# Is my puppy Overweight?



## FGOliveira83 (Jun 26, 2016)

Greetings Everyone,

This is my very first German Shepherd and I am kind of worried about his hips, joint problems. I originally had him on the Orijen Large breed puppy to slow down his growth, however, just last week I switched him to Canine Caviar Limited Ingredient because he was itching constantly and notice his hair on the top of his back was coming off easily compared to the rest of his body I tried fish oil and coconut oil and nothing. As of right now his itching frequency (well over 100 times a day) that I noticed has been cut down to about 35-45 a day. So I am assuming this dog is allergic to either fish or chicken (even though I read that it's unlikely for a puppy to develop allergies).

Anyways, my concern is. Is he still growing too fast or does he look overweight? He is 5 months and a half and is already 68 pounds! The picture was taken two weeks ago (64 pounds). I tried taking a picture of him today, but he is photo shy. I only feed him three cups a day of the canine caviar venison (579kcal) per cup. He then gets a kong with apple sauce, peanut butter and coconut oil and a majority of his training treats are fruits. Any suggestions and thoughts??


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Hi FG and Welcome! :greet:

What a pretty boy he is!!!

We'd be able to tell more if the pic was from the top down.

He should have a definite waist, and you should be able to see the last 2 ribs.

_"He then gets a kong with apple sauce, peanut butter and coconut oil and a majority of his training treats are fruits." _Sugar, sugar and more sugar! 

*Switch the treats to real meat (see recipe)
*Use some of his meal kibble to put in Kong. Mix with some PLAIN yogurt or keefer and stuff Kong
*Mix some plain yogurt or keefer with water, plug small end of Kong and pour this mix into it and freeze (standing up in a bowl), like a popsicle! Less calories and great source of ProBiotis to keep his gut healthy!  About 70% of the immune system lies in the gut and that is what keeps allergies and sensitivities at bay.

Human ingredient ProBiotics:
*Sunday Sundae* (Digestive Enzyme & Pro-Biotic Combo): Sunday-Sundae-12oz

*Gut Sense: *(Pro-Biotic & Pre Biotic): GutSense - certified organic probiotic for dogs 

Dogs have more "Sensitivities" than "Allergies". You need to stick with this food for at least 6 weeks to see if it totally works.

Our Grand-Dog is sensitive to any pea, grain, or potato products.
This is the kibble he eats:
*Great Life* (Grain, Potato, & Pea Free): http://www.doctorsfinest.com/category_s/146.htmType your zip code in here: Leader in Natural and Organic Dog food, Canned Dog Food, Premium Biscuits, Full Range of Supplements, Great Life brand Dog Food, Grain Free Dog Food, Organic Pet Treats, Raw Food Diets, Freeze Dried Dog Food and Dog Treats, Cat Products, Manufacturer 

IF you have a dog that is sensitive to grains, beware of other GLUTEN BASED ingredients, with names that we do not recognize, that could be in the Doggie Shampoo that you are using!
*WHEAT:* hydrolyzed wheat protein or triticum vulgare (wheat) or stearyldimoniumhydroxypropyl (hydrolyzed wheat protein) or hydroxypropyltrimonium (hydrolyzed wheat protein).
*OATMEAL:* or avena sativa
*BARLEY*: hordeum vulgare or maltodextrin (can also be from barley)
*RYE:* secale cereale
*Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein* can be derived from: Soy, Corn, or Wheat


Organic Shampoo: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B011ESJXRW/ref=sxr_pa_click_within_right_aps_sr_pg1_2?psc=1 

*For a rinse:*
For a natural approach, Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar from a health food store can help with itching. Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar has anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. You will know it is organic because you will see “The Mother” (which contains the medicinal properties) floating around in the bottle. It can be used internally (to aide in digestion) and externally (for itching). Make a 50/50 mix of the the Organic ACV with purified water (not city tap water) and after a bath with a mild herbal or castile soap bath, rub the Organic ACV mix down into the skin/coat, working in small areas, until the whole dog is covered including legs and belly. Always be careful of eyes (vinegar stings). *Let dog drip dry, do not rinse off.* Do not get into eyes or open sores.
You can put the mix in a spray bottle and spray on their coats and specific itchy spots (if skin is not opened) a few times per day till you see improvement. You can also use this mix to wipe out ears.




