Amount to feed 6 month old Lab?

**barnabus** · 10-07-2011, 06:54 AM

My girl Allie is now six months old and is 66 lbs.I have been going by the feeding directions on the bag and when I went to the vet they asked how much I was feeding her.Currently she gets 2.5 cups of feed twice a day. 1/2 at 6:00am and the other half at 6:00pm.I know dog food mfg. want to sell more dog food but what amount should I actually feed her? I dont want her to go hungry.She always cleans her bowl right then.Thanks!

**Tanya** · 10-07-2011, 06:57 AM

did the vet said her current weight was good? Or that she needed to lose a few pounds?
if her weight is good and stable, I would keep feeding what you are feeding. If the vet said she could lose a few, then slowly reduce the amount you are feeding.

How much to feed a particular dog depends on the food, the dog and their system, as well as their exercise level. While bags do generally suggest more than necessary - that again depends on the dog.

oh and labs are always hungry and always clean up their bowl - that doesn't mean they are starving, it means they are a lab

**javasmom** · 10-07-2011, 09:12 AM

Wow-66 lbs at 6 months is alot of weight on those growing joints.
IMO 5 cups a day is a little too much. You need to slow that growth down a little or risk joint issues in the future.

**Bookwormbiker** · 10-07-2011, 11:13 AM

"oh and labs are always hungry and always clean up their bowl - that doesn't mean they are starving, it means they are a lab"
x 10.
Do you have a current photo of Allie?

**barnabus** · 10-07-2011, 11:59 AM

Here is a current photo of my Allie @ 6 months taken today. She is an English Lab so are they suppose to be a little heavier? Only thing the vet said is that it looks like she will be a "big girl"!

**javasmom** · 10-07-2011, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by barnabus

Here is a current photo of my Allie @ 6 months taken today. She is an English Lab so are they suppose to be a little heavier? Only thing the vet said is that it looks like she will be a "big girl"!

She's beautiful!!!
My girl Java is also an English lab..she was 55 lbs at 5 months, 63 lbs at 6 months. She developed pano...she was growing too fast putting too much pressure on her growing joints. We switched her to adult food to slow her growth down.

**Tanya** · 10-07-2011, 02:57 PM

No dog of any breed or mix or type should ever be heavy.

When they say confirmation line are bigger they generally mean they have a bigger structure - that the bones that make th chest are in a wider shape.

You should be able to feel a dogs ribs pretty easily. If you cannot or really have to push in to feel them, then your dog is overweight.

5 cups a day is Alot of food but again, that can depend on the dog and how much exercise they get.

**barnabus** · 10-07-2011, 03:24 PM

sooooo......Does she look overweight to any of yall?

**Tanya** · 10-07-2011, 03:32 PM

Can you feel her ribs at all?

It can be impossible to tell from photos - did your vet SAY she should loose weight?

If you can get a photo from right above we may be able to help - but again it is best to judge in person.

**barnabus** · 10-07-2011, 03:42 PM

The vet did not say she needed to lose weight,only smiled and made the comment that she will be a big girl.Im feeding her puppy food.There is so much conflicting advice about when to switch from puppy to adult. You can feel her ribs if ya work at it I guess but her coat is thick so I dont know.Here is a pic from above.