Lady Hoop
Well-known member
Lady is approaching 8 months so I'm starting to become concerned with diet. As some of you know, I'm a first time puppy AND cavalier owner. Although this is a simple concern, I have read so many things regarding this transition period that I am truly confused and would like to get some suggestions.
Right now she is a little over 12 lbs and has a perfectly defined waist and seems to be of ideal size. She eats Blue Buffalo grain-free kibble. At 5 or 6 months I transitioned her from 1/4 a cup twice a day to 1/2 cup twice a day...she is still eating this amount and she eats at the exact same time every day. Her 'treats' consist of 1/2 calorie training treats every now and then (a whole lot less now that she'll do her 'tricks' and 'commands' without being enticed by treat), tablespoon's worth of peanut butter every once in a blue moon, bully sticks consistently, and a couple of carrots some days (recently I stopped because last time I fed her a couple of carrots she Exorcist-style vomited on us in the middle of the night :badgrin: - scared me!). Here's what I would like advice and clarity on:
- At her weight and being 8 months, has she more than likely hit both of her growth spurts already, or does it just depend on the pup? She gained about 2-3 pounds these past few weeks and out of nowhere became a "big girl" and really "filled out" - however, she is still accepting/eating, with no issues, the same amount of food...but I read that they will start showing disinterest with the normal amount of food they're used to at 7 months?! Was I misinformed in my reading?
- Is the same routine at 1/2 cup twice a day acceptable for past the puppy stage or should it be once a day? And at what amount? 1/2 cup? 3/4 cup?
- I read up on kibble grades and want to switch her to a better brand that I read about (Wellness or Innova). We usually buy large bags and store them sealed tight. Should we get the next large bag in puppy or adult? I know there is debate about this - would it be best to just wait until she's 1 year?
Switching gears a bit, I've noticed a rather hilarious behavior pattern from her. We have two very active, vocal, show-off, not-your-average cats and they are good friends with Ladybug. Our house is not large so they are in close quarters spending lots of intimate time together. I believe Lady has observed some of their cat behavior and deemed it acceptable.
This includes: walking on the back of the couches, attempting to prance on top of the kitchen table (this is new as of this week! we've spent years yelling at our cats to get off of counter tops and tables), and pawing! The pawing is actually rather comical and possibly a cavalier trait, I'm not sure? She will paw to get under the covers, pat or paw to reach something, paw at the couch and nibble on it where the cats are clawing (we have one chair that we said "to heck with it" and don't even bother yelling at the cats anymore), and if I approach her to put in her eye drops she will immediately try and swat me in the face (this one actually makes me mad...like a naughty two year old child!) I believe she gets the pawing from my Siamese - she pats and paws to indicate something or show she's ticked off.
Does anyone else with cats experience their cavalier mimicking their traits? I'm not really concerned, I just think it's amusing. We will have to figure out how to show her that most of it's not acceptable behavior from her because she's a pup...not a cat...although she sees them doing it every day :sl*p:
Right now she is a little over 12 lbs and has a perfectly defined waist and seems to be of ideal size. She eats Blue Buffalo grain-free kibble. At 5 or 6 months I transitioned her from 1/4 a cup twice a day to 1/2 cup twice a day...she is still eating this amount and she eats at the exact same time every day. Her 'treats' consist of 1/2 calorie training treats every now and then (a whole lot less now that she'll do her 'tricks' and 'commands' without being enticed by treat), tablespoon's worth of peanut butter every once in a blue moon, bully sticks consistently, and a couple of carrots some days (recently I stopped because last time I fed her a couple of carrots she Exorcist-style vomited on us in the middle of the night :badgrin: - scared me!). Here's what I would like advice and clarity on:
- At her weight and being 8 months, has she more than likely hit both of her growth spurts already, or does it just depend on the pup? She gained about 2-3 pounds these past few weeks and out of nowhere became a "big girl" and really "filled out" - however, she is still accepting/eating, with no issues, the same amount of food...but I read that they will start showing disinterest with the normal amount of food they're used to at 7 months?! Was I misinformed in my reading?
- Is the same routine at 1/2 cup twice a day acceptable for past the puppy stage or should it be once a day? And at what amount? 1/2 cup? 3/4 cup?
- I read up on kibble grades and want to switch her to a better brand that I read about (Wellness or Innova). We usually buy large bags and store them sealed tight. Should we get the next large bag in puppy or adult? I know there is debate about this - would it be best to just wait until she's 1 year?
Switching gears a bit, I've noticed a rather hilarious behavior pattern from her. We have two very active, vocal, show-off, not-your-average cats and they are good friends with Ladybug. Our house is not large so they are in close quarters spending lots of intimate time together. I believe Lady has observed some of their cat behavior and deemed it acceptable.
This includes: walking on the back of the couches, attempting to prance on top of the kitchen table (this is new as of this week! we've spent years yelling at our cats to get off of counter tops and tables), and pawing! The pawing is actually rather comical and possibly a cavalier trait, I'm not sure? She will paw to get under the covers, pat or paw to reach something, paw at the couch and nibble on it where the cats are clawing (we have one chair that we said "to heck with it" and don't even bother yelling at the cats anymore), and if I approach her to put in her eye drops she will immediately try and swat me in the face (this one actually makes me mad...like a naughty two year old child!) I believe she gets the pawing from my Siamese - she pats and paws to indicate something or show she's ticked off.
Does anyone else with cats experience their cavalier mimicking their traits? I'm not really concerned, I just think it's amusing. We will have to figure out how to show her that most of it's not acceptable behavior from her because she's a pup...not a cat...although she sees them doing it every day :sl*p: