Feeding 2 collies, advice please.

Zimmerframe

I realise this is a "lazy thread" and I will do some "learning" later but for now, I have inherited the "looking after" two female (spayed) collie dogs approximately 10 years old and 3 years old.
They are two mates, happy together and have been taken to the vet and got all their shots taken care of. They get their exercise and all is OK apart from needing some feeding advice. They are a little overweight, but I'll sort that, need the exercise myself too.

I realise that finding the perfect feed might take trial and error but for a quick start, a few questions.


Recommend me a decent brand of feed ?


All dry feed or combined with tinned feed ?


and most importantly based on the recommended feed, how much and how often.

Any other advice gratefully accepted too.

Thanks

Hooked

Obviously one dogs meat is another dogs poison, and all that... And it very much depends on budget.

Grain free dry foods and RAW feeding being up there with the best of grub in my opinion.

In this house we have Markus Muhle (zooplus bought) kibble feeds in the morning and raw feeds in the afternoons. For the money, we find MM great value.

Works for our budget, feeding schedule and the dogs are both doing great on it.

Additionals include salmon oil (coat) natural yoghurt (tummy) and a big raw meaty brisket bone once a week for clean teeth, gums and (ahem) bums.

Poos are solid, weight consistent and all meals are hoovered up in seconds.

ShaShaBear

We had Shadow on Taste of the Wild salmon and he thrived on it. Got lovely and lean, his coat shone and his poo was much easier to deal with. Opie is on grain free James Wellbeloved and it seems to be the only food to date that agrees with him. Both border collies! It definitely depends, but it would be trial and error.

aonb

Grain free feeds will probably be recommended here for your two, to loose weight, and generally better in any case. I use James Wellbeloved too, and would use Markus Muhle or Taste of the Wild, but can only get them online, and Im down to 1 dog at the moment. The packages will have feeding instructions

+1 for Salmon Oil too. You might also consider glucosamine for your older girl - for joints. Exercising the10 year old overweight dog vs. the 3 year old overweight dog might be worth thinking about - until the older dog has dropped some of the weight, she might not be able to do as much as the 3 year old

As always, if changing brands of food it is very important to introduce a new food slowly/gradually so as not to cause havoc with digestion.

If they are not used to being walked regularly, you might find a harness better than collar/leash if they pull etc

Make sure you get yourself some comfortable footwear yourself and enjoy the exercise!!!!

mymo

I'm also feeding Markus muhle, and lukkulus wet food for smaller dog.
Since the weather is good you could try swimming to get some weight off the older girl, easier on her joints, where are you based! People can recommend good spots near you if you aren't sure.

Forgot to add, two meals for my two, go by weight they should be on feeding guide, and add a bit of veg to bulk it up and fill them up, mine love carrots and broccoli mostly, one loves spinach raw and peas raw (can't grow them in the garden without a fence)

Zimmerframe

The exercise is no issue other than getting me off my ass.
Live in the stix, old bog road beside us, no need for leads or harnesses as they are "used to" walking.
The main issue is they are overdone with kindness, as they sleep/stay in my parents house, scoff everything over there, then later, they arrive and camp out at my house just before I get home from work, get more treats from me.
Then they wait for my wife to get home and give her the "we are starved" eyes and get more treats from her.

So I'm trying to re organise them.

Nody

Can you get your parents & wife to switch to veggies for treats and perhaps pack their lunches for them (i.e. amount of kibble & treats) to control how much and what they are fed?