[nytetears]

I just got my little foster, a 5 pound chi girl from a hoarder/puppy mill raid .

I normally have large dogs so would love to get tips on feeding, types of quality food and amounts to feed etc, no idea on her age.

She has the tarter build up of a 2-3 yo but she acts much younger, now this may be because she has never seen anything outside her breeding cage and the feces/mud she was living in.

 

[woodard2009]

It just depends on what you can afford. If you want to feed a good quality 5 star food, I prefer The Honest Kitchen and ZiwiPeak. I also like Acana. Thanks for helping this baby. I know you're going to fall in love and get attached, so I hope you're able to keep her.

 

[Barneys_Mom99]

Hi,

Feeding good quality food twice a day is usually recommended here. There are kibbles for toy sized dogs with smaller sized pieces, if you go that way. I figured out the amount by looking on the food bag/their website. Barney isn't a big eater, so I often collect the leftover kibble in his bowl and put it in a bowl on the shelf for training later.

She is lucky to have made her way in life to your arms !

 

[jesuschick]

Congrats on the pair of you "getting" each other! Post pics if you can!

I've attached a link to a site that I love and recommend. It is a non-biased rating site for food. Check out brands you wish to feed or as suggested, search for 4-5 star foods.
Many of the higher rated foods need to be sourced online or at independent or natural pet stores yet places such as Tractor Supply and chain pet stores will carry a few.
Restoring her health will be the best way to ensure that you have each other even longer!
Dog Food Reviews | Dog Food Ratings

 

[jan896]

I use Primal, Stella & Chewy's........
Chico does so much better with RAW than kibble.....

 

[nytetears]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, since she is 'evidence' i dont want to start her on a raw inces the judge (unlikely) sends her back. Her previous owners have been caught and are charged with 218 counts of animal abuse. I am wondering more on quantity. The bag says 1/4 to 1 and 1./4 cups a day. that is a big difference. also my 100 pound GSD's food suggests 4 cups a day for him, yet he maintains on 2 1/2 perfectly. Dog food bags always tend to suggest way too much.

 

[nytetears]

no suggestions? also, I see the need for preventing scammers but it sure is hard to get help with a new dog when it takes so long to get your questions posted.


i feed my big dogs 2x a day, this little one seems to want to eat 4x a day.

also, she is unfixed and until the court case I may not have her altered. She seems to be masturbating herself on my knee when I hold her.This is not the normal dominance humping that many dogs do, is this normal? I thought her vulva looked swollen but today it looked more like I would expect it to.

 

[Yoshismom]

We try to get the post's through as quickly as possible as this is just voluntary for us. After you have posted a certain amount of time you will no longer have to be moderated.

 

[jesuschick]

I answered you on the 17th.

 

[svdreamer]

It's hard for me to give advice as I free feed. I think I did see some say they feed 1/2 cup a day, 1/4 cup in the morning, 1/4 at night. Is she underweight? If she is, then give her more until she is a better weight. She may have a vaginal infection, thats why she's scratching herself on your leg. Or a fungal infection. An anti-fungal cream like for jock itch or an anti fungal shampoo may help, but it may be something you would want a vet to advise you about. Thank you for takng her in and fostering her, you are doing a great thing.

 

[Jerry'sMom]

I just got my little foster, a 5 pound chi girl from a hoarder/puppy mill raid .

I normally have large dogs so would love to get tips on feeding, types of quality food and amounts to feed etc, no idea on her age.

She has the tarter build up of a 2-3 yo but she acts much younger, now this may be because she has never seen anything outside her breeding cage and the feces/mud she was living in.

my female, Tabitha, is 5lbs 5 oz. I feed Royal Canin mini indoor adult 21.
She eats two meals a day and I weigh her food on a kitchen scale. She gets
.6 ounces per meal (that's just over half ounce). She also gets one hip and joint
biscuit per day. Her brother, Jerry, has a much faster metabolism. He weighs
6 lbs 5 oz and eats .9 ounces twice a day. I know it is far less than what the
package directs you to feed. I had very overweight dogs a year ago and I have
had to be very vigilent since then. My Vet told me that a 5 lb dog needs 160 calories per day (average).
I hope that info helps. Good luck with your foster Chi

 

[nytetears]

Thanks all. She has an appointment tomorrow with the vet. I made the appointment before i even got her LOL. I will have him check for vaginal infections. I tend not to free feed because of the type of training I do with my dogs. I am a dog trainer (much more used to dealing with the larger dogs) and I think this is the first unfixed female I have ever had.

I had fed raw when I lived in canada and it was so much easier to get. Here in the states I can not find any affordable high quality raw food. In canada I got 50 pounds of human qualitry raw food for $45 and would buy 3 boxes of those a month for the boys. Here $45 does not seem to even cover a week for one dog.

Since I have been in the states I use the smartpack livesmart food which gives a high quality food in easy to use packets at a cost that boggles my mind at how reasonable it is (cheaper then petstore bargin brands in some cases and gets 4/5 stars on the rating web site).

I have Tia (i put up pictures of her btw) on a high quality food from the pet store but would like to get her onto the livesmart but first I need to find out how much to feed her. She does not seem underweight to me she is just under 5 pounds.

My biggest fear is that the scum who had her before will win at court and I will have to give her back. that would break my heart.

 

[nytetears]

Tia burps often and loudly is that normal?