redangel Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 (edited) ]My friend has a 12mth old entire male toy breed. He has a tendency to be food fussy, has excellent coat and is average active. When you pick him up he is light..like a a bird. He has no "body" his hip/backbone is clearly felt. How do you put weight on an otherwise heathy young dog? His owner is concerned of the perception people get when they give him a pat...she has tried some methods but to no avail.. Edited April 21, 2009 by redangel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APBT Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 if its a toy breed its not going to be big and heavy, most people have this thing in there mind that dogs should be kept chubby ect, most peoples dogs i see are fat. if he is healthy and active your mate has no worries, the best looking dogs and longest living dogs ive seen have lived of the minimun required food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 How many times a day is he fed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puggy_puggy Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 What breed? People have the perception that pugs should be fat which is very wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redangel Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 (edited) What breed?People have the perception that pugs should be fat which is very wrong. It is a toy poodle. I good coverage where you want to just feel the ribcage when you pass your hand over the dog is ok..but this dog is light....you can feel the dogs induvidual ribs when holding it and the lower backbone/hip joint are visibly protruding. The vet agrees he is light on but all is perfect physically. There is just no substance to this dog which is notable in other examples of the breed. He is fed morning/night with food avail all day...he eats like a bird also. Was hoping for a calorie high/low amount suggestion perhaps. Edited April 21, 2009 by redangel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisovar Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 What breed?People have the perception that pugs should be fat which is very wrong. It is a toy poodle. I good coverage where you want to just feel the ribcage when you pass your hand over the dog is ok..but this dog is light....you can feel the dogs induvidual ribs when holding it and the lower backbone/hip joint are visibly protruding. The vet agrees he is light on but all is perfect physically. There is just no substance to this dog which is notable in other examples of the breed. He is fed morning/night with food avail all day...he eats like a bird also. Was hoping for a calorie high/low amount suggestion perhaps. I would not leave food with him all day, I would offer him his meals twice a day, if he doesn't eat them take them away and do not give him anything till the next meal time. Nutrigel or Nutripet paste will often perk the appetite, it is a high calorie supplement paste in a tube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 What is he being fed- and what muscle-building exercise does he get? How much walking/climbing etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redangel Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 (edited) What is he being fed- and what muscle-building exercise does he get? How much walking/climbing etc? He is fed chicken/vege mix with flax and grain, fish with vege and grain, occasional petloaf, roo mince with veges. Dry food is evo...avail as he pleases. Oh and the occasional roast beef/table food. He has a morning /evening walk with play activity (fetch) as exercise. He loves to jump and moves faster than any rabbit I know! Edited April 21, 2009 by redangel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pebbles Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I had a Min Pin like that. Was he tested for pancreas problems? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Lamb is good for putting on weight but I have a feeling that age is what this boy needs. My guess is that once he's fully filled out, he'll put on a bit of substance. My Darcy was very light on until about 18 months of age. There are some really slender toys around.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 As a breeder I have had experience with many different types of eaters and totally agree that in this case food should not be left out all day. If the dog is healthy, and it seems that he is, then strange as it may seem, these dogs do better if they are kept a little on the hungry side to start with and then fed just enough to keep them a bit hungry until a good eating pattern can be established. In fact I would be inclined to withhold food for 24hours initially and then start on the new feeding regime, however most pet owners do not like to do this because they feel sorry for the dog. IMO it is better to address the problem now and get the dog eating well rather than let it go on like it is. Time for some tough love I think! And also, dogs will eat better after a bit of exercise, so start taking it for a daily walk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerJack Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 I have a male chihuahua like this. He loses weight easily and doesn't always want a meal when its offered. I keep satin balls in the freezer and every now and then he gets those added to dinner for a few days (after he finishes the main meal.) They work well to get some cover on his bones and he does love them too. Far too rich to feed exclusively but they are a great calorie rich addition to his normal diet. Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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