food quantity

Question
QUESTION: just acquired a 15 week old 5 lb. female toy poodle. She was on dry food, my vet said to switch her to "Innova" canned food. she gets two meals a day. What quantity should I be giving her at each meal?

ANSWER: Hello Brenda,
I would mix her dry food with the canned food instead of just giving the canned straight.  This will soften the hard food some, making it easier for her to eat and will get her used to eating the dry.  If she still is having trouble with the dry, put a little water on it and let it set for about 10 min.  She should be eating around 1/2 cup now, but if she eats less and seems to get full on that, then try giving her a bit less.  If she still seems hungry after 1/2 cup, then try 3/4 cup.  
There isn't a set amount of food for any one size.  Dogs are individual and some will eat until they pop, while others are picky and sometimes will go a whole day without eating.  You have to find what works best for your dog.  

I hope this helps you some.  If you have other questions, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I have found that she quickly ate up her 1/2 cup servings and seemed to still be looking for more, so I upped the serving to 3/4 cup. she still cleans the plate and looks for more. I am afraid that I may be over-feeding her...

Answer
Hi again Brenda,
I don't think you are over-feeding her, but if she seems hungry throughout the day, you might give her 1/2 cup morning, 1/4 cup in the middle of the day (without the canned food), and then her 1/2 cup at night.  If you spread it out some she won't have to go as long between feedings.  You can also give her little treats once in a while or give her something to chew on such as a pig ear or small knuckle bone. (your local Pet Store should have a wide variety of chewies for your furry friend).  Do try to stay away from rawhide bones because they can cause intestinal blockage/damage.

Another way to insure that she isn't going to get too much to eat is to give her plenty of exercise.  I know that she is a puppy and is therefore probably very active, but give her other activities also (rather than just letting her play around in the living room) such as taking her for a good walk or getting her into a fun-for-the-both-of-you sport such as Obedience or Agility.  Your local Pet Store (if you have a PetCo or PetSmart) should have Obedience classes they offer or check your Yellow Pages.

Try this out and see if this arrangement works better for her.

Thanks again for your question,
Kim