Is My Boxer X Mastiff Underweight?

[peibe]

I personally do not like Bonnie for pups, I had a large bag donated through rescue for some pups I had and it gave them the smelliest fouliest poos ever

I prefer Advance Puppy growth, about $90 for a 15kg bag but will last you a month or two for one pup

I cannot explain the rice and veges question only that I follow the barf diet and my dogs are healthy, happy, great coats and clean teeth

Also something to think about, the more natural the diet the less that comes out the other end

and I agree CV Pal is the worst

[The Greatest Dane]

Just a couple of things.

With eggs... I used to feed them whole and raw into the food. Then I read somewhere (either the white or yolk, can't remember which) raw can stop the dog absorbing a certain vitamin. I can't find the info, but do a search on it and see what you find.

Also NEVER let her eat avocado or chocolate.

Royal canin baby dog, puppy etc large breed or giant. I havn't tried it but it is spose to be very good.

I feed Eukanuba but am looking around for something else. It is a good food, but I want to switch to something organic.

Be careful of her joints. She is very cute. However just from the pic (please don't take offence) she does look a little out of proportion, her back looks rather short. Keep an eye on her as she grows to make sure everything straightens out and that she develops properly.

Good luck!

[PAX]

In regard to worming, what did you worm your pup with.

You should worm her with an 'allwormer tablet form' such as Drontal. A lot of people use puppy worming syrups which in my experience is next to useless in older pups. Also you will need to worm her once a month until she is six months old, then every three months after that. You will need to weigh her before each worming so you give her the correct amount.

Eggs are fine as long as you feed the whole egg and not just the white.

[Hazz]

Rice, pasta etc (grains) in my opinion is useless nutritionally but many people use it as a 'filler'.

Fruit and veg (if pulped to the point that the cellulose in the cell wall is broken) can provide your dog with essential vitamins, instead of having to add 'chemical' vitamins in powder form.

grating and chopping fruit/veg is a useless exercise as the dogs body can not break down the cellulose which forms the cell wall in plant matter.

Also cooking fruit/veg/meat also makes the feeding of the home diet is not worth the effort as enzymes are denatured at 40 degrees thus rendering the products nutritionally useless your your dog.

edited to add: I agree with Pax make sure you've wormed her with a all wormer tablet rather than a puppy suspension

Edited August 4, 2006 by Hazz

[shekhina]

Bonnie dog is pretty cheap

for 20kg's it is only $30-$35

i also use it for my dogs... but you don't need the working dog... you can use the

bonnie complete

HOWEVER... while she is a puppy maybe you would be best to go for a special PUPPY food.

I am not sure that Bonnie do one.

Bonnie do have a puppy food, although I only used it once.

I have chosen Bonnie Working Dog over the Adult Complete because the Complete formula has changed to using chicken and grains. Working dog is still based on roo meat.

[bilby]

I just had to come in to see the photos after reading your other thread.

She is GORGEOUS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I found the "what to feed" issue very confusing when I got Bouf. So many different opinions - all no doubt very valid for other dog breeds.

I was quite comfortable with knowing how to feed my retrievers, GSD's & collies, but did feel I needed "specialist" advice for Bouf as I'd never had a giant breed before.

NOT that I thought he would be a giant breed. ( Yes yes I know ... my 1st non-pedigree buy .. broke all my own rules)

His father was an English mastiff but his mother was smaller than a Lab .. I thought he'd take more after his mother .. or at least be somewhere between .. but he just kept growing taller & taller.

This English Mastiff site is a US site but the people are so very friendly & helpful ( even to a mutt X owner) & it might be useful ? They are just the loveliest bunch.

http://www.mastiffonline.com/

[bilby]

Oops .. forgot to add.

She does look thin to me, but I am NOT an expert so may be wrong.

Bouf was really chunky at 8 weeks but his mother was a Bmastiff cross, not a boxer.

[ls_l]

Wow, he is a cute chunky pups!!

I have changed her diet, lets hope she fattens up a bit ;)

Her mother is a boxer and a dad a Bmastiff, my pup seem to be getting the Bmastiff personality but the shape of a boxer...

[Staffy-Lover]

Thanks guys for that info on the veg pulping

CAN i ask ---- what do you use to pulp the veges? Obviously some type of blender but i am wondering what is the best brand etc in your opinion?

