# Weight Gainer?



## Leetle (Aug 13, 2009)

My german shepherd Rex is 18 months old, he is a very large dog and weighs 82 pounds. The vet says he is growing so fast his metabolism can't keep up but I feel there has to be something I can do to help him fill out. His ribs protrude and his backbone shows. The vet said to feed him 3 cups of iams a day. I am wondering can I or should I feed him more or is there a safe supplement I can give him. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

At 18 months old he shouldn't be growing much at all, just filling out a little. From your description it sounds like he may be underweight, and if that's the case there's no reason not to feed him more. What does the feeding guide on the bag say? I usually use that as a basic starting point, adjusting up or down based on the condition of the dog. Not feeding him enough is not going to slow down his growth at this stage of his development, and while lean is good, that doesn't mean he should be skin and bones.


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## crboggs (Nov 13, 2010)

82 pounds is on the high end of the breed standard.

Our vet said its ok to feel the bones as long as they aren't really visible. Its better for your dog to be a little thin than to be a little fat...IMHO.


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

It's better for him to be lean than heavy especially at this age. You should be able to see the last ribs and a 'waist'.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Maybe try a better kibble than Iams? I agree, GSD's should look fit, and not rounded. As long as he is muscled, I would just wait for him to mature as far as filling out goes. If his muscle tone is lacking then I would look at diet and exercise to help him.


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