Nature's Variety Instinct - How much to feed?

audmkamp

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I've switched my new-to-me bulldog to NVI beef after reading good reviews about NVI on here. She has some skin issues and yeast on her feet that I hope this helps. She had been on Diamond Naturals when I got her, I switched her to Acana salmon and that seemed to make her skin worse, hence trying NVI.

My question is though how much is everyone else feeding of this food?
Emma is 3.5 yrs and weighs about 57 pounds, though the vet said she could stand to gain 3-5#.

I'm feeding her about 3 cups per day divided between 2 feedings. I think this is in line with what was recommended on the bag (that I've thrown away), but she acts like she could eat that amount 2 or 3x over at each feeding. Does she like it that well or could she still be hungry?
She also gets Grizzly salmon oil on it in the morning and FortiFlora on it at night.

She's my first bulldog. I grew up with Labs - who eat a lot more. I feel like I'm not giving her enough, but I'm pretty sure this is near the recommended amount for her by the bag. She didn't act this hungry on the other foods, though the recommended volume on those was a bit higher.
 

KMARINO

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I use NVI Salmon, Vegas is 2.5 yrs old and weighs 63. He gets one cup a.m. and one cup p.m. with a few treats (very few) and a bedtime snack. His treats consist of fresh baby carrots, blueberries, apple anything fresh fruit or veggies. He is on a new kick right now, fresh green beans, he liked the frozen green beans but he LOVES the fresh ones. It helped him so much with his allergies, I hope it will help you. I could see a difference in 3 weeks!!! No more open sores, yeast, stinking.

They always act like they are eating their last meal, or starving!! I think it is the nature of the bully!! Trust me their not!! I think Vegas would eat the whole bag if I let him.
 

sheshistory

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[MENTION=900]KMARINO[/MENTION] is right on. Bullies are ALWAYS hungry. Or they think they are!

I also feed NVI to both my bullies. Linus is 78 pounds and Truman is 56 pounds - both get one cup in the AM and one in the PM. 3 cups a day sounds a little heavy but if Emma isn't getting any or many treats or food outside of her meals, then it may be good. I would watch closely to see if she's putting on or maintaining her weight and adjust from there!
 

KMARINO

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[MENTION=860]sheshistory[/MENTION], Vegas is 2.5 now, he has weighed 63 since he was 1. So therefore I do believe I have him on the right amount of food along with some fruits/veggies. Always at 8 he gets about a 1/4 cup of what ever I have for a bedtime snack, right now he is on the fresh green bean kick.
 

sheshistory

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[MENTION=860]sheshistory[/MENTION], Vegas is 2.5 now, he has weighed 63 since he was 1. So therefore I do believe I have him on the right amount of food along with some fruits/veggies. Always at 8 he gets about a 1/4 cup of what ever I have for a bedtime snack, right now he is on the fresh green bean kick.

Oh haha, sorry if my reply was confusing. I was agreeing with you about bullies always being hungry but the rest was for [MENTION=3526]audmkamp[/MENTION] in terms of how much to feed Emma.
 

KMARINO

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Oh haha, sorry if my reply was confusing. I was agreeing with you about bullies always being hungry but the rest was for [MENTION=3526]audmkamp[/MENTION] in terms of how much to feed Emma.

[MENTION=860]sheshistory[/MENTION], :ROFL: no I got/understood your reply. I too was just saying to [MENTION=3526]audmkamp[/MENTION], that Vegas has maintained the same weight for a year and a half, on the regiment he is on. !! One cup a.m. and one cup p.m. with some fruits/veggies. And Yes, show me a bully that does "act" like they are STARVING, and I would be in shock!!!!
 

2BullyMama

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I agree ... 3 cups a day is kind of heavy. Nitschke and Banks never got/get more than 1 cup 2x a day with healthy treats between for training and behavior commands.

How tall is emma... 57 sounds like a nice weight. Nitschke was between 56-58 from the time he was two till he past at age 7. Banks, well, she will eat till she pukes or can't move and hovers around 60, but out vet gets upset if she even goes to 61... and, Banks is on the taller side for a bully
 
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audmkamp

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Thanks all. That's kind of what I thought. She's been getting a generous heaping 1-cup measuring cup each morning and evening. The heap puts what she's been getting much closer to 3 cups a day than the 2. I'll keep her around that amount and keep an eye on her weight.

She doesn't really get any treats - I've found very little that she doesn't turn her nose up at. So far cheese and NVI rabbit treats are all I've found she'll eat treat-wise, and the latter she sniffs a lot before actually eating it, so it isn't even like a treat because she's not excited about them.

She was raised to be a breeder, so is still kind of learning to be a dog.

Since getting her we've tackled fleas, tapeworm and a spay. Next issue (besides perfecting housebreaking) is her skin. It get scaly in patches then the hair falls out. She's SO itchy. She air licks all the time like she's trying to lick her back, but she can't reach. She's also got yellow stuff on her pads which I read on here is probably yeast overgrowth. I'm hoping this food helps.
 
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audmkamp

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@2BullyMama she's about 16" at the shoulder.

Picture was taken just before I got her. PART_1318788666109.jpg
Working on prettying her up some. She's pretty rough looking here.
 
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2BullyMama

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@2BullyMama she's about 16" at the shoulder.

she seems close to Banks.. I'll have to measure her later to see. Keep her between 57-60 is a good weight. Changing to such a good food may take care of alot of the issues you list... something else to try -- foot bathes w/Epsom salt. Nitshcke and Banks are both allergic to grass so I have to wipe their paws each time they come in from outside and give the foot bath once sometimes twice a week.

Do you have pictures of the scabs/scaly patches?
 
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audmkamp

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she seems close to Banks.. I'll have to measure her later to see. Keep her between 57-60 is a good weight. Changing to such a good food may take care of alot of the issues you list... something else to try -- foot bathes w/Epsom salt. Nitshcke and Banks are both allergic to grass so I have to wipe their paws each time they come in from outside and give the foot bath once sometimes twice a week.

Do you have pictures of the scabs/scaly patches?

Here is a picture of her left side. Her other side is fine.
Also her yellow paws.


IMG_5316.jpgIMG_5321.jpg
 

anatess

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She's one cute mama! Hope she gets major improvement with the NVI. It's really awesome that you've adopted her. It doesn't seem like she got treated good in her previous home, the poor girl.

Lots of hugs to you both.

Yeah, my bully inhales her food too. She literally sprawls on her belly on the ground with her head in her bowl chomping, kibbles flying everywhere in her hurry... she doesn't get much "real treats" - she loves ice cubes for treats! So I heap up on the cup as well - closer to 3 cups than 2 (I don't use NVI, I use Blue Wilderness but it has the same recommended serving as NVI). My bully is 60 lbs of lumbering canine...
 

kazzy220

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She's such a pretty girl and now you've got her on a better food hopefully a lot of her problems will go away!
 

2BullyMama

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Here is a picture of her left side. Her other side is fine.
Also her yellow paws.

I have this awesome stuff I put on paws.... get on eBay or Amazon 'Mushers secret' helps with the yellow on the pads and makes them real soft.
Ask you vet if the skin issue could be a staph infection -- Nitshcke had this and your picture looks like it is possible.
 

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