[Patricia A]

I need my 6 year old chihuahua has gained weight since I switched to freeze dried toppers. I always gave Fromm kibble mixed with health extensions canned as a topper. I wanted something better for topper so went with Stella Chewy’s freeze dried and Primal turkey and sardine. . Within the last year she has gained weight. I’ve cut down the kibble and give her less then is advised on the freeze dried. Been looking at recently the Stella Chewy’s fat is 53% according to advisor. protein is 35 and carbs 11. I know lower carbs are a good thing and fat should be higher but it seems like 53% is very high. Please any advice would be much appreciated. Going nuts with research. I read on the advisor reviews under Primal and Stella’s that given the fat content food is not suitable for all dogs. So only VERY active dogs would do well and maintain ideal weight on even toppers of these brands? I researched that a 5lb dog needs approx 200 calories. So Stella’s Freeze Dried patties are approx. 60 calories per patty . A quarter cup of fromm is 102 calories. They get 1 1/2 patty of Stella’s and 1/4 cup fromm a day. This adds up to 192 calories a day.Also give in-between a little boiled chicken/sweet potato/ string beans/raw carrots/bannana etc as treats. Any advice please. I really love the idea of a five star topping but maybe it’s not for them.

[pitlove]

Hi Patricia-

If she is not getting a lot of excerise and is perhaps getting too many calories/fat on top of that, that is likely why she is gaining weight. You will need to find out exactly how many calories per day she needs to eat based on her activity level and see if you are over feeding her.

Here is a good link for you: /dog-feeding-tips/dog-food-calculator/

All the snacks she is getting aside from the string beans are going to add up in calories as well if she is not active.

[Patricia A]

Thank’s for the link. It’s been a LONG winter in the east so walks haven’t been daily. I have three Chihuahuas’. My Hannah will be 16 in June. So not switching her Fromm with canned topper. She is still spunky and I sneak her a little more special treat of steak or fish when we have that for dinner . My Tia will be eight and is the one that’s chubby. Maybe about a 1 1/2lbs. over which makes a difference on a small dog. My problem started with my three year old who started putting her nose up at her kibble/canned topper. When I would turn my back Tia would gobble hers too. Or I would hand feed her the first bites and she would start to eat then I would come back to room with Tia eating the rest. So hence the weight gain also. So decided on the fromm with Stellas. So with calculator It said 204calories for 5lb dog . So Fromm is 408 per cup. Want to keep the kibble limited so they’ll get 1/2c for 50 calories which leaves me 150 more. The Stella’s beef patties are 75 per patty. So I think they need 2. Ten calories lower but they do get a little boiled egg in morning also. YEEEESH..I didn’t worry about my kids diet when they were young so much. I really need some grandchildren . lol

[Author]

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