Yearling gsp too thin, Food question.

norcalshoot · Post by **norcalshoot** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 10:48 am

I have a year old male GSP that has always been on the thin side. I got him at 3 months and was skinny then. I have a hard time getting him to eat as much as i would like and have tried lots of different puppy foods and dog foods trying to get one he would eat better and put on more weight. Currently he is on Diamond Naturals that is 25/15 on the protein/fat.
When I got the pup the breeder advised that i did not give him a puppy food that had anything over 26% protein because higher protein could cause joint and bone development problems with a male pup.
For the eight months that I have had him I have always battled to get him to eat as much as i would like to and he is very inconsistent on the amount he does. I have tried solid gold wolf cub, taste of the wild in several different flavors, diamond puppy and two diamond adult dog foods.
Out of all of those he has always ate diamond adult dog food the best so that is what he has been eating for the last 4 months. I figured if he eats more of the adult food he would be getting more nutrients than if he is finicky eating puppy food with higher protein and fat??
He seems to put on some weight and look better if its raining for a few days and we stay inside, But as soon as he runs for a bit he seems to drop all the weight in about a day.
Now that we have been hunting some he seems to be a little low on energy too i think. He will keep running as long as we are out there but say he runs for 20 minutes for a short hunt when we get back to the truck he is beat and will just pass out.
in the last month I have been able to get him to eat probably 2.5 to 4 cups of food varying from day to day. normally you can see his rubs and vertebrae.
My question is is it safe or a good idea to feed him a performance food that is more dense now that he is a year old? Is the whole thing of feeding a pup low protein true? I can get diamond performance for a fairly good deal is in any good?
Thanks any tips would be appreciated

Cajun Casey · Post by **Cajun Casey** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 11:04 am

Can you get BilJac frozen food? Works great to hold and build weight when they are working.

Post by **ezzy333** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 11:16 am

Welcome to the board.

The first thing that hit me as I read your post is twice you make the statement your dog isn't eating as much as YOU would like. That is true but he is eating as much as he would like. At a year old he should be a little thin and probably not filled out yet or muscled to where he will be in another year. It concerns me that within this first year you have fed him a dozen different foods. At that rate he has not been on anyone of them long enough for you to even know what they would do. I do think you have fed some good foods and what you have found is what I always find also, it makes little difference what you are feeding as far as palatability is concerned. Dogs that over eat on one food overeat on all of them and a dog that limits his feed will do it with every feed you use.

If the pup has not been wormed I would do that and then keep him on a good feed. If he seems to like the Diamond Premium then that would be a good feed for him. There are a lot of good foods but I have not found any feed that provides the needed nutrition cheaper than the Diamond products. As far as energy if he hunts as long as you like to hunt then I wouldn't worry that he lays down and sleeps when you are through. Sounds ideal to me.

My word of advice is do not start chasing rainbows by changing feeds constantly because some one says a certain feed is better. Be patient and don't dream up problems before you have any. Your dog is a teenager and he will get heavier, stronger, and have more endurance as he matures.

Good luck

Ezzy

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 2:25 pm

Young intact males are flaky eaters. All the switching makes it worse. You are probably better off using a higher fat food like a 30/20 or higher if the dog just doesn't eat much in the way of volume. At least they get extra protein and fat when they decide to eat.

norcalshoot · Post by **norcalshoot** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 3:40 pm

Thank you for the replies everyone. He has been wormed and I haven't ever found worms in his stools. This weight problem is not new I have been battling it since I have had the pup, I am just new to the forum so its only just now being brought up. I think the main problem is that is is a finicky eater and just does not take in enough to keep weight on when he is active. His eating habbits seem to be stabilizing more so now but still not very consistent. I know it is not good to switch foods alot but when he was younger he would go every other day without eating a bit and when he did eat it would be very little. He ate diamond naturals puppy best out of puppy food but would always eat my big dogs diamond chicken and rice so i eventually started feeding that after the puppy food ran out. He would put more weight on with the adult food just because he would eat more but still if he is active for a day you could almost see his weight dropping. After I signed on to this forum I have been reading alot of post about people feeding the high performance foods which is why I wrote this post. I am just curious if that sounds like it would be appropriate for a yearling pup and if it would help is situation. I did not consider it before because the breeder highly suggested a lower protein food for a male pup.

bossman · Post by **bossman** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 6:52 pm

While I agree one should not change food for the sake of changing food, imo, the fat content in your current feed is not high enough. I would agree with bosco on this issue.

