Grow Them Slow...

[KitKat]

I took my furball in to the vets to get his last needle and he weighed in at 21kg's, hefty at 14 weeks. Now the vet was going on about how huge he was going to be, how good he was looking, how happy he was that heavy but lean with it (can find the ribs under the fur) etc etc. Then he started on me about not letting him grow too quick as it will cause all sorts of problems for the dog (i did know this) and if there is even a slight limp or such to get him to the vets quick smart.

Now...i've been working/feeding to the idea of growing him lean and slow, but i'm now curious to find out what that means to different people? and how does one tell with a growing pup, that's likely to be on the big side of things anyway? He is growing in proportion to his siblings after all...is that what i work by?

So how does everyone else sort this thing out?

Kit

[debazen]

When we got our Dane puppy we were given strict instructions by the breeder on the feeding requirements of a giant breed puppy,

A low protein diet was a must when growing,and to keep them lean, so as not to cause to much stress on those young growing bones,

It sounds like your vet is on the right track, and has a good knowledge of large , giant breeds,

Just keep your puppy lean, and no forced excercise while young and your pup should grow up strong and sound,

What breed is he ??

Susan

[KitKat]

Bronx is a GSD, and he will be on the bigger end of the scale for the breed. He is fed mostly on BARF with kibble thrown in for some meals. he has started his formal training but he's not doing any real 'forced' excercise, just playing silly buggers with me and the other dogs.

My vet knows me and has been looking after my older dog for a few years now...it just thru me when he started treating me as if i had never owned a dog before, let alone a large breed one (my other boy is a rotti x). So i just thought i'd pose the question.

Kit

[aatainc]

at 14 weeks 21kg I'd be concerned actually. i"ve got a 14 week old pointer here and he's only about 10kg. Now pointers are a bit smaller than GSD's and he's a bit on the skinny side, but 21kg is a lot!

Kibble can make them grow too fast as it's too concentrated. I would remove that. if I were you, and perhaps cut down on his food just slightly overall.

[Cordelia]

My Dane Gen has been grown slowly. As Luvmydane said...... low protein diet.

Gen was fed totally fresh food until she was about 18mths old. Have only recently started her on dry food.

Her weight last Friday was 48.7kg. She a tall girl but finely built for a Dane. (not German type).

She turned 2yrs last week so will pretty much spend this year filling out a bit more (may grow a bit more but it won't be much).

[Akitaowner]

Hi Kitkat

well i was struck by similar problems when i got Mav (akita) last may - i was told by various people and lots of reading that i needed to keep his weight down while he was little -

what weight are u expecting him to be as an adult - (i dont know much about GSD) but Mavs supposed to be 55-60kg hes 8 months and 36kg now he was 5kg at 8 weeks - i must say that i would be worried (without trying to alarm ) that hes only 14 weeks and that much if memory serve when Mav went for 16 weeks jab was 17kg

now this all maybe just that u have a big pup or heavy breeding lines generally i feed less now than when he was 6 months just coz he doesnt eat it all if i give him more but then he has no competition at our house - if hes happy and playful i wouldnt worry too much there are worse things that can happen

but basically if they get overweight as bubs their forming bones and growth plates are put under excess stress the same with exercise - until recently i didnt really take mav for walks everyday except to socialise and then we usually just went and sat somewhere - hes quite happy exhausting himself playing in the garden!!

theres heaps of other things i can think of but im sure ur bored already.....

hope some of that was useful....

edited to add...Mav was often stiff in his back legs while growing - sort of 16-36 weeks breeder said not to worry just growing pains like a child - could be as bad to make them lame (he was never that bad just a bit stiff - so would u be if u slept on the floor!!!)

Edited November 24, 2004 by Akitaowner

[FHRP]

I have found a BARF diet grows pups slowly. Although I don't have any giant breeds, I have grown from medium to large size dogs on the diet. All the pups have matured slower, being smaller than either litter mates, or others of similar age in the show ring. I was actually concerned with both the Whippet and the Spinone that they were going to be somewhat small and lanky, but both have filled out nicely and are neear top size for their standard!!! I always keep pups lean too, oh and my adult dogs

[MonElite]

I have a medium size dog and a final weight as a grown up is around 35-40kg - I'm guessing simmilar for a GSD.

My dog weigh 15kg at 15 weeks, 16kg at 16weeks etc for a long time this trend continued. It was also 15 weeks 15 chicken necks for lunch etc.

I would be worried that a dog is 21kg at 14 weeks - not your breed...

[KitKat]

Well Bronx was 11kgs at around 7 weeks, 16kg's at around 11 weeks and now 21kg's at 14 weeks. His lines kinda progam him to be a big boofy GSD and he has never looked (by pass all the fur) pudgy, he still has a skinny butt and if you run your hands down his sides you can feel his ribs nicely. He has only in the last week or two started getting puppy kibble with his barf, and it's certainly not as much as the packet says...lol. His paws are about the same size or slightly bigger then the palm of my hand I've been told he has Malamute paws...lol . Also since i took the furball home he has visited his breeder each fortnight and she has said that he was growing nicely and is looking good. Bronx isn't a guts and doesn't eat everything put in front of him (thank goodness) as my other dog would, once he has had enough that's it and it's not often he gets that round belly look after a meal either.

