# Feed during winter ?



## Mach0 (Mar 28, 2010)

Just a quick question for the experienced folks- 

Who increases food during winter? Does the winter affect the feed amounts if the dog in an indoors dog?


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## davidfitness83 (Jul 7, 2009)

Brother if that gorgeous short thing lives indoors with you, you have no need to increase feed.


I haven't changed Bernie's feed at all and it has been cold as hell when we go out. I wouldn't change a thing if I was you. YOur dog is going to look sick by the summer.


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## MY MIKADO (Apr 7, 2006)

No you do not need to feed more to a basically indoor dog unless you are working them more outdoors like I have a friend that skijorns with her pit mixes and she need to increase their food. I increase the food amount to the outside dogs I also make sure that they get plenty of water so I cook up rice and I add that to their diet too I also give them a little more lard in the winter than in the summer but my inside dogs get taken careof the same year round.


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## k8nkane (Jul 9, 2010)

Kane is an inside dog and I've actually lowered Kane's food intake because he doesn't get outside as much for exercise.


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## Mach0 (Mar 28, 2010)

MY MIKADO said:


> No you do not need to feed more to a basically indoor dog unless you are working them more outdoors like I have a friend that skijorns with her pit mixes and she need to increase their food. I increase the food amount to the outside dogs I also make sure that they get plenty of water so I cook up rice and I add that to their diet too I also give them a little more lard in the winter than in the summer but my inside dogs get taken careof the same year round.


I work him out inside- only thing outside is weight pulling twice a week. 
Thanks


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## Mach0 (Mar 28, 2010)

davidfitness83 said:


> Brother if that gorgeous short thing lives indoors with you, you have no need to increase feed.
> 
> I haven't changed Bernie's feed at all and it has been cold as hell when we go out. I wouldn't change a thing if I was you. YOur dog is going to look sick by the summer.


I hope u meant good sick lol. Thank u


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## davidfitness83 (Jul 7, 2009)

Yes I mean sick in a very good way lol


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

Many indoor dogs need decreased food in the winter because they do not get out as much if it is cold. If your dog stays outside then they need an increase of food and added fat. They burn more calories keep warm when they stay outside. My kennel dogs stay outside in the kennels during the day and come in at night, they get added lard to the food to add fat. I have 3 indoor dogs who stay inside all the time and I decreased their food intake because they do not want to be out in the cold as much and they sleep more in the winter.
The best way to tell is look at your dog, does he look too thin then increase the food, too heavy decrease it. I vary how much the dogs eat depending on how they look. I change the amount all the time through out the year based on how they look and act.


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## Mach0 (Mar 28, 2010)

davidfitness83 said:


> Yes I mean sick in a very good way lol


Cool thank you


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## Mach0 (Mar 28, 2010)

performanceknls said:


> Many indoor dogs need decreased food in the winter because they do not get out as much if it is cold. If your dog stays outside then they need an increase of food and added fat. They burn more calories keep warm when they stay outside. My kennel dogs stay outside in the kennels during the day and come in at night, they get added lard to the food to add fat. I have 3 indoor dogs who stay inside all the time and I decreased their food intake because they do not want to be out in the cold as much and they sleep more in the winter.
> The best way to tell is look at your dog, does he look too thin then increase the food, too heavy decrease it. I vary how much the dogs eat depending on how they look. I change the amount all the time through out the year based
> on how they look and act.


Thank you
He doesnt get outside much so I supplement with more mill time. I'll keep yOur post in mind.


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## apbtmom76 (Nov 4, 2008)

My dogs are inside as well but I increase their feed in winter cause we work out more due to the weather and them being cooped up


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## Mach0 (Mar 28, 2010)

apbtmom76 said:


> My dogs are inside as well but I increase their feed in winter cause we work out more due to the weather and them being cooped up


:woof: happy doggies


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## 00 S/C Lightning (Apr 7, 2010)

I added 2oz of raw an chicken livers. Livers metabolize slower and onyx loves working that it helped him stay warm outside by adding the food. Early in winter I left feed unchanged but after seeing that amount didn't help and onyx was burning more fat than his diet had

He is solid now


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## Mach0 (Mar 28, 2010)

00 S/C Lightning said:


> I added 2oz of raw an chicken livers. Livers metabolize slower and onyx loves working that it helped him stay warm outside by adding the food. Early in winter I left feed unchanged but after seeing that amount didn't help and onyx was burning more fat than his diet had
> 
> He is solid now


Sweet deal- I love your dog btw


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

All my girl are almost getting twice as much kibble during the winter and there all indoor, but as I live in Florida there exercise increases quite a bit as they don't overheat as easily like they do in the summer months. There work outs have gone from tops 20-30 mins to 2-3 hours a day, so they get to looking like bone bag if they don't get that increase! Trust me it hurt, I am going through 26 cups of food right now between my girl and my current foster!