Post by **ezzy333** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:23 pm

norcalshoot wrote:Thank you for the replies everyone. He has been wormed and I haven't ever found worms in his stools. This weight problem is not new I have been battling it since I have had the pup, I am just new to the forum so its only just now being brought up. I think the main problem is that is is a finicky eater and just does not take in enough to keep weight on when he is active. His eating habbits seem to be stabilizing more so now but still not very consistent. I know it is not good to switch foods alot but when he was younger he would go every other day without eating a bit and when he did eat it would be very little. He ate diamond naturals puppy best out of puppy food but would always eat my big dogs diamond chicken and rice so i eventually started feeding that after the puppy food ran out. He would put more weight on with the adult food just because he would eat more but still if he is active for a day you could almost see his weight dropping. After I signed on to this forum I have been reading alot of post about people feeding the high performance foods which is why I wrote this post. I am just curious if that sounds like it would be appropriate for a yearling pup and if it would help is situation. I did not consider it before because the breeder highly suggested a lower protein food for a male pup.

At his age now you could go with a higher percent of protein and fat. It is the fat that will help with the weight. When I have a dog that doesn't eat well I just add a little vegatable oil to the feed when it is cold or they are running a lot but really in the end you are just beating your head against a brick wall since the pup will eat enough to stay healthy as long as there is no other problem. He may be too thin for what you like but he is healthy and will fill out.

Ezzy

Post by **kninebirddog** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 8:03 pm

is he just thin or is he emaciated with indentations in between each rib..does he lack energy is his coat dull.

Some pups will get a bit depressed when they are removed from their puppy homes into new home new rules new this new that

how is his stool? firm and has shape or is soft with some clear blister looking things in it...he could have a light case of stress induced coccidia...this can prevent them from maintaining weight

But if he is just lean active and alert he could just be one of those leaner dogs

as for what type of food...I never feed puppy foods even to my pups that are three weeks old on their first meal...I feed them a quality performance food right now and for the last couple years I have had the best results with Loyall Performance...They get more from that food then they did the 30/20 purina pro plan performance but both are decent feeds..diamond is ok also..basically what the dog is doing good on is what counts

switching feeds a lot will have a profound effect on a very young dogs digestive system

So if you know the dog s healthy...then get that good food stay on that good food...put the bowl down give pup 20 minutes to eat..what isn't done pick it up and tomorrow put out the recommended amount of food again give hm 20 minutes to eat pick it up

if the dog picks at a couple kibbles and doesn't eat all his food to bad so sad be next day for food...after a few days of this pup will learn that he better eat what is there when it is there

as stated before.... what you may think a dog should eat maybe isn't what your dog really needs

with out pictures we can only speculate on what You may think is thin and what someone else would consider extremely fit adding to that..would be barring any health issues

Post by **Sharon** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 8:21 pm

Another thought is Pro Plan performance - 31/20 .. For me a dog like that would have continuous access to food - no timelimit on eating.

My vet doesn't want to see my setters too thin. She feels that if they get sick, they have no fat to fall back on.

