[Sandi O]

My 2 1/2 year old lab was starting to creep up a bit in weight. He is good at 65-70 pounds and was approaching 75. My “guru” at the Animal House pet food store suggested that I use 1 Primal freeze dried nugget as a topper (he said that 1 nugget equalled 1/2 cup of kibble) and 1/2 cup of kibble per feeding. I feed my dog 3 times a day ……………… for a total of 2 1/2 cups of kibble. Using the above suggestion I have been using 1 freeze dried nugget and 1/2 cup of limited ingredient kibble for breakfast and supper along with 1/2 cup of kibble only for lunch. I can’t find this equation anywhere on line. Your input and suggestions on this would be greatly appreciated. I should note that I have been doing this for approximately one month and my dog is doing really good on it. He tolerates it well, hasn’t asked to be fed other than at his regular times and while he has only lost about a pound so far I have noticed that his waist line is much more defined.

Thank you,
Sandi O

[Patricia A]

Sandi I feed Primal freeze dried also as a topper to kibble for my Chihuahuas. If you go to Primal there is a calculator under F&Q column. You put in your dogs current weight then if you want weight lose, maintenance, gain etc. Then choose which protein/flavor he’s eating. I put your dogs weight in and checked weight lose. It came up with your dog needs approx 900 calories a day to lose weight.
So now you have to figure out calories from the kibble and the nugget to see if it comes close to that.
I also want to add that each flavor/Protein is different calories. I also go by dog food advisor who I believe rates the lower star flavor/proteins by protein to fat ratio. So I stick to the 5 stars which I believe he gives to the lower fat. However the CALORIES are different for each flavor/protein. So even though the lower fat might be better for dogs prone to pancreatitis, the higher caloreis in some of the flavors might induce weight gain if you don’t look at back of bag to adjust nugget for this.
So I broke it down for you which I did awhile ago for my two since the one eight year old gets chubby easily . Also I don’t give chicken since I boil my own for them as a topper . When I cook steak, fish etc. they get that as a kibble topper instead of the freeze dried.
I stick to the turkey/sardine, duck and at times rabbit. More calories with the duck so i give even less kibble. I also use Stella and Chewy’s in turkey and venison blend.
Here are the calories broken down to ONE nugget highest to lowest

Duck 51.6 calories per nugget 5* on advisor because I believe because of ratio of fat/protein
Beef 51.1″ ”
lamb 49
pork 44.5 5 star
qual 44.5 5star
rabbit 42.8 5 star
venison 42.8 5star
turkey/sardine 38.5 5 star
Hope this makes sense and I helped.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 9 months ago by Patricia A.

[Sandi O]

Patricia,

Thank you so much for the excellent and detailed breakdown. It made perfect sense and is very helpful and much appreciated. I truly didn’t expect this much help so quickly.

Sandi O

[pugmomsandy]

@sandi O:

Use body condition score over weight. Many of the pugs I’ve fostered came to me at a 9 or worse (one actually looked like a pig). I keep my pug at 4-5. Because I’m not the only that feeds him, if he starts looking like a 6, then I start reducing his intake and go over his feeding schedule AGAIN with his dad.

/dog-feeding-tips/dog-ideal-weight/

[Patricia A]

You’re welcome Sandi. I’m working on my one soon to be nine year old Chihuahua tying to slim her down a little also. Now that weather is nicer there are more walks so this will help. Just got to get my hubby to stop sneaking her pieces of cheese. lol. I also cut down on the little kibble I do give with the topper. Just want to see more of a waistline with her and keep her a healthy slim weight.
You’re right PUgmomsan about going by body condition instead of trying to count calories. I just needed to know which of the proteins/flavors is even a little lower in calories so I can rotate more of that one for the chubby one. They are small dogs so every bit helps. I look at her from the top and want to see that she’s losing the side budge on each side. She’s looking better now that I have big note on refrigerator that says NO CHEESE for Tia! give her a stringbean!!!!!!! lol

[pugmomsandy]

@patricia a: I don’t weigh my pugs except rarely. They stay around 22-24 lbs which is heavy by standard. I will say that if I have an 18 lb foster standing next to my 20 something pug, they look the same except for mine have more muscle definition and they sure are strong. I always thought they were sled dogs in another life. They’ve been eating higher protein foods for years, including raw. I even put the fosters on a low carb, mod/high protein diet for weight loss.

[Sandi O]

Many thanks to both of you Pugmomsandy and Patricia! I actually do go by body condition as a rule and Eli was losing his waist definition and tone a bit so we weighed him and he had crept up from a defined waisted 65-70 lbs to 75-77 and his waist was getting pudgy. He is an English lab and shorter than others I have had in the past. Also is very barrel chested. A quick glance and steady observation gives me the red light that it’s time to check weight. I wanted to do it slowly and safely so with both of your input pretty much in line with what I was doing I am comfortable now. Pugsmomsandy, I have also gone with lower carbs and higher protein until his waistline is where it should be.

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