# Is My Dog Too Skinny?



## bobchic (Feb 20, 2008)

Hello Everyone 

Im getting concerned for my dog Tar. He is a kelpie cross Lab with a bit of Staffy and he seems too skinny. 

I feed him one meal a day which includes dry food (lucky dog or pedagree) and wet food (pedagree) The bowl is med-large side... 20cm diameter im thinking (its one i bought from crazy clarks) and around 5cm deep. 

My dog plays non stop all day... He is always throwing his toys in the air (usually landing in the neighbours yard). 

Im concerned I'm either not feeding him enough or he is playing too much for his own good (though i dont know how that could be possible) He is regulary wormed and flea'd 

I can see 3-4 ribs flush withhis skin and he is begining to havethe look of a starved stray... please let me know what Im doing wrong!! 

thanks


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## waruikazi (Feb 20, 2008)

Looks alright to me. He still has good muscle tone (that i can see from here) and he isn't that bony. You could always feed him more, if he's not fat that wont hurt him. If you are really worried a vet visit is the best thing for the two of you.


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## froglet (Feb 20, 2008)

From what i can see in the pic he is not to bad.
Perhaps get him onto a better quality premium food (Pedigree is full of ceral fillers that dont do much for the dog)
Some excellent brands Euk, Science Diet, Royal Canin, Advance etc etc These may may be expensive but they are well worth it.
Even try Supercoat Performance, it is desighned for very active dogs


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## jonesc1 (Feb 20, 2008)

...


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## Kitah (Feb 20, 2008)

way to check if a dog or cat is underweight (vets do this) is gently feel over their ribs; if there is a thick layer of fat between the ribs and bone = overweight, if a little bit of fat, is the correct weight, and if there is little or no fat, the dog is underweight.

Kelpies are naturally active dog (i know you said he's a cross) so they can and will be active all day usually; they were bred to work. so naturally, he will burn a lot of food. as said above, it probably wouldnt hurt to feed a bit more, if your concerned. or get a vets opinion.

nice pup


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## falconboy (Feb 20, 2008)

I agree with the above. He is thin at the back but not 'skinny'. This isn't uncommon in Kelpies and their crosses as they are so active. Put it this way, you don't often see a fat sheepdog. 

My brothers kelpie is the same, we don't see him often but from one visit to the next the dog is thin, then a bit chunky, then thin etc etc. Funnily enough his dog throws his toys in the air too, but catches them in its mouth. Very funny to watch. You wonder how a dog self teaches itself to throw and catch with its mouth. Shows how intelligent they are.

I particularly agree with the diet - pal stuff, even pedigree is rubbish. Plenty of dogs live on the stuff and are fit and healthy, but its still rubbish. You don't need to go specialist diet (lets face it, its hideously expensive), but I would at least consider 'Supercoat' that you can even get from the supermarket. It even smells 10 times better.


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## jessb (Feb 20, 2008)

The general rule of thumb the vet gives me (we have a greedy Labrador so weight is ALWAYS an issue!) is that you should be able to feel the first rib quite easily, and feel the next couple under a decent layer of skin. His spine should not be prominent. Looking down on the dog from above, he should have a distinct "waist" between his chest and his hindquarters. Generally the dogs you see out and about are OVERweight so a healthy, lean dog often looks skinny in comparison. Also, he is a kelpie so he will be skinny compared to a similar sized Lab or Goldie.

I agree with froglet - premium foods cost a bit more but are worth every cent. Your dog's coat will improve, his joints will be better as he ages, poos will be less smelly and firmer and he will be getting a bette nutritional mix. In terms of quantity, just follow the directions for your dog's weight from the side of the pack. 

Next time you take him to the vet for his annual shots, just bring up the weight issue. I'm sure the vet will tell you that you are doing fine!


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## DazHerps (Feb 20, 2008)

> Some excellent brands Euk, Science Diet,


 
I agree Froglet, I've got a staffy that is just run run run all day and was a bit underweight, changed her from supermarket foods to science diet active and she looks heaps better. It costs me [email protected]#^loads to buy a big bag but when I worked out how long it took to use it, it was only just dearer than the crap I used to use.


