Jada needs to gain some weight!!

[lovemyshiba]

Other than increasing her food intake, does anyone have any ideas for how to get Jada to put on a few pounds??
She's looking quite skinny lately:(

She is a 2/3 year old rottie who loves to run all day long. If she hears someone walk by the house, she runs out to the fence, looks around, and then does laps--at least 20 every time--and it could happen every 20 minutes--she does the laps every single time!!!!

Is there anything I can add to her food to help her gain a little. In my opinion, she could put on probably 10-15 pounds, maybe more. She LOVES her food, so it's not that she isn't eating. I'm sure it's just all of the activity and running and playing and jumping she does, but I wanna get some meat on her bones!!!!!!

I'm taking Kito to the vet next week, and I will probably take Jada with me to have her weighed and get a professional opinion.

Of course, I have 2 dogs who need to lose a few pounds, one who wouldn't hurt to have a few pounds added, and one skinny one:rolleyes:

She is currently eating Senisble Choice chicken and rice formula, 3 cups a day.

Thanks for any input.

[robinh]

I wish I had some advice, but I've never had a dog that didn't weigh enough. My vet keeps telling me they have to lose weight.

[pitc9]

Both of mine were under weight, but were still healthy. So my vet just said to increase food intake.
I have them on ProPlan Senstive stomach canned and dry.
For the past year I would keep feeding them as long as they would eat. Almost free feeding. I use just enough canned food to make them want to eat it.
They NEVER stop running, playing... etc. So like Jada, just can't eat enough food for all the energy they put out!

It's taken about a year and a half, but Buddy's now up to 90 lbs and Sierra is about 65. They are looking MUCH better!

My vet always tells me I'm lucky to have skinny GSD's, but it's also not good when I take them anywhere and people ask
"Are your dogs sick??"
"They're not supposed to look that skinny .. are they??"
:mad:
I think asking the vet about her weight, and how much you should be feeding her will be the best thing.

[Kater]

I'm sorry but I don't have any suggestions, Emily. I would think that your vet will know if she needs to put on weight and how to best do that. Keep us updated!

[Toller 42]

it might just be Jada, do you know if she's an american or German bred Rottie? She might be an American because they are usually thinner than the German and it's just the way they are. I would ask a vet anyway though.

[lovemyshiba]

Originally posted by Toller 42
it might just be Jada, do you know if she's an american or German bred Rottie? She might be an American because they are usually thinner than the German and it's just the way they are. I would ask a vet anyway though.

I'm not sure, as we rescued her from the SPCA almost a year ago:)

If she was just skinny, I would be ok with it. I'm just concerned because it seems she has lost some weight lately. When we got her last year, she weighed around 70 pounds. The shelter had no clue how old she was or anything, they guessed around 2, I suspect a little younger, but anyway. We put some weight on her, and she looked good, but she's a little thin again. Might just be a high metabolism.

[binka_nugget]

We gave Kaedyn puppy food to boost up his weight. It worked really fast. Now we're at the borderline of chubby. :rolleyes: (Oops!)

[sammy101]

Does Jada eat just dry??

[dragondawg]

puppy should be checked out by a Vet for metabolic causes (e.g. overactive thyroid).

If everything comes out normal then allow the dog free choice on the food. Most likely I would still allow my younger male puppy free choice as he burns off the calories, but unfortunately his older sister wants to mutate into a pig. :p

[sammy101]

Originally posted by dragondawg
puppy should be checked out by a Vet for metabolic causes (e.g. overactive thyroid).

If everything comes out normal then allow the dog free choice on the food. Most likely I would still allow my younger male puppy free choice as he burns off the calories, but unfortunately his older sister wants to mutate into a pig. :p


MY RB dalmation had a problem with her thryroid and gained alot of weight when she started taking that medicine.so she was over weight,she was around 70 pounds,and the normal weight for a Dal is alot under that.
But if its not thryroid,then i would recommend mixing in canned food with her normal dry food.

[lovemyshiba]

She does eat only dry food--I could supplement her with some canned food for a while I suppose.
I cannot free feed her, as there are 3 other dogs in the house, and two of them are watching their weight, and I think Riley would eat all of the food anyway!!!! Plus I'm afraid their might be a disagreement or two if food was left out.

She does love her food--I have no problems with her eating it at all!!!


Binka--how old was Kaedyn when you gave him puppy food?? I thought of that today, but wasn't sure if it was ok or not.

