overweight?

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

How do you know if your dog is getting overweight? In the past month, I have noticed that Noah has a lot more noticeable loose skin around his neck/back (I can grab hold of it in both hands) - he used to be really bony but not anymore. When we met up with a few doodles from doodle kisses, I noticed that those dogs felt a lot thinner than Noah. I can still feel Noah's ribs though. I'd rather have him on the thin side than fat. He's 6 months so I don't know if I should cut back on his food... sometimes he refuses to eat so he isn't a huge piggy when it comes to food. He goes to the dog park twice a day and runs around quite a bit, so he definitely gets enough exercise. I also take him on a 15 - 20 minute walk right before bedtime. How much skin should you be able to grab?

This isn't doodle related, but I'm also having problems getting my maltipoo Sherlock on a good feeding schedule - Sherlock and Noah both have breakfast around 8:30 am before I leave for work. But, when I feed them dinner at 7 pm, Sherlock won't eat. I guess he's not hungry by then. Instead, he'll wait until 10 or 11 pm, and go into the kitchen and literally start whining/crying because he's hungry. Should I just skip the dinner feeding and ignore his crying? He is 11lbs and will be 1 year old this friday and is finished growing. I feed according to the recommended guidelines and split what they should eat in one day into two feedings.

[Ellen]

I agree with Amanda. Noah is still growing, so I probably wouldn't cut back on the food if you're feeding the recommended amount. My vet said that overweight dogs have increasing amounts of fat over the ribs, along the spine, and around the tail, and she gave me the following indicators of dog obesity: You should easily be able to feel each rib; at the base of the tail, you should be able to feel the dog's bones; the dog should have a definite waist behind the ribs; and the dog should have an abdominal tuck (belly area between the rib cage and derriere). If you can still feel Noah's ribs, it sounds like he's normal. And I would think that there would be less loose skin if a dog were overweight. Riley (13 mo) has a lot of loose skin on his neck....although I can still feel his bones.

As for Sherlock, don't know what to suggest. Fortunately or unfortunately, I don't have that problem with Riley, who is a food hound and eats whenever I feed him.

[Ellen]

I agree that it's hard to tell with the fluff! But I bet that when you give Noah a bath, you'll be able to tell that Noah isn't overweight.

[Lindsey, Lee, Whopper and Simba]

I wouldn't worry about Noah's weight for all the same reasons the others have mentioned. As far as Sherlock, since being spayed, Whopper has changed her eating habits. For breakfast, unless we sit there with her and coach her through the meal, she tends to space out eating over 30-45 minutes. At night, it can take her well over an hour to now eat all of her food and it doesn't matter if we try and draw her attention to it. She also no longer needs to go out immediately after eating. Yesterday she went out at 4 in the afternoon and then not again until bedtime even though she had eaten in between. Do you just give Sherlock and Noah there food and then pick it up if it's not eaten within 10 minutes or so? If so, is it possible for Sherlock to have grazing access to his food so that he can eat it more slowly in the evening? I'd imagine this may be tough if Noah likes to eat Sherlock's food but it may prevent the late night crying. Maybe you could get them each a special toy and after the ten minutes, put sherlock's food in the toy so that he can slowly work to get it out over the course of the evening and end up satisfied. Have Noah's toy be some other type of challenge. Again, if Noah will steal it then I guess that won't work either. Sorry, I probably wasn't much help but hopefully this is just a phase.

[Lindsey, Lee, Whopper and Simba]

The vet always tells us Whopper is on the thin side but that they prefer dogs to be a little thin than even the slightest bit overweight. We actually increased her food a little a month ago or so because we were afraid she was too thin, especially compared to the other doodles she was playing with but she just seems to be more poodle and has maintained the thin build. Whopper can spend hours on chew toys and bully sticks so unfortunately I guess I can't shed much light on Sherlocks eating issues. Training with his actual food sounds like a good plan.

[Missi]

Noah sounds fine, and I think like kids, they get "pudgy" before growth spurts. Plus, depending on how he's built, he might be more retriever and just be more stocky forever. Lizzie I swear is all poodle! (not really, but it seems like it).

For Sherlock, you might feed him later. I know Lizzie doesn't like to eat when I get home in the morning sometimes because she wants to play and spend time with me. She'll eat once I fall asleep. As long as it's not causing him to whine and want to go out at 2 am, I don't see a problem with it. This of course is coming from me, who does anything to get Lizzie to eat! Not sure how you would do it having both of them.

[Missi]

Lizzie said she'll come over and eat their grilled chicken! Haha! I bet you're right, he's holding out for the good stuff. Lizzie gets canned food twice a day and dry food 3 times a day. She definitely will skip the dry food for the wet food occasionally. They are smarter than we think! I would try training with his kibble for a few nights and see how that goes.

BTW, I am so jealous that they respond to treats for training! Lizzie refuses ALL treat except deli-meat chicken. I have housetrained her with NO treats! It's so much harder. I would hand her anything and she'd just drop it and go play.

[Stella]

He's probably about to have a growth spurt. Ours seemed to go from rotund, to skin and bone, from one day to the next when he was going through his growth spurts! I read that when it comes to feeding, you should put the food down, then if it hasn't been eaten after 15 minutes, take it away. Do not offer anything else until the next set meal time, he should soon learn to eat when it is offered!! But, I've never had personal experience of this, mine is definitely more lab when it comes to food!!!

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I turned a blind eye to Samantha's weight. The vets never said anything (I was seeing 2 of them) but she was getting fat. She is built like a Lab - a broad chest and shorter legs then her body is long. Labs have a tendency to get fat so now I am very intune to her weight.
In hindsight it was all the treats she was getting in school and it never dawned on me to cut back on her kibble to compensate for the treats. By the time i thought about it, she was round and it was getting harder to feel her ribs. I started cooking for her and only giving her 1 cup of kibble during the day. With that regiment and walking she has lost the 'fat ball' I felt on her chest below her neck. She didn't loose the pounds on the scale but the loss of the 'fat ball' says it all.
Iwouldn't worry, just watch his weight - you will know if he gaining too much.