"low on energy too i think. He will keep running as long as we are out there but say he runs for 20 minutes for a short hunt when we get back to the truck he is beat and will just pass out. " quote.
I would be concerned about a young dog , at his peak, acting like this. Consider getting the thyroid level checked.

norcalshoot · Post by **norcalshoot** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 9:33 pm

I have tried to give him a time frame to eat when he was younger and it didn't seem to cure anything. That is when he would go every other day without eating more than a few kibbles. He has never seemed sick to me I am mostly just trying to keep a little more fat on him. as I said before he can burn any fat he may have off in a day of being active. then it takes a week to put it back on. Also for the last month he seems to be getting more consistent with his eating habits but we are hunting now and he burns his energy and fat quick. I have been putting about a table spoon of olive oil and adding a little butter to his food and he eats fairly good that way. I give him about a 1-1/2 cups in the morning and about 2 in the evening and leave it down now. he normally eats about half and comes back a few hours later and finishes it. would the higher fat food be a good idea to give him more calories?

Post by **kninebirddog** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 9:54 pm

Just me but I only feed once a day... even my pups are only fed once a day.

Have you taken him to the vets and get a full panel of work done see if there is some medical issues anything from thyroid to other intestinal issues causing him not to want to eat..Take in quite a few stool samples not just one...different worms will not always show up in a sample

how about heart worm

I see you have your in cal...have you had him checked for valley fever...might want to rule out some medical reasons/causes

I have one dog that when my friend wants to show him she has to add sardines to his food to get hm to eat more he is fit and very athletic but can be a nibbler staying lean...

norcalshoot · Post by **norcalshoot** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 10:11 pm

It sounds like I need to make a vet appointment and get him checked out. I don't think he has health issues But i don't know. I feel it is mostly just being a picky eater and when he seems to be low on energy I think it is mostly because he has only nibbled on food for the last 24 hours or so. I honestly have not looked at his stools for a while, we live in the hills and he has got in a very good habit about going out of the yard and into the woods to do his business but i will pay attention to him next time. He is looking pretty good right now because we have not been out much this last week but i know if we got for a hunt for a day he seems to drop it all real fast.
On the topic of the more rich food, Is there any concern of these performance foods having too much protein? My Mother has a female English springer that had problems leaking urine because of the higher protein food. The dog was switched to a regular adult dog food and the problem was cured within a few days.

Post by **kninebirddog** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 11:29 pm

really depends on the dog as to how they will respond to foods. Young dog growing and active need more then slower relaxed easy keeper type dogs.

But the way you describe what is going on...it really doesn't sound right to me...

How much total food does he eat in a day?
if it really is nibbling where he is eating less then a cup of food type and he is low on over all energy ...that also says to me there is something wrong

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 5:59 am

The top end on grain-inclusive performance foods is 35%, but most are 30-32%. If your dog is healthy and the quality of the food is high, then feeding this type of food consistently should not be an issue. 30% is not considered a "high protein" food these days. Moreover, it is the grams of protein consumed that is more important. If you estimated that most kibbles weigh about 115 grams per cup, it is easy to do the math. I think you will find your dog gets about the same amount of protein but more fat on a 30/20.

Posts like yours, especially involving young Shorthairs, are very common on this forum. The fact pattern is very similar, too much food switching being one.

If you find local availability limited, you can use a site like PetFoodDirect. No shipping, no tax, no gas and if you sign up for Autoship you get 15% off. When you run the numbers it is a good deal for some. The site has a good selection of performance foods. Precise, Eagle, Annamaet, to name a few.

Another good one is DoggieFood.com, really excellent deal on Earthborn Primitive.

norcalshoot · Post by **norcalshoot** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 11:12 am

