Hungry bully?
For starters...Quinn is nearly 3 years old (in May) and weighs about 40 pounds. She is 18ish inches at the shoulder, so she has always been very petite. She used to be fed twice a day, 1 cup of Acana grain free in the morning and evening (2 cups daily). Since my work schedule changed to second shift, I work through her original dinner time, so I now feed her 1 cup in the a.m., half cup before I leave and half cup when I get home...so same amount, just split 3 ways. We get exercise when weather allows. She is sensitive to cold and I do not take her after rain because our park gets very muddy and I don't want to bathe her because she used to break out when I would bathe her frequently. I do try and take her on short walks each day we can't go to the park. SO she's not overly exercised, but gets healthy playtimes.
Because of her schedule, she knows when she eats. When we have to do walks instead of playtime, we walk, we come inside, she eats. When I get home, she'll greet me then run to her bowl. She eats, I change, we go out to potty. But then when we come in from potty even after being fed, she goes back to her bowl. I've noticed whenever I come in the door she expects to be fed...sometimes at earlier points in the day.
Wondering then - am I feeding her enough? Or do I just have her super conditioned to expect to be fed every time we come inside? She doesn't ask for food any other time and doesn't walk around near her bowl or in the kitchen like she's hungry. Just when we come inside or when I arrive home. Maybe the small meals digest faster? :-/
Because of her schedule, she knows when she eats. When we have to do walks instead of playtime, we walk, we come inside, she eats. When I get home, she'll greet me then run to her bowl. She eats, I change, we go out to potty. But then when we come in from potty even after being fed, she goes back to her bowl. I've noticed whenever I come in the door she expects to be fed...sometimes at earlier points in the day.
Wondering then - am I feeding her enough? Or do I just have her super conditioned to expect to be fed every time we come inside? She doesn't ask for food any other time and doesn't walk around near her bowl or in the kitchen like she's hungry. Just when we come inside or when I arrive home. Maybe the small meals digest faster? :-/
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"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
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Quinn would probably eat her entire 15 lb bag of food if I left it out. I'm not sure she could ever be satisfied, but maybe just an extra quarter cup or something? Could see if that helps and then pull her back again if necessary
Thanks for feedback!
Hope you're able to find the right balance with her proper weight and feeding schedule/amount soon, or at least Quinn settles on being satisfied with the proper amount...whatever it turns out to be.
Anyway, I've basically just stopped leveling off her cups. So when I scoop there's just a little bit extra. She seems fine...but we've also been getting out more with the weather change. Maybe she wants to eat when she's bored...like me.