How Can I Put Some Weight On My Gsp?

[GSPVX]

Hi

I have a 5yr old GSP (neutered bitch) who is very tall and finely boned. She weighs about 27kg normally, but always looks skinny and underweight in that all her ribs show. She is perfectly fit and has no other health problems.

Winter is approaching, and I know that she does feel the cold (she is an outdoor dog) and I feel she ought to put on a little more bulk.

However, if I feed her more it just comes straight through and out the other end!

She (and her viszla x border collie mate) are fed on Supercoat and / or Proplan, supplemented with rice or pasta, sardines, mince or roo meat plus bones and chicken wings, and whatever the kids turn their noses up at (lol)

Any thoughts, anyone? Thanks.

[puggy_puggy]

Sounds like she is not digesting her food if it is just passing through her. She could have a food intolerance or maybe be lacking digestive enzymes.

I would cut out the pasta and rice if you are feeding dry food.

[Dogsfevr]

We find many GSP have trouble maintaining weight & the problem as you have found increase the food & they get the runs.

Personally i find pasta & rice a total waste.Supacoat never seems to do anything for any dogs we have tried it on.

We do use proplan but some are better for weight but having said that neither biscuits may suit this girl.

Roo meat is great but being a lean meat i wouldnt use it for weight but great for skin issues etc etc.

Mince depends if you mean the stuff for the supermarket.

I would find a stockfeed or similiarthat sells good pet meat especially mutton.

But some dogs can also havea food absorption issue & no matter what you feed they dont put weight on although there are products to assist

[BC]

Yep, pasta and rice are just fillers. No value in the diet. Try some lamb flaps with all of the fat left on them or put some puppy mince in instead of the roo meat

[TangerineDream]

I've found that pasta doesn't do anything, but rice with some oatmeal in it helps do the trick for my dogs. I feed chicken mince, dry food (Pal Natural fixed the Supercoat runs), rice & oatmeal and have to be careful how much I feed adult GSP's on because they do so well on it. I also add 2 scoops of Thrive D (online pet supply places have it) to Tango's tea daily and it helps improve the absorption of food amazingly and keeps motions in much better condition.....

[Joan of Arc]

Yep Lamb flaps and can I suggest two slices of wholemeal bread everyday. We had a very fine Lab girl and believe it or not we couldnt get weight on her. A dane breeder suggested the bread and it worked a treat.

[Danois]

Chicken carcasses!

I have huge troubles with Angs holding his weight and trying to get him to put it on and this is what I have been recommended along with cheap grade human mince (ie a couple of dollars a kilo stuff).

I have a fine balance between too much food (gassy) and not enough (drops weight).

[Poodle wrangler]

My larger 26kg poodle (vs. 7kg poodle) sounds similar to your GSP. If I feed him more Supercoat it all comes out the other end.

He also gets raw bones e.g. brisket, chicken wings etc. and more of these- up to about 40% of diet has settled things down.

I found Purina One (supermarket food) to be much better for a dry food in that low-mid price range. About $28 for 7kg.

I can feed the smaller one Supercoat with no issues at all .

Be aware NOT to feed really high fat foods like fatty offcuts- that sort of stuff can contribute to pancreatitis.

I agree to ditch the pasta/ rice. Dog is getting plenty of carbs from the dry food.