Thanks for the help and info everyone. As I said he has been eating more consistent lately than every before. I find that if I jazz his food up with a little butter he seems to eat fairly good. I need to take some stool samples to the vet and make sure nothing is wrong with him though i don't think so. This is my first shorthair and first male pup so it may be all normal and I am just a worry wort. He seems to have come to a different growing stage now I have noticed he is filling out and looking better than before. It sounds like I may just need to weight it out. I may try to start feeding him once a day also.
Is it normal for this breed to run off their body fat in a day of hunting? I feel like if he would eat a little more some how than he would have more calories to burn before he started consuming his body fat. I re measured my scoop I use for dog food and I he eats about 2 1/2-3 cups but less on some. For some reason the days before we go out He will just nibble for me which could be why he burns is fat off i guess. I really dont know much about nutrition with dogs so i should take him to a vet and let a pro look at him. I also dont know how much he weights but i can try to get a weight and post it up.
I have a local connection with our feed store and diamond Natural products are available at a discount. I have been paying 29 for the diamond adult. I think I can get extreme athlete for just a tad more. I currently have maybe 2-3 weeks of this bag of food left would it be good to get extreme athlete and start mixing it in slowly over the next 3 weeks? Or would that be A bad Idea to do yet another switch? I feel like all the diamond natural products ingredients are all the same with the exception of just more chicken and fat on the EA. Would that make the switch easier on my pup? Thanks again and sorry for all the questions. I just worry about the little guy He is like my kid

Post by **ezzy333** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 11:38 am

Dogs, people, and most other animals do not run off body fat in s day. What you do see is the amount of fluid retention in the body change but you do not see body fat changes or energy changes that quickly. That was one of the things that caught my attention too and it just doesn't happen. Dogs do need an empty stomach if they are going to run and it is wise to not feed them for at least 4 hours before going hunting and probablt better if they aren't fed for at least 12 hours before.

I understand the worrying but it is totally unnecessary as a healthy dog has never starved to death with food in front of it. I have a dog that might not eat for a day or two and I just ignore it as that is what he wants to do and I know how I feel when someone makes me eat more than I want. You can switch his food again if you want but do not expect to see much if any change in appetite or condition of the dog for a month or two and probably not even then. Body condition changes very slow in either direction other than fluid retention. L

Let me ask another question and just think about it. Do you worry about your own body as much as you are worrying about your dog's and if not why? If you go hunting tomorrow and walk a lot does your weight go down? The answer is probably yes, but does that mean you actually loss body condition or just lost fluid since you drank less and sweat more? And does that body weight come back up the next day when you are back to your normal activities? If it does then again it says you did not lose condition but just dehydrated a little and you fill right back up the next day. Same is true with your dog.

I suggest you find something else to worry about and let the dog grow up and out which I will guarantee will happen if you just forget about him and enjoy him whether he looks fat enough for you or not. The less you do the better he will be.

Ezzy

Cajun Casey · Post by **Cajun Casey** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 12:49 pm

I have skinny boys, and both are inappetent. They will both feed better with a little top dressing on the food. I've used buttermilk or any canned food will work. My 2-1/2 yo trial dog does better on junky cheap food with a high grain content. He is whip thin, solid dry muscle, and pulling 40 pounds of cable to keep him in the county. If you are feeding Diamond, try High Energy with the higher carbs.

Post by **kninebirddog** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 1:53 pm

It sounds like he is eating a good amount of quantity...again he may just be a lean mean machine

...But with out seeing him all any of us can do is speculate on if you are worrying about nothing or if there is something to worry about..
Be sure to let you vet know that you do have an active hunting dog not some fancy couch potato ..there are vets out there who just do not understand athletic dogs and think all hunting dogs are thin mostly because they deal with over weight fidos day n day out

Once you have your piece of mind about your dogs health ...you will stop worrying so much about the nibbles

Hopefully he is just the bean pole kid

Post by **Sharon** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 2:51 pm

Cajun Casey wrote:I have skinny boys, and both are inappetent. They will both feed better with a little top dressing on the food. I've used buttermilk or any canned food will work. My 2-1/2 yo trial dog does better on junky cheap food with a high grain content. He is whip thin, solid dry muscle, and pulling 40 pounds of cable to keep him in the county. If you are feeding Diamond, try High Energy with the higher carbs.

Some people don't realize that an old dog not only loses hearing and sight but also taste. They need a little topping , (I use stinky , wet dog food on Pro Plan Senior) too.

