# Too skinny? [IMGS]



## CarLooSHoo (Feb 26, 2009)

Our friends always mention how skinny Meesha is. I remember the breeder told us it is normal for the GSD puppy to be skinny while growing up. Actually she said that's the way they should be. 

Anyway, she's 7 months now. Her ribs pop out, and her spine pops out depending on which position she's in. She eats about 3.5 cups of dog food a day, plus I've also been giving her some raw food to improve her diet. She is on Orijen Large Breed puppy. Every time we go to the vet, our vet has never showed us any concern for her weight. She has never even mentioned it. Last time we weighed her was sometime last month, she was around 6.5 months, and she weighed 56 pounds. She is VERY active, gets a lot of exercise a day from 2 walks and a puppy playtime with 4 of the neighborhood dogs every night for about an hour.

Here are some recent pics. From all the info I gave you guys and from the pics, what do you think??? 

(I just decided to post now because of the comment my husband was making when he came home about how he can feel her spine when he pets her. I was never worried because of what the breeder told me and how the vet has seen her numerous time and has never said anything.)










Here is a good pic of her showing her ribs...


















Does she look normal for a growing pup her age, or too skinny?


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I think she looks OK. Doesn't need to be any thinner, but I wouldn't worry. Maybe add 1/2 cup on more active days. Your dog looks to have a very short/tight coat which makes a thin dog more noticeable. 

I have trouble keeping weight on my young male as well. If I add more food, he just poops more and his poop gets mushy. He also appears ribby especially now that he just blew his coat. He was at the vet last night and weighed in fine, no comments on his weight or condition. He is just so active these days.


----------



## darga19 (Mar 4, 2009)

She looks a bit on the skinny side...but I wouldn't worry much because she's still a young pup and still growing.

As long as the vet says she's healthy and her poops are solid and everything like that, I wouldn't worry about it.

Rather have a pup on the skinny side than a fatty!

No fat dogs here!


----------



## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

When was the last time you increase her food intake? A 7 month old puppy is still growing and may need more food at certain times.


----------



## Lynn_P (Mar 17, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: Lauri & The GangWhen was the last time you increase her food intake? A 7 month old puppy is still growing and may need more food at certain times.


I agree with Lauri here. My Laos (8 months old) just this past month looks rather thin...and I've had to increase his food intake during this growing phase from 2 lbs raw to 2.5 lbs.


----------



## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

You can add some fat to her diet - coconut oil is good for not only calories, but for coat....adult weights for females (normal height) are in the 60-70 pound range, so she is not too far off! A little fat, some extra food - ribs perceptible ok, I don't like to feel the backbone...

Lee


----------



## HeidiW (Apr 9, 2009)

I just looked at my old piks of Bella at 7 months old and you can't see her ribs but I could feel them at the time and her spine.
I thought she was thin to back then. I would definite increase her food intake and beef her up. she looks healthy and lean but a little more meat on those bones I think is better.


----------



## weber1b (Nov 30, 2008)

I would agree with Lauri also. I think a couple ribs showing is one thing, but I think a couple pounds wouldn't hurt here. Some dogs do tend to be thin, especially when they are young, and this guy is likely one of them.


----------



## CarLooSHoo (Feb 26, 2009)

Thanks for the opinions. 

I have a question if anyone can answer, is it true a female will gain weight after being spayed? Meesha will be getting spayed next tuesday and I do remember a packet the vet gave me saying dogs usually gain weight after being fixed so to lower their food intake afterwards. Since she's already skinny maybe I should wait until after the spaying and see how she does on her regular amount, or should I increase her food intake anyway?


----------



## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

She's probably an active girl who burns it all up. She's thin but believe it or not, much heavier than Morgan was at that age. Morgan was a tall pup too, I'd have to go back over her records to be exact but she was about 49lbs at that age. Eventually Morgan worked it out to a normal weight, just like teenage human girls, sometimes they're very thin!


