Weird Question....Dog Size

RoostersMom · Post by **RoostersMom** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 1:11 pm

Does anyone have any literature or know of studies that would show that a puppy raised inside with multiple feedings per day will grow larger than it would have if it were raised outdoors in really cold winter conditions and fed once a day?

I'm interested in real observations or studies that would show that the pup with less physical stressors would grow to be larger.

Intuitively, I guess it would be possible that the dog with more physical stress might be stunted, but I don't know how true that is. Any information would be appreciated.

Del Lolo · Post by **Del Lolo** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 3:50 pm

Rate of growth is determined by nutrition.
Final size is purely genetic.

TraditionsGSPs2010 · Post by **TraditionsGSPs2010** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 10:39 pm

so admittedly this may be a bit of a stretch but may help...

My neighbor adopted two kids from Haiti a few years back. They were a brother and sister. The kids were 6 and 3 when they finally made it stateside. To say the least, they had been raised in deplorable conditions including one meal per day. They were way undersized when they got here. The little girl, who couldn't have weighed 30 pounds, sat down at her first meal and polished off an entire box of eggo waffles by herself. Over the next couple of years they made serious strides in growth but the doctors all agreed they would never reach what they were genetically capable of getting to due to the malnutrition at such a young age.

The family moved away so I will never know how those kids finish up but I do believe the poor hand those kids were dealt as infants will forever effect (affect?) their physical development. I would bet it would this apply to all animals who were severly malnurished.... severly being the key word here.

Like I said, maybe a bit of a stretch...

dog dr · Post by **dog dr** » Tue Dec 31, 2013 7:58 am

I dont know if the number of times fed per day has any effect on their ultimate development, as long as they are getting a sufficient number of calories and quality calories. The body adapts to make the most efficient use of the food it consumes. Is being outside versus inside a stressor? depends on what kind of shelter/facilities they live in. Even in the coldest weather, if a dog can be kept dry and insulated from the wind and the ground, they will be perfectly fine. I would bet that unless there is a huge difference in the number and quality of calories, or one dog is put into just really deplorable conditions, you wouldnt see much difference in size between outside vs inside, etc. Just my opinion.
We do know for a fact that neutering prior to physical maturity will cause the bones to grow longer and result in a bigger framed animal, in any species.

Frankug · Post by **Frankug** » Tue Dec 31, 2013 10:45 pm

Seems to me Del Lolo is correct. Size is genetic. Nutrition will determine if he reaches that genetic potential. But having raised a lot of dogs, you seem to have two dogs on different extremes. I mean the one inside getting fed three times a day is going to have some problems developmentally as well. He is fat and that has affects too. The one outside, if getting enough calories, might be better off. Depending on winter conditions, I live in Georgia and winter here rarely gets life threatening to a dog. If your talking a Michigan winter, that poor little booger might freeze to death. Not really answering your question though. Maybe a happy medium would be better start him out indoors and getting three meals a day right after weaning but after a couple of weeks give him two meals and day and start taking him outside. Few weeks later, six months maybe, give him one meal a day and get outside more and more. I DO NOT want to start a puppy rearing debate on your thread, but just kind of want to get that cold dog inside. For a while anyway.

cutty72 · Post by **cutty72** » Wed Jan 01, 2014 9:25 pm

My lab (Jozie) and GWP/lab cross (Luci) both live outside. They have a well insulated house that they can go into, but it is not heated except for their body heat and the heated water bucket.

Jozie is ~62 lbs
Luci is ~70 lbs.
Both dogs are fed once a day.

Luci's brother is ~85 lbs, is in the house from 5 pm to 6 am or so and out the rest of the day.

Jozie's sister is strictly a pet, in the house, ~68 lbs.

Are the weight differences due to living conditions? Who knows.

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