But my guess was accurate, they get about 4-5 cups a day. Neegan is fat to me, most would say he's a good weight. I don't care for fat dogs. Most would call Congo lean, I call him a good weight.
When they feed free choice they don't gobble down 3-5 cups of food and then gonplay hard. They eat a mouthful here and there throughout the day, and in my (very dated) experience that can help prevent bloat. I've had older dogs die of bloat, so I do understand it's causes and consequences.
At that time they did suggest many smallheeals or free choice. My grandmother's saint Bernard died of bloat (he was 8-9 I think, oldish for a St), my first show Akita/Jr handling dog died of bloat (she's was 11, so oldish for an Akita), and a standard poodle at a kennel I worked for had a 9-10 year old bitch die of bloat. I also took care of great Danes and showed great Danes, and do know the breeder I worked for had 3+ stories of dogs who had to have surgery, and I worked for a vet emergency hospital that had 2-3 cases of bloat while I was there. It's a sad scary issue.
This is what I'm calling "fat" he's not fat by any vet I've used standards, but to me he's not lean and trim. Probably because he has puppy fat rolly skin still.
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