feeding-protein percentages

[grommit]

Hi,
we have 2 rescue greyhounds, aged 3 and 4, ex racers.
We were told at the kennels we got the dogs from that a dry food around 25% protein would be ideal. I have just read on another forum that they should be on around 18-20% protein???
Confused now! Could anybody point me in the right direction?

The food they are on at the moment is around 23%, is this unsuitable? They get 2 walks of approx 20 mins a day, sometimes more. can anybody recommend a more suitable food if this has too much protein. Thank you.
Clare xx (and Paris and Phils tummys!)

[franjan]

Hi clare, we feed our two on WAGG complete dry dog food and its really balanced the weight out on ours,which we needed as Baloo has a arthritic wrist and had to lose a bit of weight.I think the wagg is around 18% and ours are fine.Fran,jan,baloo and Ebony.

[grommit]

franjan said:

Hi clare, we feed our two on WAGG complete dry dog food and its really balanced the weight out on ours,which we needed as Baloo has a arthritic wrist and had to lose a bit of weight.I think the wagg is around 18% and ours are fine.Fran,jan,baloo and Ebony.

Hi fran, thanks for the advice. That protein sounds alot better, paris was a little underweight when we got her 3 weeks ago but looks a little better now.
Hate to talk about the p word but poops are still occasionally gooey. They were always gooey on the food the kennels gave us but we've slowly taken them off that and onto our current food.

[franjan]

We find there poops ok on wagg but they do have sloppy ones when they are out on walks sometimes which is just excitement and nerves,especially with baloo if were by noisy traffic.Hope you find a suitable feed.We pay £9.49 for a 17kg sack and it lasts me about 3wks for my two.They have split feeds one in the morning and evening.

[grommit]

Aha! so the sloppy ones may have something to do with nerves, that makes sense, they are only occasional. Paris is quite a nervous girl (we have a behaviourist coming to see us saturday). Might give the wagg a try then, i'll buy a small bag and mix it in slowly and see how they get on. Thanks for your help. xx

[lurcherlot]

I think 25% protein is honestly far too high, and would suggest you aimed for around 20% and for the best quality you can sensibly afford.

[cadbury]

Grommit, are you feeding dry food for both meals ie, breakfast and tea? Some places recommend a milk and weetabix breakfast, if you are stop it and feed to dry complete meals a day.
Most dogs are lactose intollerant and the milk scocers the stomach and produces runny poop. Also if your soaking the food try and gradualy introdce the dry biscuit to make them chew, it will help keep the tar tar down on there teath.
I use Wag and wainwrights wet food for my lot. As a rough guide my girl Penny who wieghts in at 27kg gets a good mug and a half for each meal and a sliver of wainrights wet food about 3cm deep across the pack.
If you have there race cards there race weights will be on it, try and keep them no more than 2kg over the heviest weight or any vet worth they're salt will tell you your dog is fat, a good rule of thumb is that you can see 3 ribs just below the surface of the skin. If you haven't got their race cards if you type thier tattoo numbers into the national greyhound data base (I think thats whats it's called, if I'm wrong I hope someone will be along to correct me.) there race history with be there as long as they raced on NRGC track rather than the unlicened flapper tracks. I know it's hard you want them to know how much thier loved in their new home a nd the urge to feed them up is huge but in the long run their build can't cope with the extra pounds.
Sorry to ramble on but I have fell down into these pitfalls myself.
nicky ;D

[grommit]

Hi all, The kennels did say to give them milk and weetabix but we were warned off by a fellow owner. They have water soaked weetabix for brekkie (found the lowest sugar content weetabix available).
I will try introducing some dry food too then, we do soak it all at the mo. Also bought some of those denta-stix, does anyone else give their's these? They adore them! One a day teat only of course.
Should we not be giving them wetabix at all then or is it just bad with milk? I figured milk was definately not a good idea.
Thanks for all your advice, much appreciated
Clare xx

[lurcherlot]

I wouldn't feed Weetabix Grommit - dog food manufacturers create a balanced diet, which is what you need .... a good quality complete food, fed twice a day should keep your hounds fit and healthy I add a little oily fish a couple of times a week, leftovers when you have any or a little tinned meat, to make their food a bit more interesting.

[lurcherlover]

Some dogs can't tolerate wheat which may give sloppy poos. I feed mine on James Wellbeloved.IMO expensive but worth it.