# Does my dog look emaciated to you?



## SilverBeat

I was walking him last night and a couple stopped to pet him "aww, what a cutie... blah blah blah." As they were walking away I heard the lady say to her boyfriend/husband "that poor thing... he's emaciated. Just wasting away. She should be ashamed."

I'm not going to comment on how much that last bit hurt. I know he;s on the skinny side, but, does he look _emaciated_ to you?














































I'm not looking for a bunch of people to agree with me... I really want to know your opinion.


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## bernadettelevis

well my dog looks about the same! And it wouldn't hurt him to have one or two kilos more, but i don't think that he looks emaciated! It is also very difficult to keep weight on him without over feeding him! 
So i wouldn't worry too much as long as your dog is still active and acting normal! I get the same comments all the time....and it is annoying and yes it hurts...


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## Tobi

Not emaciated :lol:

Skinny ya... but so are supermodels  I would say he could stand a few lbs added but nothing crazy, I would have had to respond to what i heard i woudln't have been able to have left it alone. The only reason i think he looks a bit skinny is becuase you can see the hips which makes him look a bit more skinny.


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## mischiefgrrl

To me, he does look pretty thin. Seeing his hip bones in some of the pictures would concern me. I'm sure he eats plenty and I would never think you're starving him. What a b**** to say that as she was walking away... If I was concerned about someone's dog I would ASK them rather than just rush to judgment and walk away. She should be ashamed.


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## luvMyBRT

To be totally honest, I do think he looks a bit thin. But, dogs who are raw fed tend to have that really lean and muscular look. Lucky is the same way, however, I am currently trying to get her to put on a little weight. 

I can't believe they said that....and loud enough for you to hear. It just goes to show how so many dogs are over weight today.....


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## RachelsaurusRexU

I'd rather see a dog a bit ribby than overweight. I don't think a pound or two would hurt, but he doesn't look emaciated, in my opinion. Obviously, you aren't starving your dog. You know that and we all know that, too! I bet their dog is morbidly obese, and in that case THEY should be ashamed.


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## MissusMac

First of all, people are so used to seeing overweight dogs that they don't recognize a healthy one when it's in front of them. That said, from the top view your dog does look a little too thin. Miko was sort of like that for the first couple of months after we started raw feeding him before I realized I wasn't feeding enough. Make sure you're feeding about 2 percent of his ideal, adult weight.


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## SilverBeat

Thank you to everyone who replied. I am trying to get him to gain weight and build muscle mass.. it's an uphill battle. He's very active and I feed him more on days when he gets more exercise. Normally I feed him between 1-1.4 lbs. His ideal weight is 35lbs, so that's 3-4%. On days when he gets more exercise I feed him 1.5lbs + probably once a week or so. He sometimes gets loose stool following his bigger meals.
He is eating chicken, pork, venison, turkey, chicken liver, and fish. I'm picking up beef heart and tongue plus a lot of organ meat, neck bones, etc etc from the butcher this weekend. I heard that feeding beef, venison and other "rich" meats helps maintain a good weight. Is this true?


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## monkeys23

He's got good muscle tone and his coat is shiny. Very much not emaciated. :smile:

He is slim, but it could an awkward stage in growth or heck even genetics.

Scout has a super bony topline even when she gets extra fat on her. I've seen pictures of dogs that were pups from the same bust and they all have the same bony topline. Best I can figure its genetic. Its so weird though.


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## mischiefgrrl

It sounds like you are feeding him a good amount in a good variety. 

I know what it's like to have people say things like that. I used to get comments about my daughter being too skinny and "concerns" from strangers from her birth until she was 13. She was skinny, she was a premature baby and she also had my genetics, I was super small as a kid too. You have a lab with a LOT of energy and and very nice coat btw. Keep up the good work and don't let strangers get you down.


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## malluver1005

It wouldn't hurt if he put on about 2-3 lbs. He does look a bit thin...I don't think hip bones should stick out that much.


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## magicre

maybe increase his fat intake a skosh...he doesn't look like a poster child for a starving dog but he could probably use a pound or two.

i wouldn't worry.


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## SilverBeat

monkeys23 said:


> He's got good muscle tone and his coat is shiny. Very much not emaciated. :smile:
> 
> He is slim, but it could an awkward stage in growth or heck even genetics.
> 
> Scout has a super bony topline even when she gets extra fat on her. I've seen pictures of dogs that were pups from the same bust and they all have the same bony topline. Best I can figure its genetic. Its so weird though.


The only thing that sucks about having a mutt is that I can't point at a breed standard and say "that's what he's supposed to look like."
I think he'll probably always have that thin topline, it's just the way he's put together--he has a huge rib cage for his size, imo--but I really would like for his hip bones not to stick out quite so much.


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## Lisa_j

Emaciated is very harsh when I look at his pic. That means extra skinny or unkempt!!!! Perhaps a bit thin, but by a few #'s is all. I think pic's are hard to tell by too.


