# how big should my dog be



## Keegan62 (Aug 17, 2008)

I noticed here that most of your dogs are over 40 lbs at 4 moths

Hmmm mine at last checkup was only 28 lbs..... he was born may 30th 
so if you count by months he is 3.5 months old and if you could by weeks he is 4 months...

But when I got him he was only 21lbs 3 weeks earlier and very thin

He hates to eat his food I have him on Iams large breed puppy
I think I may change it after I finish this bag

I cooked a soft boiled egg and put it in it he ate it better
I tried the iams sauces no luck
THe breeder had him on pedigree regular but I bet he didnt eat that either since he was so thin...
He has no worms.
Do I need to worry and find better food? 
he only eats on a good day 2 cups but most of the time only 1-1/2

Thanks


----------



## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

i would definitely find a better food, but would not worry much about his weight. if you look at everyones adult dog weights - the range is 55lbs - 100lbs + so pups are no different (40lbs @ 4 months is a very general number)

between the puppy forum and the diet/nutrition forum - you should be able to find a high quality affordable food that your pup will enjoy!








to both Iams and Pedigree


----------



## Keegan62 (Aug 17, 2008)

Ok what about orijen I was reading about it
I do not care about the price
I would pay a lot to make sure he gets good food

What do you feed your dogs

any suggestions?


----------



## VALIUM (Nov 15, 2007)

Orijen is a good food, I think it has a formula for large breed puppies. You can get a small packet and try if he likes and tolerates it. If so, you can continue. Also, wellness has a large breed puppy food. Take a look at that too. Cause orijens protein content is very high. Good Luck


----------



## Superpup (Jun 7, 2007)

Well it totally depends on your dog, if it is a male or a female, males are bigger than females (or at least they should be







)... what lines your dog is from, showlines, american lines or working lines.. also if it is west german or DDR, Chech (sp?)...my showline-american male GSD was probably way over 40 lbs at 4 mths, not from being fat, but from being BIG... his ideal weight as a 2-year old now is 103-105 lbs. And some people still tell me that "he is so skinny"... YES NOW at 95 lbs he is too skinny, he has had a VERY active summer...








My working line girl is 8 mths old and she is 46 lbs... so as you can see it totally depends on the dog.







And she will never be as big as my male (thank goodness!!!), her adult weight will probably be around 55-60 lbs, maybe slightly more.
I feed mine O&M (Owen and Mandell). We buy it from an independent distributor, and it is not cheap, but I have been VERY pleased with the food. Both of my dogs digest it very well. My Cody had trouble with digesting certain store foods including Royal Canine, he would go to the bathroom several times a day, now with O&M he goes maybe twice a day, sometimes only once...
Definetly worth the money!!!


----------



## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: Count BrunoOk what about orijen I was reading about it
> I do not care about the price
> I would pay a lot to make sure he gets good food
> 
> ...


orijen is excellent, as long as you're purchasing the puppy formula. if its available in your area, i'd say go for it. 

my dogs get raw most of the week, and the kibble on days in between is a mystery at this point... in the last 6mo ive purchased canidae, chicken soup & wellness ocean - so all of the above are in the dog food bin at this point. my dogs are both adults with no specific allergies or sensitive stomachs, so i have that freedom.


----------



## mastercabman (Jun 11, 2007)

I feed "Purina ONE",I have no problem,they eat everything,thet are healty,their coats are shinny,and not too expensive.


----------



## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Definitely go for a better food if he looks thin. Doesn't sound like he's too thin though, my pup was 32.5 lbs at his 16 week check up - he's DDR and heavy boned but not tall for his age.


----------



## NitroBoy (Sep 5, 2008)

Hi, dont be too worried about his weight. My pup is 40 pounds at 6 months right now. All dogs grow differently, it may take him longer to reach his potential, slow growth can be a good thing. As long as he looks and is healthy I would not mind it too much. 

As far as food I would definately switch to a better food. Iams is a bad food as far as ingredients go and Pedigee is having a recall right now. I currently feed my pup Innova large breed puppy food and he has been on Wellness large breed as well. I would feed Orijen but it is just too expensive for me right now, but it is definately a very good food. 

