how can i make him fatter???

[chilled]

i have a rhodesian ridgeback cross boxer he is nearly 11 months and he still looks skinny. you can see his spine and is not as big as some rr and boxers.

well when we got him he was very skinny and we could see his ribs he has slowly started to get bigger but not that much

i feed him biscuits, meat, mince and pasta everyday 2 times a day. and he still isnt fatten up.
any clues anyone????

 

[Rubylove]

Sausage like Tuckertime etc is full of fat and very good for puppies, as they're growing. Our vet told us that despite the fat content they can handle it and need it as pups.

Also, I would suggest boiled white rice, and not pasta, and supplementing his diet with some puppy milk, too. Ridgebacks are quite slender dogs, and Boxers are in particular, so I wouldn't worry too much, and he doesn't sound too bad. You should be able to feel a dog's spine, but not see his ribs. And so your boy sounds about right.

Puppies should not have any extra fat on them anywhere - this is a sign that their bodies aren't using all they need, and the extra fat is going into their growth, which means they could grow too fast, which you definitely don't want in a large breed because it could lead to all kinds of joint problems later in life.

You may well be feeding him too much, and making him grow too fast, which is making him a bit skinnier!!

 

[Boxer*Mom]

Ditto. And be sure to deworm.

 

[Dizzy]

Ah, very interesting!

I always worried Bodhi looked too skinny.. Although, not so much now, as I KNOW she is well fed, and she kinda goes up and down with growth spurts!

 

[SummerRiot]

I had the same problem with Riot not too long ago. hes 7 months now, he went through a ribby stage so i just uped his food level and hes looking great again. Although, Tervs normally are not a "big" boned type of dog to start with and they also get overweight fast... lol so that helps the problem there as well.

You could try adding oil to his food as well? I know that we do that with the horses. It also helps with their coat condition.

 

[smkie]

Victor drops weight like i do..think about it and we are ribby..worst part is he hates to eat..i sometimes sit with him on the bed with the bowl in my hand saying comeon..one bite..just one bite while mary droooooools..
when i had him on innova he looked awesome. I had to switch to nutro for the winter due to money depletion and he isn't near as good looking..and his skin on his belly is pinker too seems more things irratate so this month we are going back even if it is a forever drive to pick it up.

 

[Gempress]

I have the same problem with my dog. If he starts looking too ribby, I just add a ladle or two of whatever I'm cooking to a big bowl of kibble. He loves it. His favorite is beef stew.

 

[Renee750il]

Raw eggs are a great addition to an underweight dog's diet.

 

[chilled]

hi you all say large breeeds take longer to grow, does anyone know how long it will be until my ridgeback is fully grown?????

 

[okpik]

Raw eggs are a great addition to an underweight dog's diet.

Raw eggs - Contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella.

This is a quote from a different site that posts a lot of info from vets and other sources.

I have heard numerous arguments for and against raw eggs.
Everyone should make sure that they feel well informed before giving raw products like eggs to their babies.
I used to but now cook them a bit. there are other sources to put weight on a pup. I use a camera, it always adds at least ten pounds on me.

 

[Mordy]

Raw eggs - Contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella.

The main argument is that the enzyme avidin contained in the egg white destroys biotin within the body. Fact is that the egg yolk supplies more than enough biotin to make up for this loss, so unless you'd feed your dog large amounts of egg white only, for an extended period, there definitely isn't a problem at all.

Salmonella are another concern, but dogs with their significantly shorter digestive tract are much more resistant to these bacteria than for example humans. Naturally, wild dogs for example also eat rotting meat, which contains bacteria far worse than salmonella.

 

[casablanca1]

i have a rhodesian ridgeback cross boxer he is nearly 11 months and he still looks skinny. you can see his spine and is not as big as some rr and boxers. ell when we got him he was very skinny and we could see his ribs he has slowly started to get bigger but not that much i feed him biscuits, meat, mince and pasta everyday 2 times a day. and he still isnt fatten up. any clues anyone????

As long as your vet says he's healthy, why worry? My dog was essentially a tongue and a tail when she was 1yr - you could see her spine - but the vet said she was ok, and she's filled out as she matured.

 

[RedyreRottweilers]

In order for raw eggs to bind enough biotin to be an issue a dog would need to eat about 6 a day.

My dogs routinely eat raw eggs. I also grind the shells to use as mineral supplement.

Dogs need fat to gain wait and have good body condition and energy.

The cheapest fattest hamburger (FED RAW) is one thing I would choose, along with raw eggs, whole milk cottage cheese or yoghurt, and raw chicken leg quarters.

 

[tainted_870]

Are you saying you could SAFELY feed you dog 6 eggs a day?

 

[Mordy]

Yes you can. Just make sure you feed them as part of a balanced diet plan, not just willy-nilly.

 

[ledoc]

From the breed cross I would say all is fine. Genetics play a big role and as long as he is dewormed, stools are normal and he is active, let him be. Changing his diet continuously is more likely to lead to digestion problems than weight gain. He will broaden as he matures (2 yrs+)

 

[pitbulliest]

Regarding weight gain...there are these weird nutrient tubes I've seen at the vet's office that are given to pups...the actual substance (?) is like this weird brown gel...they say its full of vitamins and fats to pump the pups up a bit...maybe you can ask your vet about it? I wish I knew more...or at least what its called, but from what I know, its quite popular...maybe that would help?

 

[chilled]

well i weighed him and hes 4 stone at 11 months is that good ???