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Thanks so much Sedona! I will definitely go check out Canidae and keep an eye on her weight. While Jade's been on Solid Gold she has been in pretty good shape, but the massive poops and farts are just too much. Maybe her body just doesnt like the food because it is supposed to be a great dog food. Hm. I think Canidae is the way to go for her. Thanks again for your help! -Jade's Mom
That calorie equation doesn’t have much to do with types of food. It is an equation to help figure out the daily caloric expenditure for the average dog. The numbers may be high, low, or right on for some dogs. It’s only an equation meant to help, it’s not a rule. Just like in humans there are dogs that have really high metabolisms and some with really low metabolisms. The amount of calories a dog burns also depends on how much exercise a dog is getting. Say you had two identical dogs. One dog lies around the house all day and the other is working for 8 hours a day. Obviously the working dog would need more calories than the couch potato. If you’re dog is maintaining a healthy weight on the amount of food you’re feeding, continue to feed that amount of food. The equation is only a rough estimate of your dog’s daily caloric expenditure.
My post was only meant as an illustration about the price of food. I have no idea how many calories your dog needs to eat to maintain a healthy weight. The equation is only a guide. There are other equations out there that may be closer to your needs. Since every dog is different, we each have to find what works for our dogs.
So even if your dog needs more calories than the equation says, the point of my post still remains true. Instead of feeding Sedona 820 calories, let’s say I feed her 1500 calories a day (which would be an insane amount of food for her).
Orijen: 1500 * 0.0008817 = $1.32255 per day
1.32255 * 365 (one year) = $482.73
Beneful: 1500 * 0. 000542901 = $0.8143515 per day
0.8143515 * 365 (one year) = $297.24
Orijen – Beneful
482.73 – 297.24 = a difference of $185.49 per year, or $15.46 per month (really, it’s only a difference of $3.57 a week).
The expensive food (without by-products and chemicals) still isn’t all that much more expensive than Beneful.
You all might want to check out the above website. It uses basically the same formula, but adds an "activity factor" which you would multiply times the "resting" calorie needs to get calories needed depending on the activity level of your dog.
So for my 13 pound dog w/ a moderate level of activity I got around 400 calories per day. He is a normal weight and he eats 3/4 cup canidae; so about 360 kcal from dog food. Don't forget about treats, which he gets around 3 per day.
in the past we checked out a lot of those equations, and they give a general idea, but you can tell, I mean just keep an eye on your dog and you will see if they maintain, gain, or lose! We feed less than the equations say b/c well, we play and walk, but dont do lots of exercise, and we are the first dogs to go lay down! Daisy even lays down mid ball fetch sometimes.....bol! So, just use the equations as a guide, and watch y our dog and you'll be able to tell how to adjust!
thanks, and I was looking at someone's previous post on this thread. The '30kcal/pound' That works for my dog so it might be more valid for smaller breeds since small dogs burn more calories per pound than big dogs. That would equal about the same as I'm feeding her now.
When I read how much Kuma eats I almost passed out. Kuma, my mum would love to have your dog food bill! Wanna trade? We eat in a week, more than you eat in a year.
Oh, wow, Stitch!!! You eat in a week what I eat in a year!!!! Eeeeeek!!!
All I can say is to all you Dogsters who have to make many cuts in your other monthly spendings or other sacrifices to be able to feed top quality kibbles!!!
Okay I feed solid gold and I found out that it is 3900 kcal/1 kg. 3900 kcal=3900000 cal, 1 kg=2.20462 lb, and it is $41.99/33 lb. So does that mean it is 3900000 cal/2.20462 lb? Can some one help figure out the cal per lb? I'm good at math but not that good!
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-Jade's Mom 
what a great post!
Kuma, my mum would love to have your dog food bill! Wanna trade? 
We eat in a week, more than you eat in a year. 
You eat in a week what I eat in a year!!!! Eeeeeek!!! 