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## falconboy (Feb 20, 2008)

Meant to ask, is the dog wormed regularly? This can cause an issue with being underweight even with what seems like a lot of food. 

If its been a while since your last visit, just book in with the vet for a checkup.


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## davidfbarnes (Feb 20, 2008)

We have a Rotti, so have to be very careful with weight due to their hips.

We feed Missy a couple of cups of dried food in the morning - Eukanuba (spelling), and rice and kangaroo mince for dinner.

Most of the "supermarket" foods aren't that great, not saying all of them, but a lot.

The Eukanuba has alot of their nutrition requirements (or so I am told) and the roo is quite lean and they tend to love it.

Hope this helps.


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## JasonL (Feb 20, 2008)

By the looks of him, he has a good deal of Kelpie in the mix, and he looks good and lean aka "working weight". For dry food, try Bonnie working dog.


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## kirstys (Feb 20, 2008)

i find iames (i think is spelled this way) is a very good dry food its about 80.00 a bag but good quality
i would not worry to much though its the breed they are a working dog


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## MoreliaMatt (Feb 20, 2008)

JasonL said:


> For dry food, try Bonnie working dog.



We feed our dog (a boxer) Bonnie Adult mix, its great!

I'd suggest a start on working dog like jason said, this will help up the weight of the dog, then switch over to the adult mix...

Also, for active dogs such as yours, to feed twice a day, breakfast and dinner.... even if you cut down the meal sizes if you see fit, 2 meals a day will be of great benefit....


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## millad (Feb 20, 2008)

Looks healthy and beautiful


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## Paliadon (Feb 20, 2008)

Dogs like him often look as though they are underfed; however, this is quite normal. The more active the dog, the more calories they burn. Don't feed him anymore than you do now. He look great. It might be a different situation if he has a dull coat and a dry nose. But he look s fine to me. Try de-worming him, as this is the most common reason for weight loss if you are still concerned.


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## Earthling (Feb 20, 2008)

Looks in good nick to me. Nothing wrong with a little bit if rib showing. Its when they all protrude quite a ways then you have a problem.
As others have said Bonnie dog food is very good. Mine didnt like it after a while so Im now on Coles Natural Dog biscuits. Nutrition doesnt look to bad and cheap too.


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## shlanger (Feb 20, 2008)

As well as keeping herp and rodents to feed em, I have several dogs. Biggest is 'Seb' 65 Kg, Daddy was a Rottwieler, mummy was an English mastiff. Now Seb does a good job of looking after the place, including the reptile house when I'm not at home. Thus crossed I believe I have created a new sub species of dog!
To wit- _[Canis familiaris bitechafaceoff!]_ Old fashioned though it might seem, I feed all my dogs on good old common garden variety "MEAT AND BONE' straight from the butcher. Funny thing, being carnivores they seem to do well on it! Once or twice a week they get a good quality dry food. Now Seb, being 65Kg never got that size by being fed chocolate and fairy floss!


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## mrmikk (Feb 20, 2008)

He looks like he is in great condition to me.


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## venus (Feb 20, 2008)

Nice looking dog. 

Most Kelpies tend to be scrawny looking, and crossed with a Staffy, you get a dog that would play all day. :lol:

If you are worming 3 monthly with a good wormer (Drontal or similar) not the supermarket brands, you should be fine for worms.

You could also try giving 2 meals a day (just divide the normal sizedmeal in half).

I agree with changing the food, Bonnie working dog is good, but when you change foods over, make it gradual, (mix a bit of the new stuff with the old over a week or so, gradually increasing etc)so your dog doesnt get stomach problems from it.

A nice raw meaty bone once or twice a week (butchers are good for cheap bones) is also good for keeping their teeth nice and healthy, and they have to stop playing long enough to eat it.
Marrow bones are good too once a week.