Post by **ezzy333** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 2:58 pm

Sharon wrote:
Cajun Casey wrote:I have skinny boys, and both are inappetent. They will both feed better with a little top dressing on the food. I've used buttermilk or any canned food will work. My 2-1/2 yo trial dog does better on junky cheap food with a high grain content. He is whip thin, solid dry muscle, and pulling 40 pounds of cable to keep him in the county. If you are feeding Diamond, try High Energy with the higher carbs.
Some people don't realize that an old dog not only loses hearing and sight but also taste. They need a little topping , (I use stinky , wet dog food on Pro Plan Senior) too.

This dog is 1 year old. Don't think that qualifies for old and decrepit.

Ezzy

Cajun Casey · Post by **Cajun Casey** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 4:27 pm

Can you get a height at the top of the shoulder along with that weight? Also, what is his breeding? Some bloodlines don't fill out, especially males, until around age three.

ultracarry · Post by **ultracarry** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 10:35 pm

Ya. You should really post some pics. A lot of people also think their dog is thin until they get fat.

displaced_texan · Post by **displaced_texan** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 8:22 am

ultracarry wrote:Ya. You should really post some pics. A lot of people also think their dog is thin until they get fat.

Especially in this era of overweight people and dogs. The ones in shape look like sticks.

ultracarry · Post by **ultracarry** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 10:06 am

People.think because you can see hip bones, ribs, and some back bone the dog has a problem. If I put 5 cups of EVO in front of my dog she might eat the whole thing or leave 3 cups. You can see all of the bones that I mentioned one way.or the other. The difference on why you can see the bones is body fat. Run the dog feed it what it wants without over feeding and don't worry about what other people think.

BTW post a pic and the breeding behind it.

norcalshoot · Post by **norcalshoot** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 12:25 pm

After this thread and reading other threads on this forum I think I am just being paranoid. A lot of people tell me that he is to skinny but thinking about it now there dogs are all a little chunky. My Mother is mainly the one who is always saying he is hungry and I am not feeding him enough but she has to english springers that are built like little labs.
I dont have a camera but I can do some phone Pictures later.

The pedigree goes like this

Sire- PVK's Heart Of America "RIC" -CJ's mikey von beck -Whylie T bone
SN86211101 -Tanners Duce of Hearts - Beck's Blazing Glory
-Parker cody Von Beck
-clarks Bridget wolfsweise

Dam- PVK's Ash's little cinder -Tanners Jager Meister Ash -Big Oaks snap-e-tom
SR37226807 -Meika Winnjammer -Teton's Dixie lucy
-Tonellie's rising sun
-Skyline's summer storm

I dont know if any of these are Known names or not but that doesn't much matter to me. He is just a hunting companion.

Just tried to upload a picture and it didn't let me. I hope I didn't send this post twice sorry If its a copy.

birddog1968 · Post by **birddog1968** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 12:43 pm

Field dogs are a long long way from most people's couch potatos.....Ive been told I'm cruel to keep a dog that thin, back home.
I always invite those folks ,with their dogs, to go for a 2 hour walk.....none have ever taken me up on the offer, probably can't imagine their dogs walking, much less running, for 2 hours..... Its the difference between a 5'10" 275lb person and an Olympic athlete....most that would naysay fail to make that connection too.

I'm betting, without seeing, that your dog is fine, pick a good feed and keep him on it.

Mothers are programmed to fatten their babys, furry or otherwise, God bless em

ultracarry · Post by **ultracarry** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 2:26 pm

I'm sure he isn't to thin. It's almost impossible for a.GSP to be too thin as long as they eat. The pic is big but its my dogs sir .. guy could eat all you put in front of him and never gain a pound.

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 2:49 pm

ultracarry wrote:I'm sure he isn't to thin. It's almost impossible for a.GSP to be too thin as long as they eat. The pic is big but its my dogs sir .. guy could eat all you put in front of him and never gain a pound.

This is the dog eating Evo?

ultracarry · Post by **ultracarry** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 3:41 pm

Lol Naaa purina and then euk 30/20... not me or my house BTW.

Last I heard the dog was in Utah or Idaho...100mph dog though.

