticed: If they have set times for their food, they are more apt to eat it all. You have better control over how much they eat, whether they eat it or not. I have left food down for Noah and for Emma before Liam came. They didn't like to eat first thing in the morning but did eat it within a couple of hours of getting it.

I strongly believe in having set times and set amounts of food for dogs. You can monitor their weight, their health, their appetite, whether they have gone off a certain food, etc, rather than free feeding. I am speaking just for me, but I know others feel the same.
 
Noneeds4me said:
I was actually very surprised at the ingredient difference between the blue buffalo grain free and the "basics" version. I had begun with a bag of the grain free...salmon...but the protein content made me nervous, so I was thinking of going back to Kirkland. Then...a friend suggested the "basics" version and I was very pleased when I read the ingredient list. It's a bit pricey, but for now....we're sticking with it. I've been monitoring their weight to make sure I'm feeding accurately for their systems.
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Yes, when we switched to BB people told me here to feed less because it was a better quality food, and Sandstorm gained weight. I had to cut back 1/2 cup, now he gets 1 1/2 cups a day, and weighs 30lbs or just under, at 2 yrs old. I can pick him up more easily now! He lost about 4 pounds.
 
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