Puppy pudge

[weimlover0816]

Summit is about 5 and a half months old now...she is a golden retriever/lab mix. and right now weighs about 40ish ponds, though she is relatively short and not too long.... she is starting to look a little pudgy .... She gets quite a bit of exercise and eats the recommended amount of food, she is fed 3 times a day. (She eats Nutro natural large breed puppy) Do you think this is just something she will "grow in to" or should i be worried about her weight? I have looked into changing her food, but Iams, etc all have a higher fat% than nutro...
what do you all think??

[Dax]

Does she get treats? Milkbones are really bad as are all those nice people treats that she might be getting.

Ariel is over weight and it is very bad for them later. There was a study that showed dogs that were fed 25% less than the recommended feeding actually lived an avg of 3 years more and had fewer health problems.

Your pup should have a thin layer of meat and fat over the ribs. I would reduce to two feedings or reduce the quantity of food. Treats should come out of the daily allotment only.

[weimlover0816]

Thanks Dax... She does get treat, but the only people food she gets are like carrots, etc. When cutting back to 2 times a day, keep the same total amount, or just feed the 2 times at what i am feeding her at those feedings now... LOL, do I make any sense at all??

It's hard, because with Roslynd it seems like everything we feed her turns to muscle!!

[Dax]

Either is ok. You can cut back on quantity or number of meals. Having a pudgy dogs takes displine (my hubby has none)

I've switched Ariel to two meals a day and keep track of whose spoiling her. Then for the evening meal I might cut back on the amount if she's gotten too much.

She's firmed up nicely. I figure another month and she'll be right back on track without her missing out on anything.

[sambucca/whiskey]

hmmm i think i am much more intrested in a pup needing to gain rather than loose, I LOVE TO TREAT!!!!

[Moo]

I would just cut back on the amount per meal. I didn't cut my dog down to 2 meals until around 8 months. Until then, he was always hungry in the middle of the day. But only changed the amount he was eating accordingly based on his growing size. But of course, I created a not over weight, but monster sized small breed dog. lol

[goombaya]

I would feed twice daily, and cut back slightly on the total amount fed.
Pups can burn of a little pudge VERY fast. Its just best of course to have them a little slimmer than a little pudgier.

[erdog3]

6 months is a good age to cut back to 2 meals a day, try feeding the evening meal early so that she has time to exercise after...wait at least an hour though.
I would not worry about a little weight gain now, they tend to have growth spurts, she may be naturally storing for one of these, if by 12 months she is still podgy then look at cutting down a bit then. She has plenty of time for growth to use the extra fat now.

[weimlover0816]

Thanks everyone!! She is probably just going to be a really rugged dog


LOL, so, ellierat, your labs aren't annoying you anymore??

[erdog3]

You noticed. lol. lol. I found the collar, Wally only barks a few times now then shuts up for a bit before he tries another round. Ellie has been ill, gave me a fright, so I had to change it back of course.