Dogue De Bordeaux

[KatrinaM]

Your local RSPCA has done some pretty horrible things to dogs and their owners in the past - I guess you have to work out if you feel you cant approach her owners is if she is better off there or better off in the hands of the RSPCA. Its a pretty hard call without knowing all the facts.

[Dogsrawesome]

I know what the rspca has been like in the past i have heard stories etc. Thats why i asked is there someone else i can contacts because i feel as though i cant go up to this house. I dont live in the safest area so i dont think its safe for me to go up to this house.

[Kavik]

My GSD has skin problems and I always think he looks pretty manky and somewhat thin regardless of what I do I am always worried that people think I don't care for him when I take him out on walks He eats over twice as much as my much more active and younger competing Kelpie.

[perrin]

if she's had a litter they've probably sucked her dry.

Yup my mare was like this recently.

My foal was looking lovely and healthy but she was getting thinner and thinner even though she was having 4 hard feeds a day plus hay ad lib. In the end on the advice of the vet i weaned early.

My mare is just starting to pick up now and fill out.

However i am a chicken too and probably wouldn't approach the neighbours for fear of getting abused. Can you just keep and eye on the dog to see if it gets better?

[ozjen]

Many years ago I owned a Golden Retriever and no matter how much I fed him (and he was fed enough to keep a Great Dane happy) he looked like something out of a concentration camp. It was embarressing when we went out because people would glare at us as we had one dog that was a little overweight and Dylan who looked like he was in need of a feed. Vets were not able to determine why he looked like this but he was healthy in every other respect and had plenty of energy, these days I ofter wonder if he had a Celiac disorder as he was on a kibble diet or wether the fact that he loved to pick grapes of the vine caused it (back then we didn't know about grapes and dogs). Unfortunately back then we didn't have the benefit of the internet and were limited to the vets knowledge at the time.

In the photo he looks miserable because he did not like having to stay in one spot for the photo, usually he was a happy, dopey big lug with endless energy and a love of cuddles.

So while your concern is not a bad thing don't be too quick to judge this dogs owners, there may be a valid reason behind the dog's condition.

[Animal House]

It's a tough call.

The dog may have had pups, been ill, having a hard time keeping weight on, or they could be neglecting her.

Maybe keep an eye on her if you can, and if things go down hill, call the rspca and ask them to check on the dog?

I've got a Staffy who can lose weight (and get quite ribby) in a couple of days, she has food/skin allergies, and trying to keep the balance right is really hard.

Plus the fact that she doesn't sit still for very long, she'd play ball all day if she could.

At the moment, she is a bit light on (and all muscle) because I was trying her on a new dog food that was recommended for dogs with allergies (mixing it in with her Optimum) and that set her back in a matter of 3-4 days.

I don't think I'd like it if someone came to my door and said my dog was too skinny, but if they started up a conversation about Staffies/my dogs in general, and in a roundabout way asked if they were naturally lean dogs, I'd be more than happy to explain why she is a bit ribby.

Good luck with it, it is nice to know there are people looking out for dogs, because for every person who says "mind your own business it might just have whelped etc etc", there is a dog out there who no one notices or cares who is severely neglected...just look in the rescue section.

[Animal House]

Sorry, double post.

Edited March 16, 2011 by Cazablanca

[Guest Ams]

I have had a friend go and check this dog out this morning. Owners weren't home but dog was asleep on a hammock bed on under cover deck. In her opinion (which I trust implicitly) the dog is lean but not skinny, ribs could not be seen, no pups could be seen or heard.

Now it was raining so the dog was not inclined to get up off its bed (did so eventually but took some convincing to make it) so vision was not great. As persons were not home she was not able to strike up a conversation. She has said she will revisit in a week or so to keep an eye on the dog and reassess but in her opinion the dog looks reasonably well looked after at this stage and does not warrant a report to RSPCA.

I hope this is acceptable to those concerned for the dogue. My friend only lives a short distance away and will keep checking back in.

**just for clarity my friend did not go onto the premises and observations were made from the street. There is a six foot colourbond fence around the property so dog could only be seen when it was on the deck.

[Dogsrawesome]

I have had a friend go and check this dog out this morning. Owners weren't home but dog was asleep on a hammock bed on under cover deck. In her opinion (which I trust implicitly) the dog is lean but not skinny, ribs could not be seen, no pups could be seen or heard.

Now it was raining so the dog was not inclined to get up off its bed (did so eventually but took some convincing to make it) so vision was not great. As persons were not home she was not able to strike up a conversation. She has said she will revisit in a week or so to keep an eye on the dog and reassess but in her opinion the dog looks reasonably well looked after at this stage and does not warrant a report to RSPCA.

I hope this is acceptable to those concerned for the dogue. My friend only lives a short distance away and will keep checking back in.

**just for clarity my friend did not go onto the premises and observations were made from the street. There is a six foot colourbond fence around the property so dog could only be seen when it was on the deck.

Awesome thanks so much hope she is just lean then.