Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 12:58 pm Post subject: how to add some weight on a yr old lab
I'm posting this for a friend who isn't on lf but has a gorgeous rescue lab. He is now over a year old. He is working bred and is always on the go. He is currently on 400g per day with half skinners duck and rice and half skinners superior. However he is still quite ribby and my friend would like a better covering on him.
Should she feed more, split three meals rather than two, or try adding tripe etc? Any advice or ideas welcome
____________ Sam, Coal & Finn
It�s never too late to be what you might have been
All photographs remain copyrighted to me with al
Sam, you know the trouble i've had getting a decent covering on my three boys.... time has been the only thing thats not given them, basically, the squirts. Sounds like she is feeding him perfectly. maybe she could consider swapping completely to Superior, which is what i did with Fish and Tom for a while and seemed to keep them way more solid than adding further food to their already fairly large portion.
But to be honest as they go in and out of coat they still all look damn lean to me, but slowly, especially Fish being the older chap, is rounding off and growing some curves rather than corners... But its taken till two and a half!
Di
____________
The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
When we got our rescue Jack , he was underweight and quite ribby - more to do with lack of food previously than his genetic make up. We fed him an initial 3rd meal at lunch - Nature diet I think, for 2 weeks and he soon rounded out - in fact he put on 6kg in the first 6 months we had him, and finished up at 31kg which he looks great on.
Knowing he was underweight also gave us the excuse to use plenty of treats when training.
I remember when Bracken was about that age and I actually posted on here about her weight. I felt that I just couldn't keep weight on her and she constantly looked far too skinny to me. I was feeding AG at the time and had upped it considerably to no avail. It was suggested I switch to the premium one or just continue increasing the ordinary chicken and rice one. I wasn't happy doing either, and concluded it must be the food that wasn't suiting her. In hindsight, I don't think it was at all - I think it was just her age/stage. I changed to Skinners and she was still a very slim Jim.
I'd say she was at least 2 years old before she seemed less skinny to me and she started to broaden out a bit. Even at 3 now, and having been spayed post first season, she's still always slim - I think she must just be naturally that way (unlike me, I just have to *think* about food and I put on weight )
thanks all it could well be his age and he Will naturally fill out a little as he gets older. Think its more difficult not knowing his back ground at all. Is 400g alot for his age? He came on our norfolk holiday recently and i have photos on my website if anyone wants to see what they think. He's the only pale yellow in the photos!
____________ Sam, Coal & Finn
It�s never too late to be what you might have been
All photographs remain copyrighted to me with al
Sam - we had this problem with Moz when he was about 18 months after a lot of consideration we put him back on puppy food as nothing put weight on him - it did the trick marvellously. We also added meat amd tripe - but interestingly he actually preferred the dried food
His diet would have been Clover and Dylans idea of heaven
ETA - adding oily fish to their food is also very good for putting on weight
I must say I'd be more worried if I didn't see ribs on a 12 month old pup myself. They are like young teenagers at that age and should be lanky, lean and full of energy.
Give him another year and he'll fill out a little and round off the edges a bit .
Edited to add...Just looked at his photos and he looks in smashing shape to me
Amber was lean and lanky at a year and its only now at 2 that shes starting to fill out!! Shes not getting fat but has just filled out more in head, chest - all over really but shes still lean and amazingly hasn't gained any weight
Murphy is still a slim jim and I think always will be, Arden Grange lamb keeps him from going too thin but I can't add anything else as he's prone to a bad stomach if I overfeed or add different things! Sardines resulted in diarrhoea sprayed all over the kitchen floor
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But its taken till two and a half!
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