And thanks everyone...keep it coming

Kit

[aatainc]

yeah, the growth rate is definitely too fast. 5 kg in 3 weeks!

I would seriously cut back on the protein.

[MolassesLass]

So what are the low protein BARF foods? I know lamb is off the list, but what else? And any vegies or anything that should be avoided?

I've never had anything but BCs and although we like to keep them lean while growing they wouldn't have ever been much skinnier than Bronx looks (but they didn't put 5kg on in 3 weeks either!).

[Ashley]

WOW 21 kg for 14 weeks

My boerboel puppy weighed 22 kg @ 14 weeks.

I started feeding him Advance Growth and he was putting on 4 kg a week.

So I quickly changed him over to Eukanuba ( sp ) Puppy.

And he dropped to gaining just on 1 kg a week.

I have kept him as lean as I could, because I have been concerned with his hips.

You can see his rib cage, but he is not all bone.

mmmm -- As for how much is enough and how little is not enough.

Prob a bit hard to give amounts, but if you are feeding dry, just go by the directions.

But I am sure you will know, just by knowing your dog..

Good Luck and Take Care.

Ashley...

[Akitaowner]

i think this may just be a breed line thing - if ur breeder isnt worried? i know my lines should keep my boy a little late in developing so he wont have all his bulky weight until hes about 18 months which he is just starting to get i started on kibble diet as that was what he came on and i didnt want to change to quick but hes on barf now almost still has kibble for brekkie with sardines!! he has alot less bark stuff weight wise than i used to give kibble

sounds like hes doing fine - prob just big big for his age - how does his size compare to other GSD pups of a similar age ill message u with a paper i found...

edited to add - just put 2 and 2 together in the photo forum......he def looks older than 14 weeks??? esp compared to the rotti(?)

Edited November 24, 2004 by Akitaowner

[KitKat]

Bronx has just started to lose the softer puppy features and get a more mature look about his face, and his adult teeth are just starting to peep through. He see's his brother roughly every Friday night at training and Bronx is just a tad smaller, as always, and each time he has seen his sister he is a bit more then a touch bigger then her, once again as always.

As to Harm...well he weighed in at 37kg's which is a nice weight for him, he is 8yrs old and crossed with a lab (best guess). Harm isn't a particularly big boy, more like a lab in rotty fur. Bronx is just shy of being the same size as the rescue border collie that is living with us at the moment.

The kibble he is getting is supercoat puppy and the bag says he should be getting around 600grams a day from memory, which i though was too much when i saw a days ration in a bowl, lol, but it's neither here nor there since he is fed mostly barf.

Akitaowner - thanks for the PM, i'm just about to reply

[Dogsfevr]

If you have regular contact with the breeder & the vet is experienced in this type of area than dont worry ,without any of us seeing the pup who are we to say 21 kilos is to much.

Yes you dont want the pup to grow to fast but you also need to nourish the needs of a young growing dog.

Sounds like your vet is very good & the fact you see the breeder is great .

dont worry to much just be vigiliant & any signs of probs get them seen to asap

[KitKat]

thanks for that.

Ok...I think i'd have to ask the same question as Molasseslass, what out of the raw foods needs to be limited? Bronx plays all day with Harm...well annoys Harm till he gives in and plays, with naps through out, so he isn't an inactive pup. But what shouldn't he be getting in his barf diet?

I'll try and get a wet/bath shot of him this weekend, it's hard to 'see' thru his thick coat.

Thanks

Kit

[Kavik]

When Diesel was a pup the local vet kept saying how big he was going to be. I saw his brother at training, and he was always smaller than his brother. He is now 10 months and only 25kg! Some people say he is still going to be big, but I think he is going to be on the small side for a GSD!

Diesel gained quite a bit of weight at first, but the rate dropped off. I was feeding kibble, but now feed BARF. Don't know if there is a connection as this is my first attempt at feeding BARF. I keep Diesel pretty lean. Actually trying to put a bit of weight on him at the moment. Will weigh him on the weekend. He spends most of the day running around the yard with Zoe.

If he is in proportion and his lines are big and he is lean, I wouldn't have a problem with it. One of Diesel's uncles is around 50kg, although he is a bit on the heavy side.

[Acacia]

Sorry but since the topic is relevant and all i just wanted to ask a question...

My mixed breed pup is almost 19 weeks and he weighs 10 kg, he is gaining about 1.5 kg a week. Is this okay? I think he is going to be medium size when he is older but when he has a growth spurt he looks really lean and lanky and then he fills out, he also has really big paws (about 5.5 cm wide) and chunky legs and ppl say he is going to be huge, but he is fairly old and at puppy school the labs are pretty big and chubby at 9 weeks. He is also 40 cm tall, What do you think?

[Cordelia]

If your pup is only 10kg at 19wks, there is no way he is going to be a large boy when he's fully grown.

He'll probably grow another couple of inches yet, but if he isn't underweight at 10kg, then I'd doubt he's going to be a solid set dog either.

[aus_k9gsd]

I fed my youngest German Shepherd barf from the day i brought him home, he had porridge in the mornings with yoghurt and honey and at night he had chicken wings bashed with a meat cleaver and mixed with veges and some suppliments like vit c, apple cider, cottage cheese, the cottage cheese idea i got from a US board they swear by it for growing puppies.