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## Mach0 (Mar 28, 2010)

26 cups ! Lol a week ? 

My GSD alone get 25 a week haha


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

ha it mainly my foster right now the big ol boy but still it hurts the pocket when you buy two 44lb of food look down 2 weeks later and there is nothing there :0 
but totally worth it for the cooler weather, this last weekend was perfect!!!!


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## Mach0 (Mar 28, 2010)

Aireal said:


> ha it mainly my foster right now the big ol boy but still it hurts the pocket when you buy two 44lb of food look down 2 weeks later and there is nothing there :0
> but totally worth it for the cooler weather, this last weekend was perfect!!!!


Lol there a dog food in Cali that's great !!! 20 bucks a 40 lb bag- Its good to the point that a 60 lb dog gets 2 1/2 cups a day lol. Not too shabby- it's got rice in it but gluten, corn, wheat free. Not bad but shipping to the east coast doesnt make it cost effective


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

Prob lol, ya my foster is over 100lb and under wt for now he is getting like 10 cups ugh he is not pooping to much so I know he is getting what he need and not to much. but it has to be the weather my 80lb girl norm only eats 2.5 cups a day but during the winter she has been getting 5+ and you can still see some bones I don't want to see, she is not really conditioned like cheza so it is not a good I can see ribs more sloppy you don’t feed your dog enough  so I am ever increasing the feed. But then she has not been totally right since she had her major sx where we had to cut her open pretty good


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## Mach0 (Mar 28, 2010)

Aireal said:


> Prob lol, ya my foster is over 100lb and under wt for now he is getting like 10 cups ugh he is not pooping to much so I know he is getting what he need and not to much. but it has to be the weather my 80lb girl norm only eats 2.5 cups a day but during the winter she has been getting 5+ and you can still see some bones I don't want to see, she is not really conditioned like cheza so it is not a good I can see ribs more sloppy you don't feed your dog enough  so I am ever increasing the feed. But then she has not been totally right since she had her major sx where we had to cut her open pretty good


Still a good amount- I forgot u work your dogs that out that much
You seem to do well


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

Aireal said:


> Prob lol, ya my foster is over 100lb and under wt for now he is getting like 10 cups ugh he is not pooping to much so I know he is getting what he need and not to much. but it has to be the weather my 80lb girl norm only eats 2.5 cups a day but during the winter she has been getting 5+ and you can still see some bones I don't want to see, she is not really conditioned like cheza so it is not a good I can see ribs more sloppy you don't feed your dog enough  so I am ever increasing the feed. But then she has not been totally right since she had her major sx where we had to cut her open pretty good


If you have to feed that much food you might need to look at switching food. Or you may need to increase the fat and not switch foods, if you are working dogs and feeding that much you can run the risk of torsion. What food do you feed? Have you tried adding lard or another fat instead of just increasing feed?


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

thanks Lisa but I perfectly content with what I feed  and the foster is not being worked that much as he is on a wt gaining diet at the moment once he has appropriate mass and muscle he will prob get a decrease of food just have to give it time he is also a XXL breed, and Lucy is not a pit but a American bulldog as well so bit larger amount of food is to be expected but thank you for your concern


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## davidfitness83 (Jul 7, 2009)

What is the foster pictures please


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## Sampsons Dad (Jul 4, 2008)

Mach0 said:


> Just a quick question for the experienced folks-
> 
> Who increases food during winter? Does the winter affect the feed amounts if the dog in an indoors dog?


My dogs eat twice as much in the cold weather.


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

davidfitness83 said:


> What is the foster pictures please


lol I will PM you some when i get a chance, i try to keep my fosters off this forum


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## Firehazard (Dec 4, 2009)

Dammmmot! ya'll beat me to it.. LOL jk :goodpost: Mikado/PK!! That sums it all up... Great info, to a great question..


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