# Having a heck of a time calculating how much wet/dry mix to feed...



## BassetMixUp (Dec 14, 2011)

I have tried using the dog food calculator but to be honest, my strengths do not include math. :redface:

Right now I feed my 30 pound basset mix 2.2 cups of Costco Nature's Domain (blue bag) dry per day. He doesn't seem to care for dry food but is happy if I mix it with some water to make it gravy-er, lol.

I am switching to Taste of the Wild when this Costco bag starts running out and plan on feeding part dry, part wet every meal. I already have 6 cans of TOTW wet and have been mixing a third of a can in with his Costco dry (for 3 meals so far). I just don't have any confidence that I am calculating the calories/portions correctly for him.

Some guidance would be greatly appreciated!! His activity level is typical - moderate. He has more energy than a basset and when my brother came over with his 10 month old lab, my brother was shocked that my mix seemed to have much more energy than his lab pup!

How much wet should he get per day and how much dry? I haven'tbothered to enter the TOTW dry info into the food calculator yet because this Costco bag will probably last another 8 weeks or so and I haven't considered which "flavor" I will go with.

I have 2 cans each of the three TOTW canned formulas. Should I stick with one canned formula or rotate between the three available formulas?

TIA!!


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## BassetMixUp (Dec 14, 2011)

And I apologize in advance for my elementary question. First time dog owner - LOTS to learn!

I also give him 2-3 raw eggs per week and am clueless how to calculate that + treats into his meals too. :redface:


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Nature's Domain is 330 calories per cup. TOTW 13.2 ounce cans have 340-385 calories per can so a can is just about the same as a cup of ND! Just substitute half a can for 1/2 cup of the kibble or 1/3 can for 1/3 cup and you are good to go.
http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/products/

Whole chicken eggs range from 55-80 calories each depending on the size. Cut back the ND kibble by about 1/4 cup when you offer one up. Egg is rich so you could cut back even more if he has any issues with it.

But, put your hands on him weekly so you know how he is doing. You want to feel all the bony bits but not see any but a shadow of the last couple of ribs as he moves. Sometimes a calorie isn't a calorie and he may gain or lose weight even if the food seems to have the same number of calories.


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## BassetMixUp (Dec 14, 2011)

Thank you  Your answer makes it so simple. I was definitely trying to figure out a math problem that was much harder than it needed to be. :doh:


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## SeriousDogGuy (Jan 2, 2012)

BassetMixUp said:


> I have tried using the dog food calculator but to be honest, my strengths do not include math. :redface:
> 
> Right now I feed my 30 pound basset mix 2.2 cups of Costco Nature's Domain (blue bag) dry per day. He doesn't seem to care for dry food but is happy if I mix it with some water to make it gravy-er, lol.
> 
> ...


I would stick to just water and tough love him until he eats. Your dog is going to predisposed to weight gain so try to avoid high fat gimmicks to get him to eat. I would also avoid foods with more than 15% fat for a dog with basset in him. TOTW may not be a good choice.


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

2.2 cups of food for a moderately active bassett seems like alot to me. Is he overweight, just right or underweight?


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## BassetMixUp (Dec 14, 2011)

I'm going to stick with the Costco brand. We weren't planning on renewing our Costco membership but decided to re up today on a whim. Starting today, I give him 3/4 cup Costco dry with 1/4 C TOTW wet (measured with measuring cups) twice per day. I don't know why I typed 2.2??

I did consider the Basset / weight gain but I'm attentive to his weight and I should be able notice if he starts getting chunky. Right? Honestly, he may not be part basset. Could be Dach or Corgi. He's a shelter mutt with an unknown history.  He seems like a great weight at the moment. The vet never mentioned if he thought Brighton was under, over or just right.

Happy to hear more thoughts, suggestions or advice!


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

I keep Max very lean as we play agility together. He weighs 38 pounds, up from 33 as he gained muscle eating raw, and I can easily feel all the bony bits. Although most of the dogs at the dog park have nice waists and tuck ups when I give them a scritching they do have a thick layer of fat over the ribs which I don't want my dogs to have. I compare his ribs to my fist. His ribs feel like passing my fingers along the first joints of my fingers. Over the knuckles is a bit thin, over the back of the hand is a bit thick. He gets 300-600 calories a day now and got 500-600 calories on kibble. He gets a good long walk daily and is quite busy during the day but he is almost 12 years old.

If your dog was laying squared up then he would be too thick but he isn't so I cannot tell from that photo. I don't see as much tuck as I like in the other photo.

Mostly vets don't say much about whether dogs are fat or not, it is a very hot topic. We try so hard to keep our pets in good shape and everybody has a different opinion on what that is. Purina did a study showing that less is more. http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/default.aspx?dcmp=ilc-home-mrb-study


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## BassetMixUp (Dec 14, 2011)

Kathyy said:


> If your dog was laying squared up then he would be too thick but he isn't so I cannot tell from that photo. I don't see as much tuck as I like in the other photo.


I'm a first time dog owner so forgive me but, I have no idea what that means. I can assume what thick means but not sure about tuck?

I am more than willing to switch to a brand better suited for a mutt like him, I just can't decide which brand that should be. I have an Agway less than a mile from my house and they sell a big variety of the "5 star" kibble listed on dogfoodadvisor.com. I have to drive 20 minutes to Costco... TIA!!


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## katielou (Apr 29, 2010)

BassetMixUp said:


> I'm a first time dog owner so forgive me but, I have no idea what that means. I can assume what thick means but not sure about tuck?
> 
> I am more than willing to switch to a brand better suited for a mutt like him, I just can't decide which brand that should be. I have an Agway less than a mile from my house and they sell a big variety of the "5 star" kibble listed on dogfoodadvisor.com. I have to drive 20 minutes to Costco... TIA!!


Tuck is where his tummy tucks up after his ribs end.
I think that he looks pretty good. I would maybe just take a little off him. 
If you are happy with how he is doing on the food stick with it and maybe just cut down a little and up his exercise. 
You can add in steamed green beans if you think he is still hungry.


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## BassetMixUp (Dec 14, 2011)

Thanks for the advice. 

When we got him from the shelter and were slowly switching his food from Pedigree to Nature's Domain, he was passing gas like it was nobodys business. :barf!: But that's a memory now and he seems very happy. We've only had him since 12/10. He was positive for giardia and treated with panacur so we go back to the vet in a couple of weeks for a re test and to get micro chipped. I'll ask the vet to show me what to look for on him then.

I still think I'm going to research the brands at Agway. They are walking distance and I drive by Agway twice a day so it would be more convienient. More expensive but much more convienient (and probably healthier?) He is doing well but it can't hurt to research, right?!

Sorry I'm so wishy washy! I'm annoying myself... Thank goodness I'll only be a first time dog owner once! lol!


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

You can change his food as often as you like! Some dogs have one particular food they absolutely do best on but normal dogs can eat most any food. Just feed through the whole bag so it isn't wasted and introduce new kibble by mixing old and new together so he and his gut get used to it gradually. 

I used to go through the 3' tall stacks of premium kibbles at my local feed store, flipping and reading each bag's list of ingredients and nutrient box. You can write down the exact names and prices of the kibbles you see, come home and look them all up and figure out which is the best deal and which has the best list of ingredients online.


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