Still fluff and bones...

[Stephanie and Ragley]

I have posted before about how Ragley is super skinny and this has continued throughout her lovely little puppyhood. She truly is only bones and hair. This is not to say that she is emaciated because she is not- she is not an unhealthy skinny, there just isn't anything extra to her. She has no "puppy fat" and could never be considered a "chunky puppy". She is healthy and happy and has plenty of energy, but I worry that she may not have enough extra stores to aid in appropriate growth. I switched her from Orijen LBP to normal Orijen puppy to get the higher calorie content, but she is still super skinny. She eats about 2 1/4 - 2.5 cups of this formula per day. She is almost 30 lbs, but is almost 20" at the shoulder. She gets treats too, but I try not to give her too many. Is there some sort of supplement I can add to her food to boost up her calorie intake? (I would rather not just feed her tons of Orijen)

Thanks!

[Janice Jones]

Note to self....eat Orijen puppy food......may get skinny :-)
Seriously, if your vet isn't worried I would enjoy the skinny days. I have a Briard that was skinny for the first seven years..(happy vet) and then decided to fatten up with no change in food or excercise pattern. He was a very active dog also.

[Myra Williams]

I'm with you, Janice Jones!!  I'm gettin' me som o' that Orijen puppy food!!!  ♥

[Jen, Lachlan, and Declan]

Hah! True that! We've joked over here about how Orijen/Acana would make a really great diet plan - it's pretty darned good nutritionally, contains nothing but human-food-grade ingredients, but we'd have to be really darned hungry to eat it.

[Stephanie and Ragley]

We've joked about that here too! If only human nutrition was as simple as buying a high quality bag of food...

[Deborah Brown]

That's pretty light for her height.  I always think Charlie looks super skinny and he is about 55# and 24" at the withers.  I think, however, she is eating a good amount of Orijen and maybe is just one of those dogs with a high metabolism and skinny frame.  I call it a "poodle" build. BTW, Charlie eats 2.5 - 3 cups per day plus treats.  

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Would it make you feel better to know that the average weight for a well-bred adult female Standard Poodle is 45 lbs? Yes, those very tall, regal dogs you see in the show ring, with all that hair. 

Poodle are very fine-boned dogs. Clearly, Ragley takes after the poodle side of her heritage. 

If she is healthy and energetic, I wouldn't give it another thought. I would not try to boost her calorie intake, either. She is still gaining lean mass (muscle and bone) and will be until she's done growing. Those are the heavy tissues in the body. Her metabolism will slow down, too. It is always, always better to be a little underweight than a little overweight, for dogs as well as people, as long as they are healthy. Much easier to gain weight than to lose it. 

[Stephanie and Ragley]

Ok, thanks Karen! So I AM overreacting haha shocking. I shall continue with our normal routine!

[Nancy and Georgia Brown]

Your stats are exactly what Georgia is!

I don't think Georgia is too skinny and haven't been told she is. Maybe the hair is hiding it.

I'm not worried about her weight as long as she is healthy.

[Stephanie and Ragley]

I can't wait to see new pics of sweet Georgia! I feel like Ragley changes every day. 

[Diane, Hurley and Sidney]

Stephanie, Hurley has always been extremely skinny no matter how much or how often he ate.   He looks like a big fluff ball but when wet he looks almost emaciated.  If someone sees him dripping wet they ask if I am feeding him enough. He has always been very active just like all puppies.  

Hurley is 26 months old and he still is as active as ever.  Sometimes I think he will always have that puppy energy and that would be great.   I have fed him a number of the different recommended no grain foods that are on the approved list posted on Doddlekisses.  I include mashed up sweet potatoes, or roasted chicken, maybe some chicken broth or ground cooked organic beef or wet dog food, etc. in his food.  BTY, he loves pop corn and cranberry bagels (go figure).   I put a squirt of salmon oil in his food and sometimes coconut oil.

The vet says his weight is fine.  He weighed 53 lbs at his 2 year check up.

Anyway, it has only been the past month that when I run my hands along his body I can feel he is not as skinny.   So my point is that Ragley may eventually fill out. 

 

[Stephanie and Ragley]

Thanks, Diane! That is comforting to hear! (especially because Hurley is so handsome...)

[BG and Gavin]

Gavin was super thin in his first two years but the vet said he was good - better lighter than heavier for the joints.  After about 2.5 he filled in a bit more.  Ask your vet what he/she thinks before trying to gain weight on your pup.