Edited August 6, 2006 by Staffy-Lover

[ls_l]

[a

tachment=46829:attachment]Ok here it is ;) just took some new photos of my sibe and of my boxer x Bmastiff :rolleyes:

NB. I can already see changes in my pups weight!! YAY!

[ls_l]

an

a couple of my pup :rolleyes: ;)

Will be taking some more when she isn't busy chewing!

[dogsong]

Ohh, LOVE your sibe! s/he has a nice smile!

[Nekhbet]

Because you dont know how the pup will turn out err on the side of caution. Boys can take a lot after their fathers too.

Mastiffs and other sold breeds NEED to be on the thin side. A lot of people told me I was starving my dog when I first got him because you could just see his ribs. These breeds are meant to be muscular NOT tubby, this leads to joint problems and pano (pains in the joints from growing) a heavy dog is a lame dog. If he's a bit ribby thats fine, as long as the nutrition is there.

Do not overdo the calcium or the protein. Two things that people think should be liberally added to a dogs diet but its very very important you dont just throw it in and hope for the best. Too much calcium can cause fur, joint and growth problems. Excessive protein can make the pup grow too fast and cause joint problems. Mastiffs are not adult till 3 years of age - dont be in a hurry to bulk up or grow the dog.

Limit exercise - no rough play, jumping onto/off things, running like a lunatic. Easy way to cause joint and growth plate damage which is VERY expensive to fix ir you can at all. Just short walks, slow steady pace.

Some people may not agree but I beleive that mastiffs and other bullys need to remain intact for a little longer then other breeds. I still have my boy entire (he is not going to be bred from at all but worked) and he is growing to be a really masculine looking dog. Solid, broad head, square set and courage. Its up to you but I would leave desexing till at least 9-12 months for the sake of bone and body development. But if you cant handle a pushy, stubborn dog that will challenge you through puberty then desex early.

Just as an example - I feed my mastiff Eagle Pack Adult, chicken necks/wings, lamb flaps, boiled veges and rice. The rice fills him up without too many extra calories.

[itsapittybaby]

I feed my boy Eukanuba dry food twice a day and meaty bones at night. (roo tails, lamb flaps, chiken carcasses etc etc)

and he has always been at a perfect weight, I agree with the other guys that it is very important to feed a good quality dry food.

My Arnie is nearly 12 months old and is still on puppy food, this is also important for growth and development.

Good luck with your baby, she is adorable!

[ls_l]

Thanks for your replies

I was actually wondering when to get her desexed, but didn't have the chance to asked....you answered without me asking

Ok, I thought that her frame was more boxer like, would the joint probs etc be a risk aswell?

Ta

PS. Nekhbet, she is a boxer x Bmastiff, would you have any idea of what her weight should be at 3 months?

[shekhina]

Don't go too much on actual weight...you should be able to see a waist line. Please don't try to put weight on a healthy puppy. Puppies, particularly large breed puppies, NEED to be kept lean to keep the strain off their continually growing joints.

[Hazz]

Although I'm not Nekhbet , unfortunately there's no charts to be able to say what weight a specific breed should be at a specific time.

I believe you should be able to easily feel the ribs by running your hands along her sides but not be able to see nor count them.

[Nekhbet]

With a cross breed you have no hope. But do the old hand test ...

run your hands along the dog and give it a good feel up check how the fat is going, how the muscle is developing. Just seeing the ribs too is not too big an issue, especially at the young age. But if they are prominent, and you start seeing spine/hips/pelvis the dog is starving. Her weight at the moment looks good.

This pup could develop more on the boxer or on the bullmastiff side. Who knows. But either way follow like you would a bullmastiff because that will not harm the pup at all, it will at least be in the large category. And I would continue on feeding the dog 2 meals a day even into its adult life to minimise the risks of bloat.

[ls_l]

Thanks very much for that.

I never owned this type of 'breed' before, I had German Sheperd before, but the last one I had had obviously been abuse by his previous owner, to the point that I was unable to do anything for him so this time I got a Sibe, and this little 'mutt' like hubby calls her .

I've bought the new Pedigree Natural, the price of BARF where I live is quite expensive, and I didn't find the Nutro or Eagle Pack, I also buyu plenty of raw stuff for them aswell, which they love greatly.