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## 3Musketeers

He's a bit thin, as his hip-bones are visible, but emaciated? Nah, nowhere near.
A truly emaciated dog will have most ribs and top spine showing as well.


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## CorgiPaws

I think he is a bit too thin, only because his hips show so much, but not by a ton, and certainly not emaciated. 

I've struggled keeping weight on Annie since day 1. I have finally gotten her to a perfect weight, and her hips no longer stick out. My secret? I feed quite a lot of beef heart, and less poultry than I did. I also removed high stress situations from her regular routine. One the surface, she seemed to have fun at daycare, but when it really came down to it, I think she was rather stressed. Since I brought her down to a couple hours a week, she's held weight much better.


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## swolek

He's thin but definitely not emaciated. I think he could gain a pound or two but he also looks very healthy . How horrible of that woman to say that . I feel like people must make those comments all the time about some of the dogs I walk (I foster and some of the dogs are truly emaciated)...instead of just asking.


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## SilverBeat

PuppyPaws said:


> I think he is a bit too thin, only because his hips show so much, but not by a ton, and certainly not emaciated.
> 
> I've struggled keeping weight on Annie since day 1. I have finally gotten her to a perfect weight, and her hips no longer stick out. My secret? I feed quite a lot of beef heart, and less poultry than I did. I also removed high stress situations from her regular routine. One the surface, she seemed to have fun at daycare, but when it really came down to it, I think she was rather stressed. Since I brought her down to a couple hours a week, she's held weight much better.


Thank you this is really helpful. Hopefully I'll get a lot of beef heart from the butcher.. I think I'll put together some "meal plans" for the next couple of weeks so I can feel better about this.


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## JoeynZoey

3Musketeers said:


> He's a bit thin, as his hip-bones are visible, but emaciated? Nah, nowhere near.
> A truly emaciated dog will have most ribs and top spine showing as well.


This is not a true statement regarding all breeds, the American pit bull terrier for instance when in top physical conditioned shape most rips and some spine may be visible but should not appear emaciated instead toned and lean muscled. Which is very hard for the general public to understand as most people always tell me my girl is emaciated or anorexic. 

Silverbeat, your dog is not emaciated but because the hip bones are visible with no muscles over them he probably could benefit from a pound or two.


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## Love my lab

prob on the thin side, but agreed not emaciated. If I saw your dog I would prob think to myself the dog needs a little more food, but the coat and everything looks great so that is not a dog who is not being fed w/ good healthy food. Great variety of foods too, so honestly let those comments rolled off your back. You know your dog and if you didnt love and care for your dog you definatly would take the time to raw feed. Nothing a few extra ounces of food per day wont take care of.


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## pandaparade

I LOVE seeing dogs that way. I think the dogs is in great shape  I guess a few pounds wouldn't be a bad idea, but overall I think he is fine.


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## dmgmn

I would say a little light, but no where near emaciated! Looks to be a very active dog. I would suggest putting about 5 lbs (max) on him and call it good!
People are so ignorant, Just ignore them and move on!


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## dmgmn

Love the new sig Ashley! Roamin was docked a wee bit short and he's a WIGGLEBUTT too!


pandaparade said:


> I LOVE seeing dogs that way. I think the dogs is in great shape  I guess a few pounds wouldn't be a bad idea, but overall I think he is fine.


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## magicre

sometimes it depends on what look you're after...too..

my pug, when he's really really lean....has a bully like chest and a girly waist, very curved in....makes him look top heavy to me, so i let him weigh a little more than 18 lbs...

malia is leaner, other than her belly which is old....: )


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## Caty M

I dunno.. he could have some sighthound in him too, he has quite a deep chest and high tuck. One of my friends has a greyhound and you can see most of his ribs and people are ALWAYS telling her that he is too thin. It's just the way some dogs are built.. and it looks like he's one of them. He looks quite leggy like a sighthound, too. I'd say maybe 2lb max..


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## 3Musketeers

JoeynZoey said:


> This is not a true statement regarding all breeds, the American pit bull terrier for instance when in top physical conditioned shape most rips and some spine may be visible but should not appear emaciated instead toned and lean muscled. Which is very hard for the general public to understand as most people always tell me my girl is emaciated or anorexic.
> 
> Silverbeat, your dog is not emaciated but because the hip bones are visible with no muscles over them he probably could benefit from a pound or two.


Rephrase: A truly emaciated dog will have most ribs and top spine showing as well as protruding hip bones.
Such as: http://www.cnycentral.com/uploadedImages/wstm/News/Stories/SKINNY DOG 04-04.jpg

As for that second part, a lot of people just have fat APBTs.


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## KlaMarie

My gosh, some people! How rude. Like everyone else, I think he could stand to gain a few pounds of muscle. But definately not "emaciated". Rayne is so thin right now because she's growing so fast, I'm sure people think I'm not feeding her enough. But even if she ate twice what she is now, I don't think she would get any thicker.


