# 12 week male over or under fed...don't know



## shadowdsouza (Feb 7, 2012)

Hi Everyone

My puppy Zeus is now 12 weeks old. He weighs 25lbs. He has been on Orijen LBP as his food, I usually add a couple of spoons of canned food to his food. He eats twice a day due to our schedule. 

I have been feeding him approximately 2 cups a day with about 4 tablespoons of canned food. He weighs 25 lbs on this diet. I checked the recommended feeding on the bag and online and as per that he should be fed 4.5 to 5.5 cups a day. When I saw that my heart sank....poor guy I have been starving him 

Now I was looking at average 12 week old male pups weight and it seems like I am in a good range. He does not look under fed....

So now I am confused...do not want to over feed up and dpo not want to under feed him too. This morning I gave hime 2 cups and for the first time he had stools that were solid and then ended with soft stools.


Please help...:help:


----------



## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

2 cups of high-fat kibble a day is a decent ration for a 12 week old pup, though some do need more than that. If you do increase his food, do it gradually, with three meals a day instead of two. If increased too quickly it can cause bowel upset. 

25 lb. for a 12 week old is within healthy range, but we'd really need to see photos of your pup. One from above and one from the side, to determine if he is actually underweight.


----------



## kateydog (Aug 1, 2012)

shadowdsouza said:


> Hi Everyone
> 
> My puppy Zeus is now 12 weeks old. He weighs 25lbs. He has been on Orijen LBP as his food, I usually add a couple of spoons of canned food to his food. He eats twice a day due to our schedule.
> 
> ...


How tall is he? If 17 inches plus he could probably use a little more food. Also depends on how much exercise he is getting or if he is crated all day etc.

Some people use a 30 minute method in the morning, where they let the dog eat all it can and cut back from that. If you google that, you should find instructions.

My girl is over 17 inches and around 25.5 pounds at exactly 12 weeks. Father was 90, mom was 70.

She gets exercise throughout the day as I am at home. She eats 2 cups in the morning and at night and kibble as treats through the day (training).

I don't give her any wet food though. Other then that she chews on bully sticks.


----------



## shadowdsouza (Feb 7, 2012)

kateydog said:


> How tall is he? If 17 inches plus he could probably use a little more food. Also depends on how much exercise he is getting or if he is crated all day etc.
> 
> Some people use a 30 minute method in the morning, where they let the dog eat all it can and cut back from that. If you google that, you should find instructions.
> 
> ...


 
At work and will check his height later. He looks fine in terms of how he feels and looks. He is in the crate during the day due to my work schedule. I made a mistake by increasing the amount directly and not gradually. I have dropped it down today as he does not look starved...
Will check his poop this evening...


----------



## Doctor Mike (Aug 3, 2012)

He needs a third meal daily. Between now and 17 weeks, it would be ideal to be gaining nearly 3 lbs/week. That is the maximal growth trajectory, but he is probably somewhat light. A nice, solid healthy 12 week old male is usually 28-34 lbs, unless his parents were small (klein).


----------



## Grizzpup (Aug 4, 2012)

He may be a little underweight but I would still consider him healthy. The average for a male is 30-31 lbs.


----------



## obelinux (Jun 19, 2012)

I do have a similar problem. My 13.5 week baby is just 26 lbs. For what it's worth he doesn't look weak ( IMO) and is highly active. However he is a very fussy eater. Absolutely hates eating dog food. I can only manage to get him to eat 2 cups of Royal Canin a day, when he is supposed to have 3. Let me try to post pics so you guys can get a better idea.


----------



## kateydog (Aug 1, 2012)

obelinux said:


> I do have a similar problem. My 13.5 week baby is just 26 lbs. For what it's worth he doesn't look weak ( IMO) and is highly active. However he is a very fussy eater. Absolutely hates eating dog food. I can only manage to get him to eat 2 cups of Royal Canin a day, when he is supposed to have 3. Let me try to post pics so you guys can get a better idea.


You can try this. If you can feed him at about mid day?

Take gatorade bottle. Take off wrapper (very easy on a gatorade bottle). Leave cap on. Cut hole in side (not too big but maybe 3-4 times bigger then the kibble). I took a cigarette lighter to polish/smooth the hole after I cut it with a utility knife. Give it a couple minutes to cool off.

Put kibble in. Watch the pup play for 30 minutes, while eating. If it is too easy for them? Cut a smaller hole in the next gatorade bottle.

This is how I always feed my dog during the middle of the day. My girl is just over 13 weeks and she wags her tail the whole time she does this. I praise her and she is pretty proud of herself when a piece of kibble comes out.

Also all dogs grow at different rates. Don't put too much stock in the growth chart. My last one (GSD) was small and ended up oversized. A massive 100 pound female (got down to 90 when older) and she wasn't fat. This puppy is on the high end of the growth chart and her dad was 90 and mom was 70ish. As long as he is healthy? Don't worry too much. 

With the kibble toy he won't overeat and he will get some exercise doing it.


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

a picture is worth a thousand words .

I have yet to weigh a dog . Look and feel . 

I wouldn't add canned food to Orijen, I wouldn't add canned food period . That stuff is pretty vile. 

Are you adding it as an appetite stimulant or to compensate for your feeling that kibble isn't enough ?

Carmen
CARMSPACK.com


----------



## 3ToesTonyismydog (Dec 27, 2009)

carmspack said:


> a picture is worth a thousand words .
> 
> I have yet to weigh a dog . Look and feel .
> 
> ...


BY-Nature and some others make some very outstanding canned dog food. It's pretty hard to beat 95% meat and that's what I get for Tony. Check it out the next time you are in a good pet store and it is $1.75 a can here. I buy by the case so I get another 15 cents off per can.


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

the quality of the meat is much more important than the quantity . 
If I add meat , I will add meat -- whether it is chicken liver which you can prepare as a pate , raw or cooked , just as an example.

I've been at a farm when dead-stock , cow who deceased when calving , was picked up for rendering. The cow carcasswas like a balloon from being out in the sun prior to being picked up.

$1.75 should be enough to buy you good , human edible , recognizable meat , at least a pound. 

checked out your canned food -- firstly ingredients five six and seven are thickening agents (gells) and you have 78% moisture. Your kitchen tap is a cheaper way to get moisture . So how much is really meat ?
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11331632


----------

