[lab13]

I have just started feeding my chocolate lab a homecooked diet.
It consists of baked ground chicken and boiled brown rice, some carrots and a vitamin supplement from the vet.

I am trying to figure out ways to add variety to the meal but my main concern is how much do I feed a 68lbs lab??

Can anybody help me figure this out? Thanks

 

[varybarry]

You could probably shoot some small game and feed it to your dog (squirrels and rabbits)... I know that sounds cruel, but it is a cheap alternative and your animal is getting the allotted amount of meat intake it needs. Hunting could also prove to be a fun hobby for you to pursue.

 

[Apollopuppy]

To answer your question, You should be feeding 1-3% of your dogs weight. Id shoot for 2% and adjust it up or down as needed to get your dog to the ideal weight.

You know a better alternative to a homecooked diet is actually a raw diet? Raw meaty bones like pork sholders, chicken leg quarters, cornish game hens, and a meal of organ meat once a week (plus any additonal eggs, digestive enzymes, and veggies) can make for an EXCELLENT diet. cooking foods actually changes the bioavailability of certain nutrients. Also, dogs dont need grain in their diet (IMO) so there is really no need for the brown rice. lastly, a homecooked diet is often low in calcuim. Where is the calcium/phosphorous in your dog's diet coming from? Dogs need more then just meat, they need meat, bone, and organs.

It seems like you are looking for an alternative to kibble when it comes to your dogs diet, I encourage you to check out the benefits of raw feeding. There are many people on this forum that can give you TONS of advice on this type of diet. I feed my ferrets a raw diet, but I am just beginning to learn about how to feed my dog, Apollo, a raw diet.

I hope this advice helps you! Sounds like you really want the best for your dog, so thats why I brought up a raw diet.

 

[1goodlab]

I also feed a homecooked diet. My lab is 100# and eats 2# of food a day, or, 2% of his body weight. The amount in cups varies depending on the calorie count of the particular food he's getting. Usually, it is 4 to 5 cups. I prepare his food with a ratio of 1.5 measures of grain, 1 meat and 1 vegetable, add olive oil to equal 2 tbsp a day, egg shell powder to equal 1/2 tsp per pound of food daily. I like doing it this way, as I can make a small batch, or enlarge the measures to make several days feed. He also gets a multivitamin for dogs, a vitamin B complex, 4 fish oil caps daily, and a vitamin E capsule 400mg, 3 times a week.

 

[Fallriver]

Are you adding bone meal powder? Your dog needs a source of calcium.
How much to feed? If he's fat feed less and if he's thin, feed more ;D
There is no hard and fast rule but I would guestimate about 3 or 4 cups a day...it's been about ten years since I've done home cooked diets so I'm just working off memory. I found it to be waaaay too much work and waaaay too expensive and waaaay too inferior to the raw diet.
You've made an important step, but try to make the leap to raw as soon as you feel ready ;D

 

[SandyandAbbey]

There is a site that provides a calculator for those feeding a raw diet.
Would someone advise whether it is ok to provide the link before I go ahead.

 

[Fallriver]

You can certainly add the linky.
I'm not sure the raw calculator will apply to a carbohydrate based diet as the rice is not a high quality protein, making the diet unbalanced so the dog will have to eat more of it than he would raw.
Lab13 if you are still reading this thread, you need to add bone meal powder to your dog's diet. There is not enough calcium in that diet. If you are going to feed vegetables, I would go with dark green leafies and a variety of veggies. Does your vet intend for your dog to eat this diet every day?

 

[Canyon Labradors]

I have to chime in about the raw. It's not as hard to transition as one might think. I am only feeding one of mine raw right now, but just keeping an eye out at the store, I am able to buy cheaper chicken cuts such as thighs and wings. The last batch of thighs I got were so meaty that I do rmb's for one meal, and then the next they get some of the extra muscle meat with some beef organs. I am still using some commercially prepared raw, but only because I can get a deal on some of it because I work for a company that makes it. 2% seems to be an excellent guideline.

 

[SandyandAbbey]

I hope this works. It's for a website called Raw4Dogs and it has a calculator there.

http://www.raw4dogs.com/calculate.htm

 

[varybarry]

Someone else recommended that site to me before. They had a lot of success with it; however I haven't used it.

 

[SandyandAbbey]

We don't feed totally raw, but a bit of a combination. But the calculator came in handy just to get a guide. Our two girls need to keep their weight low and our boy needs to add on a few kilos.