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## jessb (Feb 20, 2008)

shlanger said:


> As well as keeping herp and rodents to feed em, I have several dogs. Biggest is 'Seb' 65 Kg, Daddy was a Rottwieler, mummy was an English mastiff. Now Seb does a good job of looking after the place, including the reptile house when I'm not at home. Thus crossed I believe I have created a new sub species of dog!
> To wit- _[Canis familiaris bitechafaceoff!]_ Old fashioned though it might seem, I feed all my dogs on good old common garden variety "MEAT AND BONE' straight from the butcher. Funny thing, being carnivores they seem to do well on it! Once or twice a week they get a good quality dry food. Now Seb, being 65Kg never got that size by being fed chocolate and fairy floss!


 

Meat and bones are a great addition to a dog's diet, however dogs are omnivorous and require a certain amount of vegetable/cereal matter. In the wild, whether they just eat grass and leaves or consume vegetable matter in the stomachs of their prey, dogs consume a certain amount of vegetables. 

It would be the same as feeding herps exclusively on pieces of meat rather than whole prey - it does not accurately replicate their natural diet - whereas the premium dog foods are nutritionally balanced to imitate the natural consumption of whole prey.

Your dogs won't suffer eating just meat and bones, however they may be missing some essential nutrients.


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## cootiesami (Feb 20, 2008)

i thnk the dog looks in great condition, I always make my own food, and use euk food and use pet mince - I make my own food at work (I work as a butcher) and cook the food meat with veges and mix with the biscuits, I am sure not to give too much food (Shes a border cross- kelpie) so she gets about 200 grams of meat a day and a fresh marrow bone / or lamb shank in the morning! She is in perfect health despite shes about 13 years of age! (I make sure she has minced chicken frames (the fat is cook for promoting a healthy coat and the marrow ensures she has strong bones! at the age of 13 she still has good mobility, despite the certainty that she will ihave artharitis. Keeping them fit, and active helps keep arthiritis at bay!


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## Scleropages (Feb 20, 2008)

Vet check up.

Easy.


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## kakariki (Feb 20, 2008)

Tar looks like a typical kelpie X. Fit, lean and ready for anything. What great dogs they are. And yours looks shiny & healthy. I feed chicken carcasses to my dogs. Aragorn [ Dane X Bull Mastiff ] gets 2 & Dana [ G. Shepherd ] gets 1. They also get ad lib dry food & the veg scraps that the kids don't eat, but they would not be any where near as active as Tar. If you are worried take him with you to the vet when you pick something else up. They will soon tell you if he is too thin & you can put him on the scales while you are there.


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## bobchic (Feb 20, 2008)

Thanks heaps for the advice guys. Of course I could just take him to the vet but I wanted to get peoples opinons first. The reason Im unsure is Ive grown up with little ankle biters... Not a dog of this size. So just asking for others experience. 

I will look at changing the food... I dont mind paying a bit more. 

I give him bones regulary (3-4 a week) and also boil any bbq chickens we have for chicken broth ice cubes for when its hot. 

Here is a vid of him playing... 

http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg314/smjonesphotography/?action=view&current=17022008.flv

Turn the sound off while you play it lol...


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## callith (Feb 21, 2008)

froglet said:


> From what i can see in the pic he is not to bad.
> Perhaps get him onto a better quality premium food (Pedigree is full of ceral fillers that dont do much for the dog)
> Some excellent brands Euk, Science Diet, Royal Canin, Advance etc etc These may may be expensive but they are well worth it.
> Even try Supercoat Performance, it is desighned for very active dogs



I agree, we used to feed our dog chicken wings and occasionally cheap dog food, changed him to Eukanubu about 4 years ago, he lost the weight he needed to, it's cost less than what it used to as he only needs one cup a day and hes still kicking on at 14.


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## MoreliaMatt (Feb 21, 2008)

bobchic said:


> Here is a vid of him playing...



He looks great! still i'd start feeding twice a day, 2 smaller meals it better than 1 bigger one....


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## ishka (Feb 21, 2008)

he doesn't look to skinny to me but if you would feel better if he was a little bit chunkier... i little bit more weight certainly wouldn't do any harm.

Try using a working dog or puppy formula dog food (as someone already mentioned Bonnie is a fantastic dog food) as these dog foods will have a higher fat content than other formulas. Other than that you can buy a product called Thrive D, this is a powder that is added to a regular feed and it aids in more effective digestion, hence helping to add weight.