Post by **kninebirddog** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 3:56 pm

Way to thin for my liking but the coat looks shiny ,,,That looks like a dog with nervous energy probably runs in its sleep does that dog scarf its food like no tomorrow also

ultracarry · Post by **ultracarry** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 4:03 pm

I only saw him on a steak once or twice but he didn't have a burm around him from running laps. His owner told.me he ate normal like his other dogs but when you let him out without an ecollar you would have to run him down in a car or golf cart for miles. Dog could flat out go. Too bad the guy that had him fried him for going further than 50 Yds out. Ruined a nice dog. But prob could do some hunt tests.

birddog1968 · Post by **birddog1968** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 4:22 pm

I like to keep em thin but in my opinion he needs more meat on his hips....

Isn't a dog you have to run down with a vehicle a run off? where's the go with you part

ultracarry · Post by **ultracarry** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 4:39 pm

With the trainer that had him... I didn't blame the dog for trying to find a new home lol. It's was pretty bad. And no its called having a dog with some wheels and trying to get away from a "trainer" that doesn't know what he is doing. I have seen more then one ruined dogs in his hands and he has the reputation to follow in so cal.

ekoog82 · Post by **ekoog82** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 6:27 pm

I logged on here to get some more info and started to read this thread. Sounded just like what I have been going through. My 1 year old GSP is going through the same thing, he currently eats EUK 30/20 as does my 6 month old. Looks very similar to ultras pup but maybe a little thiner. Did I mention he eats 6 cups a day?

ultracarry · Post by **ultracarry** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 7:00 pm

My pup or the very large pic I posted. The best thing I have done for my dog was get her off of euk 30/20... try anything different and see if your dog takes to it. To many mush piles and stints of the squirts.

EVO worked well for me now I'm trying some others that aren't as expensive.

ekoog82 · Post by **ekoog82** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 7:10 pm

I had him on PPP and didnt seem to take well to it. On the Euk, his stool is less and solid. Evo is to much for what he eats. I have been getting the Euk at a good rate (last 40lb bag for $29.99). I thought about trying raw, but I have not read enough on it.

ultracarry · Post by **ultracarry** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 7:14 pm

I would put him on EVO and feed three cups. It is expensive but you can also mix it.

raven34 · Post by **raven34** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 7:29 pm

Our oldest female at a year was on the thinner side and wouldnt keep weight on. We tried alot of different feed to get the weight on..Finally we tried an inexpensive brand PRO PAC high performance adult food. It worked and made a solid colored dog SHINE!!! We still feed it... I have tried some expensive foods but this works...I can tell from their coats when I switch believe it or not..... May not work for everyone, but just figured I would share!!!

jlp8cornell · Post by **jlp8cornell** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 7:33 pm

Re: Yearling gsp too thin, Food question.

Postby ultracarry » Mon Oct 17, 2011 12:26 pm
I'm sure he isn't to thin. It's almost impossible for a.GSP to be too thin as long as they eat. The pic is big but its my dogs sir .. guy could eat all you put in front of him and never gain a pound.

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That dog is emaciated by anyone's standards. Wow. There is a huge difference between being in shape, rib thin and muscled and that. That picture is disgusting.

ultracarry · Post by **ultracarry** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 7:47 pm

Another big picture but see if it works... ill delete the top so people can bring the page up without too much delay. Here is mine at 15-16 months. Pic is too big. I'll reside and post later.

Jp emaciated in some peoples eyes yes... I have came across thinner and fatter. If there is a layer of fat on hips and ribs I look at it like it needs to shave a couple pounds. I can assure you the dog in the pic was well fed and remember it was a field bred dog with no overweight show shoppers in its pedigree.

jlp8cornell · Post by **jlp8cornell** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 8:00 pm

Ultra...There is not an ounce of fat on that dog in the pic. Yikes! I like a really thin ribby dog but that is too thin. The show dogs are cows, I agree. Trust me, I swear every time my dog loses to a 26" 75# soft dog. Makes me sick. But this dog is the extreme opposite.

ekoog82 · Post by **ekoog82** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 8:09 pm

jlp8cornell wrote:Ultra...There is not an ounce of fat on that dog in the pic. Yikes! I like a really thin ribby dog but that is too thin. The show dogs are cows, I agree. Trust me, I swear every time my dog loses to a 26" 75# soft dog. Makes me sick. But this dog is the extreme opposite.

