Could someone please clear this up for me once and for all??

[Rubylove]

How much should we be feeding our pups????

There is SO much conflicting advice out there, and I know it depends on the pup, but if I could get some advice here that would be great please please?? :rolleyes:

We have two Labradoodle puppies. Ruby is nine months old, and weighs 27kg/60lb. Chester is six months old and weighs about 22kg/50lb. He is taller than she is and growing very fast.

They both get fed the same - although before I start I'm pretty sure that's not right. Twice a day they get a 200g/7oz slice of Tuckertime sausage, and a large cup of puppy biscuits (about 160g/5.6oz). At breakfast time they get a raw egg. Most days they get a medium-sized raw lamb bone to chew on.

Now, they are certainly not underweight. They look a very healthy weight to us - in fact Ruby looks a little pudgy from time to time. Being large-breed puppies they get a long walk every second day.

But Chester in particular goes nuts at meal times, jumping around, so overexcited (they both wait for `sit' and `eat' before they'll eat). Their meals are always finished easily within 5 minutes of starting.

Ruby seems fine, Chester seems like he's just really hungry all the time. He is definitely having a growth spurt he seems to get bigger while we're watching! Ruby has stayed the same size for about two and a half months, now.

Chester is becoming increasingly destructive - you can't leave anything with him ever. We think that they need more exercise, and will address that, and we know they are also very intelligent dogs and a little bored, so we are in the process of building them an obstacle course out the back, weave poles etc... We need to up their training, also, as they love it and it's very stimulating for them.

But I wonder if some of their behaviour, his in particular, is because they're hungry? It's a constant concern with us and we just don't get consistent advice. If we fed them what it says to feed them on the food packages they wouldn't be able to move they'd be so huge!!

PLEASE HELP!!! :confused:

[Rubylove]

I am in desperate need of some advice about exercise.

We have two Labradoodle puppies. Ruby is nine months old, and Chester six months old. Both are neutered.

Our vet told us we should not be exercising them too much, as particularly in large-breed dogs, over-exercise can cause problems with their joints. At the moment they get a walk every second day, including a big romp at the dog park for about 45 minutes with the other doggies there.

They seem restless and bored, though, and are becoming increasingly destructive. I've read in many places `a tired dog is a happy dog' and ours are certainly not tired! We don't want to overdo it but it seems to us they are not getting enough exercise. Ruby actually seems unfit to us, and Chester is full of boundless energy that turns to destruction most of the time, now.

If anyone has some advice about how we can fix this, and give them what they need and tire them out without overdoing it, that would be fantastic!

Thank you :(

[Kaleigh'sAdrienne]

If you have a fenced backyard you could put them out in the yard to play for 10 mins at a time every 3-5 hrs or so. Or you could walk them up the street and back down.. not too far.. not like around the block but a few houses down and back home. Hope that helps.

[Rubylove]

We've started throwing the ball to them for 15 minutes every couple of hours - they love it! They'll usually let us know when they've had enough of that because they'll just refuse to keep chasing...lol

Of course we can only do this when we're home, at night and on the weekends...

[Saje]

I think repetative exercise is what you really have to worry about. If you are playing and stopping and playing and stopping and let them gage for themselves what they can't do that should be fine. maverick was liek that. Swimming is low impact too if they like the water. And remember that tired should also include the mind so lots of bones, toys and kongs and games and other things to keep them busy.

[RedyreRottweilers]

I would be giving these 2 puppies plenty of time to be out in the yard together in the fresh air and sunshine to wear each other out.

Get them interactive toys like tug toys, big indestructible balls, etc for them to burn off energy with.

I would alos recommend mental exercise, training class, etc.

[Gempress]

If Chester is still growing, he probably needs to eat more than Ruby. Maybe add an extra 1/2 cup of kibble for breakfast and dinner?

And I don't think his misbehavior is beacuse of hunger. I think it's because he's just reaching adolescence.

[Rubylove]

We do all of those things - they spend the days together out the back while we are at work - digging holes, usually!! But the other day when it was hot I filled up the empty half of a clamshell sandpit with water, and they LOVED it! Chester started digging away in there instantly, I put a couple of their floating toys in there and they bobbed around for ages. Instant hit.

The back yard is interesting, too, because it's dual-level, there's paths and trees and things for them to duck under and through. And as I said we're building an obstacle course out there with weave poles etc. They have four kongs, balls and other toys. Plus they get bones and chews.

[Rubylove]

Ahhhh I was hoping you wouldn't say that!!! Lol....

Doberluv's `What to expect when raising a puppy' is so eerily spot-on. It's scary!!