----------



## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

I PERSONALLY think she is a tad thin. Having the last 2-3 ribs showing is one thing, but all of them isn't very good, and the WHOLE rib showing is not my kind of thing either... And I do believe that seeing backbone isn't a good thing either, unless she is arcing her back to show it.

She is still a puppy, but she could put on a few lbs and look a bit better... My 9wk old is eating about 2.8 cups a day and is not overweight at all, you can see his last ribs at times. 

I only let one or two ribs show on mine and not the whole rib, only about halfway up, I like them to have a waist and good muscle, but not thin.
But mine also have the chance to swim and climb around on rocks sniffing out rats all day, so their balance and muscle tone may be different from your girly's, I don't know her exercise routine.


----------



## HeidiW (Apr 9, 2009)

I have had 4 females that I spayd at 7-8 months and none of them gained any weight other than what they were to gain as normal. 

I don't think spaying makes them get fat or slows there matabol...

Bella weighed 65 pounds at 7 months old when she was spayed and today at 14 months old weighs 72 pounds. She looks healthy and that is a good weigh for her.


----------



## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

And NO, females will only gain weight after being spayed if their owners let them. All on mine are fixed and they were thin and muscular. It's a bit of a myth that spaying or neutering will make them lazy and fat, and that is will stop and kind of hyperactivity in males.
*Also, a female may gain a bit of weight DIRECTLY after the spay because they are not supposed to be doing a lot of exercising until healed, but I cannot believe a vet told you that, I thought they were supposed to know more than us








But hey, my vet is trying to convince me to snip J at 3 months... they don't know everything. 

I would slowly increase her food intake until she picks up a couple of pounds.


----------



## rgrim84 (May 8, 2009)

I think she looks good. I like when GSDs are lean... =)


----------



## CarLooSHoo (Feb 26, 2009)

Ok thank you for all that info everyone. I doubt Meesha will gain any weight from her surgery then because she is very active and we give her a lot to do here. She's never bored that's for sure.


----------



## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

Yana didn't gain weight after the surgery but within a few months she started eating much less with the same amount of activity as before the surgery. At less active days she would only eat 1 cup of food a day, but normally 2 and never more than 3 cups a day. Before surgery she was eating 4 and wouldn't mind even more. She's wasn't free fed, she was just not finishing her food. She always maintained a healthy weight for her of 69-71lb and had tons of energy. 

I think if we excercise and don't overfeed the dogs they don't gain the weight, but metabolism does slow down with age.


----------



## Deejays_Owner (Oct 5, 2005)

3.5 cups of Orijen Large Breed puppy, should be more than fine.
Orijen is moderate in fat, high in protein and, importantly, very low in carbohydrate.


----------



## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

I agree she is a tad thin. You've gotten some good suggestions on handling it. 

I've heard the same thing - that spayed bitches gain weight. I've also heard the same comment about neutered males. I'm no expert, but have never had a problem with any of the spayed/neutered Hooligans being overweight.

In fact, the Hooligans (all spayed/neutered) run on the thin side. I'm going to try the coconut oil mentioned above.


----------



## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

i think some gsd's are just genetically thin, or extra thin for the first few years until they fill out. as long as the vet has checked her and there are no health issues i wouldn't worry. yes, she could gain a few pounds, and most likely will with age, spaying, and maybe boosting her food intake, maybe mixing some organ meats in with her food etc. she is a very nice looking girl, i might add!

debbie


----------



## CarLooSHoo (Feb 26, 2009)

Thank you for the advice everyone I appreciate it.


----------



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

I would bump up her food a little bit. You want to be able to see a rib or two but in that second pic I can see ALL of them. It's usually hard to tell in a photo if the ribs are readily visible, so I'm guessing they are even more pronounced in person. You're right that her close coat makes them easier to see, but she is on the thin side. 

I wouldn't worry about the possibility of her being less active and maybe gaining weight after spaying, I'd feed to her current condition and then adjust later if necessary. And as others have said she is still growing, so give her a little more food now, and as her growth continues to slow as she nears her adult weight, start cutting back again. I adjust my dogs' food all the time.


----------