Home Made Eeazy Peezy Recipe:
*REAL MEAT TREATS*

*Items needed:*
*Non Stick Fry Pan*
*Meat: Such as Round Steak, Pork Chops, Lamb or Calves Liver*
*Scissors*
Next time you go to the grocery store, pick up a nice size round steak, or top round, or pork chops, or calves liver, or lamb etc. 
1. Trim off all fat on the edges and in-between and if it has a round bone in it, remove that too. 
2. Take a pair of scissors (outstanding tool for cutting meat) and cut the steak into manageable squares or rectangles.
3. Choose a fry pan (non stick works the easiest) that will hold the amount of meat you bought, and give the pan a small drop of oil or a quick spray of Pam.
4. Heat the pan until really hot and drop in the meat pieces in to sizzle. Keep your heat high but don’t leave the pan unattended.
5. Sprinkle on a little garlic powder or garlic salt.
6. Let it sizzle for about a minute or two then flip over. Braise the other side (pour off the juice if there is too much) and remove from pan when the middle is pink. Place on to paper towel, blot and let cool.
7. Take your scissors and cut all of the meat in strips about ¼” wide. Now take those strips and cut small pieces about the size of a ½ of a dime, (or whatever size you prefer).
8. Place small amounts into sealable snack baggies, then place those baggies into a sealable freezer baggie and place in freezer. On the day you are going to training, take out one or two baggies, place them in the frig and they will be unthawed by the time you are ready for class that evening. Of course the dogs love them frozen too, if you forget! They will unthaw quickly in your pocket.

For calf’s liver, after it is unfrozen, soak up the excess blood with paper towel, and proceed starting with #3 as above (you won’t have to cut this first). Only braise the liver long enough on both sides (don’t thoroughly cook it) as it only needs to be cooked to a “medium” range, otherwise it will get crumbly. Drain the liquid during cooking if needed. 
The process takes a little time but saves a lot of $$ and the dogs go crazy for them!




Moms


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## Julian G (Apr 4, 2016)

Be careful with the fruits.. This is from an article
"If you feed your *dog fruit*, it should never be fed together with the protein meal, because they digest very differently. *Fruit* digests in the stomach quickly and it will ferment if it remains too long. To *prevent bloat*, feed *fruit* at least one hour or longer before a meal and at least four hours after meals."

source:
Preventing Bloat In Dogs


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## FGOliveira83 (Jun 26, 2016)

WOW! Thank you very much for all that information. Here is the picture I took of him today with a view from the top. [


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## Springbrz (Aug 13, 2013)

He looks to be a nice weight to me. Can see the ribs and has a nice tuck from the ribs to the hips. I find it easier to not be concerned with the number on the scale. Better to look at the body shape. Remember he is a growing pup and his shape will change often. 

Here is a good chart http://lasvegaspetweightloss.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/dog-weight-chart.png


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## Kylothegsd (Sep 25, 2017)

Hi i was wondering if you could tell me if my puppy is overweight. I got him at 7 weeks, he was underweight(3kg) and had other medical issues. The last time he got weight was at 13 weeks (15kg) he is 17 weeks old as of tomorrow. I dont know how much he weights but my sister told me he looks chubby, he eats 3 times a day a total of 4 1/2 cups a day. Here are some photos i took today. Thank you
Ps. He has a lot of loose skin so i dont know if that makes him look chubby.


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## eddie1976E (Nov 7, 2010)

Kylothegsd said:


> Hi i was wondering if you could tell me if my puppy is overweight. I got him at 7 weeks, he was underweight(3kg) and had other medical issues. The last time he got weight was at 13 weeks (15kg) he is 17 weeks old as of tomorrow. I dont know how much he weights but my sister told me he looks chubby, he eats 3 times a day a total of 4 1/2 cups a day. Here are some photos i took today. Thank you
> Ps. He has a lot of loose skin so i dont know if that makes him look chubby.


Yes, your dog looks overweight from the pictures I see. 

What are you feeding? Feed something high quality, keep him on the thin side. You should see a stomach tuck.


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