Look in the ingredients on the dog food if you see things like chicken by-product, corn/wheat gluten, those are no good. 

Some better brands are: Innova, Orijen, Wellness, Solid Gold.

Good luck


----------



## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

Different dogs develop differently. Tika was a TINY pup since birth. At 7 weeks she weighed 7 pounds soaking wet while her siblings were 9-13 pounds. I think Tika was nearly 6 months before she broked 40 pounds. She is a wonderfully healthy girl that weighs 63-65 pounds.

I would agree than a new food might help.


----------



## GSDOwner2008 (Jan 19, 2008)

Orijen and Solid Gold are great brands, but if you want a decent brand that isn't as expensive, I'd go with Natural Balance, my boys are doing good on it!

Also from my experience with Iams: My American line who ate nothing but Iams (before I came here and knew what I know now, UGH!) he had a horrible skin condtions where we had to use a special shampoo, his eyes weeped, his coat lacked shine, he shed way more than a GSD should, the works! We just thought it was him being sick. But with Apollo and Zeus, I'm a total believer that it was the horrible food.


----------



## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

Your puppy is only 15 weeks old. (He won't be 4 months until the 30th) His weight really isn't that far off of a lot of other pups that age on the board.

As others have said, i would find a better food. With a better food he might eat more but even if he doesn't, he will be getting more out of the food even if he eats the same amount.


----------



## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

> Originally Posted By: BlackGSDWith a better food he might eat more but even if he doesn't, he will be getting more out of the food even if he eats the same amount.


this equals less poop. If he's anything like Otto who goes 4 or 6 times a day, less is better!


----------



## mastercabman (Jun 11, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: SunCzarina
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: BlackGSDWith a better food he might eat more but even if he doesn't, he will be getting more out of the food even if he eats the same amount.
> ...


WOW! Otto goes 4-6 times a day?


----------



## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Seems like it! He doesn't like being watched so he might only go 3 times a day but he's walking around leaving his little puppy loaves in a few places.


----------



## mastercabman (Jun 11, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: SunCzarinaSeems like it! He doesn't like being watched so he might only go 3 times a day but he's walking around leaving his little puppy loaves in a few places.


Been a puppy i guess that would be ok!


----------



## kutzro357 (Jan 15, 2002)

Just like kids they go through growth spurts.


----------



## Keegan62 (Aug 17, 2008)

thank you all so much

I fed my last shepherd the iams large breed and from you all say he did shed so much and was itchy all the time maybe that was his problem also he was on that when I got him at 10 months......

again thanks so much
am researching now
we live in a place where pet smart is 30 miles away lol
so I have my work planned out lol


----------



## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

Do you have any "feed stores" near you. (The kind that sell horse and cattle feed.) If so, some of them carry better kibbles and if they don't carry it, they can often times order it for you.

Heck, 30 miles is NOTHING.







I have to drive 40 miles to a FEED store. Petsmart is over 100 miles ONE WAY. There is a Petco 70 miles one way.

I would also check for little "mom and pup" pet suppily stores. They usually have better kibbles than even Petsmart and Petco.


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

what do you mean orijen is excellent as long as you're purchasing the puppy formula?????


> Originally Posted By: Camerafodder
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: Count BrunoOk what about orijen I was reading about it
> ...


----------



## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

^this was to the _original poster_ who has a _puppy_. not discounting any of the other orijen formulas. everything ive read advices against feeding puppies grain free foods (because of high calcium & phosphorus levels) unless its specifically formulated for puppies - which orijen is one of the few companies that has.


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

OOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!


> Originally Posted By: Camerafodder^this was to the _original poster_ who has a _puppy_. not discounting any of the other orijen formulas. everything ive read advices against feeding puppies grain free foods (because of high calcium & phosphorus levels) unless its specifically formulated for puppies - which orijen is one of the few companies that has.


----------



## dawnie (Jul 15, 2008)

<span style="color: #6666CC">My puppy Bullet was 5.5 pounds at 8 weeks old and one month later at 12 weeks he's 19 pounds. </span>


----------



## Keegan62 (Aug 17, 2008)

OMG that is a big growth spurt...


He is beautiful
and so cute
glad you rescued him from that awful place


----------

