Here at Dogopolis, we have been putting one of our dogs, Obi, on a diet. It seems that he is getting a little tubby around the midsection and we don’t want him to suffer back problems later on in life, hence a mandatory diet. He isn’t too happy and has been ranting all over twitter about it (@dogopolis).
Please sir, may I have some moooreeee
As Obi was complaining about his diminishing food portions, a couple of twitterers posed the question of “How do we know when we’re feeding our dog enough, or too much?”
So we turned to our In-House Dog Expert, Sandi Thompson, and asked for her opinion and it turns out, it’s all in the poop!
Here is our Q&A with Sandi Thompson, you can also follow her at @BravoPup
Dogopolis: How can we tell if we’re feeding our dog enough or too much?
Sandi: You can tell by their general appearance and their poops.
Dogopolis: What should we note about their general appearance?
Sandi: Well, they should look lean, muscular, and not fat. Their waist should be visible. There is a hands on test that you can do: Slide hands down rib cage with very light pressure. You should be able to feel but not see his ribs…If you can’t feel any ribs, he needs less food and more exercise. If you can see his ribs, feed him more.
Dogopolis: and their poop…?
Sandi: Poops should be nice , firm terds. If big and soft .. you are probably feeding too much, or a poor quality food!
And there you have it folks, it’s all in the poop.
Sniff is full of fascinating bits of science and dog lore. It will deepen your appreciation for these extraordinary creatures. Playful and fun for the whole family – just the way the dogs would want it!
Sandi - Dog trainer extraordinaire.
Tammy - :)