# I dont know if this is the right section..



## misty1582 (Nov 19, 2009)

But do you think Diesel looks overweight? Hes 4 1/2, almost 5 months old and a pinch over 60 pounds and he eats and eats and doesnt stop eating. I know hes growing, but I dont want to get a weight problem going. Today alone so far, hes eaten 3 cups of blue buffalo, 3 eggs, sweet potato, and pumpkin, and he just brought me his food bowl and is staring at me crying. At what point do I say no more?


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

He looks chunky in this picture. You say no more after he eats his meals and you say no more once you can't readily feel his ribs. You are doing him no favors letting him get away with begging and letting him get chunky.


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## trudy (Aug 25, 2008)

he is very nice but I think you are in the wrong forum, maybe puppy general? or nutrition? Anyway I would feed only a set amount maybe 2 times a day, or 3, but in between keep the dish up and away. I would do training in between and offer treats for that, sit, stay find it, heel etc. He is a good looking guy. Good luck I am no expert


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## misty1582 (Nov 19, 2009)

Oh I can readily feel his ribs. I guess maybe this picture makes him look a little more stocky than he is, but is the point when you cant readily feel his ribs?

And thanks trudy, I will start the schedule. Hopefully I can train his stomach His breeder called him fatboy when he was a puppy because he was always eating, and its definitely not stopping.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

I hope it's just the pic, but he has no tuck up and I can't see even a little outline of ribs. You shouldn't have to dig your fingers in to feel ribs, they should be very easy to feel. The fact that he's about 60 pounds and he's not even 5 months is a huge red flag unless he's extremely tall for his age. Puppies should be kept lean for good health.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

don't blame your dog for over eating. you're 
feeding your dog. when my dog was a puppy
he got 3 cups a day. he had some snacks.

now my dog gets 2 cups a day. there's always something good mixed in his kibble. my dog weighs 85.5 pounds.



> Originally Posted By: misty1582Oh I can readily feel his ribs. I guess maybe this picture makes him look a little more stocky than he is, but is the point when you cant readily feel his ribs?
> 
> And thanks trudy, I will start the schedule. Hopefully I can train his stomach His breeder called him fatboy when he was a puppy because he was always eating, and its definitely not stopping.


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## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

If I free fed Jethro he would weigh over 100# but instead he gets fed a set amount, 2 times a day with training treats sometimes when we work (he prefers tug for a reward). He is probably 65 pounds or so at just under a year.


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## Anja1Blue (Feb 27, 2008)

Some dogs are just chow hounds - they would eat and eat until they exploded, if you let them. That's the kind I have mostly had over the years LOL! You just have to limit them to what you want them to have, and ignore any begging or sad sack behavior. Especially with puppies you don't want them growing too quickly, or putting on too much weight - that's bad news for the joints. No free feeding, and at 5-6 months you can switch to adult food, which will encourage slower growth, and feed only twice a day. A good grain free kibble (like Orijen) might be a way to go, since it's the carbs in most dog food which will pack on the calories. Best of all is raw - both my dogs are on an all raw diet and have never had weight problems...

________________________________
Susan

Anja GSD
Conor GSD - adopted from this Board
Blue GSD - waiting at the Bridge


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## misty1582 (Nov 19, 2009)

he was in the process of sitting in that picture. Im uploading one now. He does actually have the curve and I know what readily feeling for ribs is like, I dont have to dig my fingers in. 
His shoulders from the ground measure 25 inches, not sure if thats tall though


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## misty1582 (Nov 19, 2009)

Thanks! I really didnt know if this was lie a human kid thing where they tell you to feed them however much they want when their little because they might be hitting a growth spurt, and Diesel has exploded over the past month and half, so figured he was going through a ton of growth spurts. He has large parents, his dad was 110 pounds. I asked Diesels breeder about it, and he said if hes hungry feed him because hes obviously growing super fast. He had them on nutro when he picked him up and I had Diesel on TOTH for past few weeks, I think we got a bad bag because hes been having horrible stools and waking me up once or twice and hour to let him out. 
Thanks for letting me know I can switch him to an adult dog food!! His breeder said not until a yr so he can hit his potential. But Im startng to think his breeder might not know what hes talking about most times



> Originally Posted By: Anja1BlueSome dogs are just chow hounds - they would eat and eat until they exploded, if you let them. That's the kind I have mostly had over the years LOL! You just have to limit them to what you want them to have, and ignore any begging or sad sack behavior. Especially with puppies you don't want them growing too quickly, or putting on too much weight - that's bad news for the joints. No free feeding, and at 5-6 months you can switch to adult food, which will encourage slower growth, and feed only twice a day. A good grain free kibble (like Orijen) might be a way to go, since it's the carbs in most dog food which will pack on the calories. Best of all is raw - both my dogs are on an all raw diet and have never had weight problems...
> 
> ________________________________
> Susan
> ...


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## duramax (Dec 7, 2009)

Everybody knows a camera adds 30 lbs to your figure. Esp after the holidays. LOL


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## Anja1Blue (Feb 27, 2008)

25'' at the shoulder for such a young pup is tall (26'' is the standard for an adult male) - but you indicate that he has oversize parents. All the more reason for slowing down his growth, the bigger the dog the greater the propensity for hip and elbow problems. Our Conor looked skinny when he was 6 months old - people, including the vet, would comment on it. But he was also a large boy, and these folks were used to seeing overweight American dogs (not necessarily Shepherds) lumbering around. I knew that he was exactly where he was supposed to be.....your little guy is adorable - you just have to harden your heart to those pleading eyes!!

___________________________________
Susan

Anja GSD
Conor GSD - adopted from this Board
Blue GSD - waiting at the Bridge


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## misty1582 (Nov 19, 2009)

Heres the best I can do for now, unfortunately taking snapshots off the flip video camera and my phone, and the pictures arent coming out so well. The outside pictures are snapshots off the video camera. I cant get a picture of him standing still because hes always either an inch away from me, or sitting, or running. 









































And no Im not blaming him for his over eating with the one remark. I was merely stating he has the never ending gut and at what age/point do I say enough because they told me to feed my son however much when he was a baby, I didnt know if the same rule applied to puppies as well. I asked his breeder how much he was feeding him a day and he told me to feed him as he asks because hes going to be growing a lot and fast. Hopefully yall are able to see the curve in these pictures but like I said, the quality of pictures isnt great due to what I have to work with.


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## misty1582 (Nov 19, 2009)

That kind of scares me. I researched foods to feed him because I wanted to combat the hip and elbow problems and keep his growth slow. Obviously didnt work lol He has a health guarantee on his hips and elbows, but thats just a piece of paper, kwim But thanks, Ill go buy him adult dog food and start the switch over 




> Originally Posted By: Anja1Blue25'' at the shoulder for such a young pup is tall (26'' is the standard for an adult male) - but you indicate that he has oversize parents. All the more reason for slowing down his growth, the bigger the dog the greater the propensity for hip and elbow problems. Our Conor looked skinny when he was 6 months old - people, including the vet, would comment on it. But he was also a large boy, and these folks were used to seeing overweight American dogs (not necessarily Shepherds) lumbering around. I knew that he was exactly where he was supposed to be.....your little guy is adorable - you just have to harden your heart to those pleading eyes!!
> 
> ___________________________________
> Susan
> ...


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