Thrive D is made by Nature Vet and you can get it from most produce stores, vets or online.
http://www.naturevet.com/ProductMainPage.aspx

Cheers,
Ishka


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## sassy (Feb 21, 2008)

So many dogs are overweight these days, people have forgotten what a healthy weight dog looks like... as long and the muscle tone is good, the dog is fine.


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## Mystery (Feb 21, 2008)

sassy said:


> So many dogs are overweight these days, people have forgotten what a healthy weight dog looks like... as long and the muscle tone is good, the dog is fine.



have to agree with that. I think this dog looks fine for its breed. My dog had been put on cortisone months ago. It really packed the weight on her. I had taken her off the tablets and she had started to lose weight - unfortunately she had a massive heart attack on the weekend. I would rather have had her lean and alive than dead at 6yrs old.


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## krylon (Feb 22, 2008)

i vote no


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## Lovemysnakes (Feb 22, 2008)

I used to be married to a dog - she wasnt too skinny!


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## SyKeD (Feb 23, 2008)

you said there was a little bit of staffy in him... it could be the staffy side showing?.. lot of muscle


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## Spike (Feb 27, 2008)

Sorry i haven't had time to read everyones answers due to being over worked but u should be able to see a dogs ribs with a lining of thick skin and they are not over weight or under, so maybe depending on the age and how active he/ she is and how much money u have go and get super coat puppie and that will provide your active dog with the energy it need s to burn, have a look at any dry food you feed as a active dog being old or senior if it is a active dog needs at least 25 + protein in there diet more if you can!! if you can afford more grab some science diet puppy or pro plan, even if your dog is more than 12 months old because of how active they are, I have a 8 yr old dog i feed puppy high protein food to because he burns it off every day but if your dog will not burn the extra energy puppy has in it don't go there cause they will end up putting the fat on, i have been in the pet industry for many years so i hope this helps!


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## LennytheGecko (Feb 28, 2008)

some puppies have trouble putting on weight, being so active, and everyone is right about kelpie and kelpie X's. Give Tar the Biscuits for active dogs and maybe feed him some good quality wet food at night.( kangaroo or chicken mince is great from butchers, cook some up and mix with some good quality rice or pasta and veg.) That usually works to put weight on a dog.

Give Tar a chicken carcass or kanga tail to chew on every now and then, great for his teeth, bones are part of a dogs diet and it makes them sit still for a while.Marrrow bones are also good but if u are giving them to a dog that is a good weight, scrape out the marrow cause it is really fatty.(or dontbuy them)I have a mastiff x staff x pitbull that had trouble putting weigh on as a puppy...

Beautiful dog, and bet Tar is great with kids.


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## Lesa (Feb 28, 2008)

He looks healthy to me. If you're worried about his food I'd steer away from processed foods. Our dog only gets fresh meat and chicken, bones and table scraps. Tinned dog food is very watery. Dogs are carnivores they don't need an overlad of carbs in dry food. For a treat for my dog gets veges blended up with mince, or a couple of eggs (usually scooped from the floor after they've been dropped) or a nice chewy heart or chunk of liver - he loves it!
And believe it or not it's not that expensive. I grab "scraps" and bones from the butchers for a steal. Leanord's sell off their chicken carcasses 5 for $2 and I keep an eye out for specials. You can grab a kilo of chicken wings at Woolies or Coles for less then $2. These are usually near expiration but fine to freeze or feed immediately. My dog eats a kilo of meat a night (approx and depending on the amount of table scraps) and it's way cheaper to feed raw!


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## Tatelina (Mar 15, 2008)

shlanger said:


> Old fashioned though it might seem, I feed all my dogs on good old common garden variety "MEAT AND BONE' straight from the butcher. Funny thing, being carnivores they seem to do well on it! Once or twice a week they get a good quality dry food. Now Seb, being 65Kg never got that size by being fed chocolate and fairy floss!


Agreed....I make a weekly trip to my butcher for a box of bones, mince, liver and chicken. Couple of times a week I feed raw foods and dry. 
Mind you...it took me a while to find a butcher that was well priced, and decent.


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