[poodlesmom]

I agree that the hi-impact, repetitive exercises are the one that can cause the problems. Jumping, long runs should be kept to a minimum until their growth plates are done growing but walks, swimming and just normal playing should be fine. Working at training is a good energy burning thing to - it not only works them physically but mentally.

[bubbatd]

I echo Poodlesmom ....I'd stay away from anything like frisbies, jumping for sticks etc until the are grown...

[doberkim]

they probably also need a lot more exercise - more than every other day. most puppies should have about two walks a DAY _ long walks to tire them out.

[Rubylove]

they probably also need a lot more exercise - more than every other day. most puppies should have about two walks a DAY _ long walks to tire them out.
That's how much we used to exercise them, until the vet told us to stop. He said that that much exercise for a large-breed puppy can cause irreversible joint and bone problems because they grow too fast and their growing bones can't handle it. We exercise them as much as we do on vet advice, it doesn't seem enough to us, but that's what we were advised. :rolleyes:

[anna84]

I know with large breeds your not supposed to make them walk for very long periods of time. But shorter walks spread out during the day and on soft terrain should be fine. Especially since your dogs aren't one of the giant breeds. I don't think a walk every other day is going to be enough for two growing energetic dogs

[Saje]

lol want me to merge your two threads? :D

[Rubylove]

lol want me to merge your two threads? :D
LOL! That would be great I wanted to put them in one thread but wasn't sure where to post it!

And Anna I couldn't be happier that you said that - we really don't think it's enough for them either, but weren't sure what to do. Thanks!

[Doberluv]

I think your vet is overreacting. Puppies that age need to burn off steam. My Doberman got a lot more exercise than that at that age. I took him on off leash walks for about 1/2 hour or more where he ran like crazy in the woods or on the golf course. He could stop if he wanted to, sniff or pee on bushes and change his pace. It's the repetitive pace, same gait, as in trot, trot, nothing but trot or straight running for a long time, as in going along side a bicycle or jogger. When they can give certain muscle groups a break or certain bones less stress by changing gaits and speeds, I think that's OK. At their age, IMO, they need more exertion without being excessive.

And like it was said, some obedience practice, a couple of short sessions a day plus a command here and there otherwise throughout the day, while you're doing chores or whatever.

As far as the food, I would check with your vet and see what he thinks or p.m. Mordy, a member here.....our nutrition guru. She knows a lot about nutrition. Maybe your dogs aren't getting some or enough of some nutrient which is making them feel hungry even if their weight is good. You should be able to feel ribs when you press along their sides with some pressure. If you see the ribs, that's too thin. If you can't feel anything, maybe they're too heavy. Check with your vet.

Good luck. Let us know if things get better.

[Rubylove]

I think your vet is overreacting. Puppies that age need to burn off steam. My Doberman got a lot more exercise than that at that age. I took him on off leash walks for about 1/2 hour or more where he ran like crazy in the woods or on the golf course. He could stop if he wanted to, sniff or pee on bushes and change his pace. It's the repetitive pace, same gait, as in trot, trot, nothing but trot or straight running for a long time, as in going along side a bicycle or jogger. When they can give certain muscle groups a break or certain bones less stress by changing gaits and speeds, I think that's OK. At their age, IMO, they need more exertion without being excessive.

And like it was said, some obedience practice, a couple of short sessions a day plus a command here and there otherwise throughout the day, while you're doing chores or whatever.

As far as the food, I would check with your vet and see what he thinks or p.m. Mordy, a member here.....our nutrition guru. She knows a lot about nutrition. Maybe your dogs aren't getting some or enough of some nutrient which is making them feel hungry even if their weight is good. You should be able to feel ribs when you press along their sides with some pressure. If you see the ribs, that's too thin. If you can't feel anything, maybe they're too heavy. Check with your vet.

Good luck. Let us know if things get better.
Well, Max and I had a chat about it the other day (honestly we discuss them like they're our children!! Come to think of it, they are!! ... lol) and we decided that we'll stick to the bi-daily walks - they get a good long one at least an hour, but we'll take them to the doggy park every day for a big romp around with the other dogs, chase the ball etc. We are going to up the training as I said, because they don't get enough and they enjoy it - and they're starting to really push their boundaries at the moment, especially Chester. We'll also play games with them more at home - about ten minutes of `fetch' every couple of hours or so, and I want to teach them hide and seek, too, because I think they'll love it, although not quite sure how to go about that. On the weekends we'll take them out to the beach or the river, or for a walk in King's Park - which they LOVE. We'll vary it a lot more.

Also, because they love their training so much, I'm going to start teaching them some tricks, too, they'll really enjoy that. Hopefully that will take care of the mental stimulation and the extra romps at the park and games of fetch will help their physical exercise.