Thanks for all of the responses and helpful information everyone.
:)

[binka_nugget]

They weren't sure on his age but it was right after we adopted him in September. I think roughly 5 years old?

[gr8dane]

I agree having the vet run a panel, it could be thyroid. You can add Magic Meatloaf to her feedings. Do not free feed, you need to know how much food she is eating per day. A good quality kibble will also add weight, California Natural, Canidae, Wellness, Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover Soul etc)

A peanut butter filled Kong a few times a week always worked for our fosters :)

Lori

[sammy101]

oh,you leave the food out all day?? We feed Kodie once a day ( 1 can,about 2-3 cups of dry) and he keeps on pretty good weight.and he gets treats during the day so don worry.mabye you should try feeding her outside or in another room without the other dogs,ecpecially is some of them are watching their weight.

[Christiansmommy]

I was gonna suggest something similar to what Binka Nugget said...or, if you didnt want to do the puppy food, just get a food higher in fat. I have switched Dale to Nutro, and had tried the Giant Breed formula, but realized it had less fat in it, then the regular kind. Dale needs to put on some weight too, he was always skinny, and i am sure he will thicken up as he gets even older, but i think he needs to put on some weight now, his breeder saw him recently, and suggests an extra 10 lbs.. So anyway, i would look to see what the current % of fat is in your food, and see if you can find one that is higher...and if it means putting her on puppy food, i dont think it would be a problem...

then again, she may have been the smallest of her litter (Dale was) so she might just be on the skinnier side...however, if it gets to the point where she keeps losing, i would have her checked out...

Dale is on 26% protein and i think around 14% fat...were when he was on the Nutro Large Breed, it was like 21% Protein and 11% fat...i also occasionally add canned food to the bowl...he will eat more that way...for a large breed dog, he isnt much of an eater, never was. He probably eats 5 cups a day, but could probably eventually eat 6.

[lovemyshiba]

Originally posted by sammy101
oh,you leave the food out all day?? We feed Kodie once a day ( 1 can,about 2-3 cups of dry) and he keeps on pretty good weight.and he gets treats during the day so don worry.mabye you should try feeding her outside or in another room without the other dogs,ecpecially is some of them are watching their weight.

No I don't leave the food out all day, I think something got confused.:)

All of the dogs eat twice a day, and they all have their own "spots" that they eat in--my husband or I are there in the room while they eat, I know no one is getting her food but her.

[sammy101]

Originally posted by lovemyshiba
No I don't leave the food out all day, I think something got confused.:)

All of the dogs eat twice a day, and they all have their own "spots" that they eat in--my husband or I are there in the room while they eat, I know no one is getting her food but her.

oh sorry!!:o i tihnk i jsut got confused a little.I dont really know what you can do,if you dont want to give her canned,did you ask the vet about giving her more at a time??
And if it is Thyroid,the medicine that my RB Dalmation took,she gained alot of weight,she wasnt like really over weight,but more than she should have been.

[GoldenRetrieverLover_01]

Do you feed her people food? My dog has never been underwieght, he's avtually gaining some weight but a lot of weight is added through feeding them people food, or dog treats. Careful though not too feed her too much though, we wouldn't want her to get sick. As for her laps, that's in her nature and you can't stop her from doing that. Good luck and keep us posted!:)

[cali]

I cant really help, considering my definition of too thin and perfect, and fat are rather different of the opinion of most on this board lol I purposly keep my dogs thin because of the sports they do, even a little extra weight could hurt them in the long run.but here is a good tip. DONT feed Jada a set amount all the time, feed her according to how much activity she has done that day, the more activty she has had between feedings the more you should feed her, do NOT feed her more or less dem,oending on how much she will have that day, but by how much she has already had. if she has been lazy between meals cut the amount, very energetic add more. Jada needs this because of her energy she burns all her caleries when she is being really active, so when she has been increse her food intake, to make up for those calories lost. Happy is the same way, she has so much energy that she burns all her calories really fast, so she has to be fed quite a bit, and fed less when like now she is not able to go out much and burn the calories.

[lovemyshiba]

Actually, Cali, that was helpful. I honestly hadn't thought about it that way. Yesterday it was hot and muggy, and then rainy, so none of the dogs did much, not even Jada--I don't think she even did one lap around the yard:eek: . But today she's running around like a nut again.
I appreciate that advice, and I suppose the best thing to be would be to keep her breakfast consistent, since I don't know how active she'll be, and add or take away at dinnertime.

And, I think if you saw her, you would agree that she is thin.