What do you recommend for a dog like this? I ask because my 1 year old looks similar and seems like it is common. I get sick every time I look at him as I dont know what else to do. I could up his food but he is already at 6 cups. any more and he becomes loose.

Post by **Sharon** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 8:37 pm

ezzy333 wrote:
Sharon wrote:
Cajun Casey wrote:I have skinny boys, and both are inappetent. They will both feed better with a little top dressing on the food. I've used buttermilk or any canned food will work. My 2-1/2 yo trial dog does better on junky cheap food with a high grain content. He is whip thin, solid dry muscle, and pulling 40 pounds of cable to keep him in the county. If you are feeding Diamond, try High Energy with the higher carbs.
Some people don't realize that an old dog not only loses hearing and sight but also taste. They need a little topping , (I use stinky , wet dog food on Pro Plan Senior) too.
This dog is 1 year old. Don't think that qualifies for old and decrepit.

Ezzy

:roll: I realize that. I was just adding a little education as the poster asked if "he should use a topping on the dog food."

Post by **Sharon** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 8:46 pm

jlp8cornell wrote:
Re: Yearling gsp too thin, Food question.

Postby ultracarry » Mon Oct 17, 2011 12:26 pm
I'm sure he isn't to thin. It's almost impossible for a.GSP to be too thin as long as they eat. The pic is big but its my dogs sir .. guy could eat all you put in front of him and never gain a pound.

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100_2746.jpg
100_2746.jpg (208.18 KiB) Viewed 141 times

That dog is emaciated by anyone's standards. Wow. There is a huge difference between being in shape, rib thin and muscled and that. That picture is disgusting.

Absolutely. Much too thin .

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:04 am

ekoog82 wrote:
jlp8cornell wrote:Ultra...There is not an ounce of fat on that dog in the pic. Yikes! I like a really thin ribby dog but that is too thin. The show dogs are cows, I agree. Trust me, I swear every time my dog loses to a 26" 75# soft dog. Makes me sick. But this dog is the extreme opposite.
What do you recommend for a dog like this? I ask because my 1 year old looks similar and seems like it is common. I get sick every time I look at him as I dont know what else to do. I could up his food but he is already at 6 cups. any more and he becomes loose.

Ekoog82, there is another gent on here from Pittsburgh with a young female Shorthair that switched to Annamaet Ultra and his dog gained about 4lbs on just 2 cups per day in just a few weeks. If you PM me I will tell you who he his.

mcclinj · Post by **mcclinj** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:15 am

The gent from Pittsburgh is me. I switched over to Ultra from Diamond EA, because my pup wasn't doing well on it. I'm not necessarily criticizing Diamond here as I'm sure many dogs do well on it, but mine was always thin and if I increased her food her stools got loose and they weren't great already. Just as Mbosco stated above, my pup is up around 4lbs since our switch in September and is filling out and looking good. Her stools are much better also, which was the main reason I decided to give Ultra try in the first place.

-John

norcalshoot · Post by **norcalshoot** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 11:44 am

Here is My pup this morning. Not the best picture for seeing he weight but the best i can do for now. His hips stick up just a tad and you can see his ribs a little but I would not say that he is sunken in around his ribs. after a days work he gets more boney but that must be getting dehydrated. We hunt small clear cuts for about 20 minutes and move to the next. I give him water after every one but maybe he still does not drink enough?

birddog1968 · Post by **birddog1968** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 11:48 am

He looks fine ! Will probably thicken up some and put on some more muscle if given good workouts.

Post by **Sharon** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 11:53 am

Your dog looks very good. Enjoy. (They will drink what they need as long as it is available. )

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 11:54 am

looks fine