Should I Give Large Breed Puppy Supplements?

[MelissaS]

Hi there

I have been the proud owner of a rescue pup for about 6 weeks now.

It has been such a long time since had a puppy as my other 2 are adult rescues.

I was just wanting to ask some advice on feeding and mainly if I should be giving him any supplements etc...

He is around 4-5 months old.I was told he was mastiff X but he is looking more and more Dane everyday.Much more Dane than mastiff.

He is really long and lanky and slim.

I feed him euk twice a day and supplement this with either fresh top grade mince or sardines or chicken necks.He gets a small bowl of puppy milk twice a day and usually a bone once a day or a full kong when I go to work.

I was told by rescue group that they fed him dry food and bones.No other details.

I was wondering if feeding twice a day is enough.I don't want to overfeed but he is so long and lanky that I don't want to underfeed.

Should I add Glucosamine / Chondroitin or fish oil or joint guard, MSN etc?

I read not to supplement with calcium.

Tried to look on dane thread but SO many pages.... lol

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.Thanks

[cassie]

Personally if he were my dog, I would swap him over to a dry food specifically for large/giant breeds. Eagle Pack or Royal Canin would be my first choices. I'm not a big fan of Eukanuba, although plenty of people feed it and their dogs do fine. If feeding a a dry food specifically formulated for large/giant breeds, you won't need to supplement with anything. This is my opinion, others still like to add things. As you already found out though, definitely no added calcium.

At his age, he WILL be very long/lanky/slim, it's just a gangly growth stage that large breeds/crossbreeds go through (Also known as the "Fuglies" )

Do away with the puppy milk, dogs do not need it Fresh clean water is the only thing he needs to drink.

Plenty of raw meaty bones are good for his teeth as well as his urge to chew! I'd be feeding him chicken carcasses rather than necks. Also look for a variety of other RMB's like cow necks, lamb flaps, brisket bones, turkey necks/wings/drumsticks, etc. Variety is the spice of life Keep up the sardines. A whole raw egg occasionally (shell included) is fine too.

I'm sure you will get much more advice also, the above it just my opinion and what I would do

Edited December 17, 2008 by cassie

[poodlefan]

Is he desexed?

[puggy_puggy]

I don't feed dry food but by the looks of things his diet seems fine. I wouldn't be adding supplements just making sure the dry food is a good one. Maybe ask in the Dane or Mastiff specific subforums what dry food others feed. Fish at least once a week is good.

I would be still feeding him 3 times a day if he is 4 months old. Probably would cut back to two meals a day at 7 months.

As cassie said may breeds of pups go through a lanky stage where they look all gangly. It's not untill they are mature that they fill out. Maybe you could ask in the Dane or Mastiff subforum about this as well.

[MelissaS]

Is he desexed?

Yes, he came from a rescue organisation and was desexed 3 days before I got him.

All my dogs are rescues and desexed.

Edited December 17, 2008 by MelissaS

[poodlefan]

Is he desexed?

Yes, he came from a rescue organisation and was desexed 3 days before I got him.

All my dogs are rescues and desexed.

He's been desexed very young and he's going to be a big boy.. he's now going to be taller and lankier than he may otherwise have been. He will be lacking hormones that would have bulked him up and his growth rate and duration will also be affected. However, there's no way I'd give him supplements unless a vet suggested it was necessary and supervised.

I'd give plenty of chicken wings, frames etc.. they have an ideal calcium phosphorus balance. If that's not to your liking a good brand of giant breed puppy food might be the go.

How prominent are his ribs.. can you see his spine?

Edited December 17, 2008 by poodlefan

[MelissaS]

Is he desexed?

Yes, he came from a rescue organisation and was desexed 3 days before I got him.

All my dogs are rescues and desexed.

He's been desexed very young and he's going to be a big boy.. he's now going to be taller and lankier than he may otherwise have been. He will be lacking hormones that would have bulked him up and his growth rate and duration will also be affected. However, there's no way I'd give him supplements unless a vet suggested it was necessary and supervised.

I'd give plenty of chicken wings, frames etc.. they have an ideal calcium phosphorus balance. If that's not to your liking a good brand of giant breed puppy food might be the go.

How prominent are his ribs.. can you see his spine?

Ah, this is really helpful & makes perfect sense.Thank you!

He looks like a cute mutant giraffe and clumsy :rolleyes:

No, you cannot see his spine or ribs.Just goes in slim towards back after ribs .He was awfully skinny when I got him.

Felt awful with everyone saying how skinny he was.After he was wormed and in the last few weeks looks a lot better.

Thanks cassie and puggy_puggy for advice.Seems chicken is a winner.

[Erny]

Be careful about rushing to put weight on an underweight large/giant breed puppy. The extra food you might give to put some flesh on his bones often will increase his growth spurt rate instead, and that's something you want to avoid.

Work slowly but gradually on the weight factor (if that's required). Proper bone development is essential. A weight increase of approximately 1 - 1.2 kg per week is what I aimed for with my youngster.

Edited December 17, 2008 by Erny