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## Kofismom

It's unfortunate that you overheard such a hurtful comment. Words carry with them such great power, both to wound and to heal.
I have the opposite problem, being the owner of a healthy English Bulldog. Everywhere I take her, the uninformed about her breed comment on how "well fed" she is. I use to try to explain that she is NOT fat but that is the way bullies are built, etc..
Now I just smile and walk on, stinging to think that I was seen a a silly dog owner who overfeeds my beloved pet.
Guess there's just no way of getting away from thoughtless comments. Being the recipient of them from time to time has taught me to think before I open my big mouth.
Love your guy, and give him an extra hug from Kofi and me.


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## CavePaws

What a B! I hate two faced people. >:|

To be honest, Wallaby does not look emaciated and in all actuality I think he looks really healthy. I'm sure a couple of lbs won't hurt, but our dog Pooper looked just like that for the longest time and still does. Once I got her on Raw she started gaining a bit of weight, all muscle, and she still looks skinny but her hip bones don't stick out as much anymore. I used to get comments all the time on how she looked like an abuse case. I just let it roll off my back after a while because I knew she was probably eating a better quality kibble than the insulter's dog was. Poo ate about 2.5 cups a day of Wellness CORE and could have stood for more but she just wasn't budging in lbs on kibble. I'm sure raw will help Mr. Handsome get to his ideal weight. He's so gorgeous and is probably also naturally built lean like Poo is. :]


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## magicre

Kofismom said:


> It's unfortunate that you overheard such a hurtful comment. Words carry with them such great power, both to wound and to heal.
> I have the opposite problem, being the owner of a healthy English Bulldog. Everywhere I take her, the uninformed about her breed comment on how "well fed" she is. I use to try to explain that she is NOT fat but that is the way bullies are built, etc..
> Now I just smile and walk on, stinging to think that I was seen a a silly dog owner who overfeeds my beloved pet.
> Guess there's just no way of getting away from thoughtless comments. Being the recipient of them from time to time has taught me to think before I open my big mouth.
> Love your guy, and give him an extra hug from Kofi and me.


words only carry as much power as you give them....: )

bring kofi to me......i covet that dog.....


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## Kofismom

magicre said:


> words only carry as much power as you give them....: )
> 
> bring kofi to me......i covet that dog.....


That is so true! I tell myself that over and over. It's a hard lesson for me to learn.
Kofi would be so happy to share her globbers with you. What a little luv she is.


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## nupe

SilverBeat said:


> I was walking him last night and a couple stopped to pet him "aww, what a cutie... blah blah blah." As they were walking away I heard the lady say to her boyfriend/husband "that poor thing... he's emaciated. Just wasting away. She should be ashamed."
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> I'm not looking for a bunch of people to agree with me... I really want to know your opinion.


TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION................YES!!!!!...lady was still wrong to say it the way she did.


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## magicre

Kofismom said:


> That is so true! I tell myself that over and over. It's a hard lesson for me to learn.
> Kofi would be so happy to share her globbers with you. What a little luv she is.


me, too....and when i do give words power, they just wash over me....until i realise they are just words...i'm better now than i used to be....not much better, but better...

GIVE ME THAT DOG LOL


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## Nani

Like almost everyone has said, NO WAY!!!! Yeah he's lean, so, better than being fat!!! I know how words can sting when implied you are a bad mommy.  But, give Wallaby a hug for being a good mommy of an ADORABLE HEALTHY PUP!!!!!

I swear, thanks to most vets and the AKC, dog's are getting rounder and rounder by the year!


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## werecatrising

It's hard to tell from pictures, but Wallaby looks a touch underweight to me.I only say that because of the prominent hip bones. However, that may just bee his build. I had a pit/greyhound mix. He was always very hard to keep weight on for his first 3-4 years. Once he started picking up weight his ribs always showed- even if he was getting pudgy in the waist. Now I have Quinn who is also very lean. I am surprised at the comments I get from perfect strangers. I can't imagine these people would think it was appropriate if I walked up and told them their dog was too fat.


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## nikkiluvsu15

Hmm, I think he may be a tad underweight, but certainly not emaciated! I prefer dogs to be leaner rather than heavier. I get that ALL the time with Harleigh - seriously, I get told that I she needs to be fed way more and that I'm a neglectful owner. UGH. 

Most times I wanna say "Yeah, she needs weight? I'd like to see YOU put that weight on her then!". For one, the dog is super hard to put weight on... she just sheds it off immediately. When she was on 100% raw she was getting fed 3.5-4% of her body weight  We've had to switch back to kibble in the morning & raw at night (for various reasons) and she still has to get quite a bit. 

This is my neglected dog who needs to add TEN pounds (yes I've been told that). Eek.

























Ah, some people really are stupid. lol


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## Scarlett_O'

Eh...I think he could to for a couple Lbs...5 at TOTAL MAX!! But IMO he looks quite good, I also agree when someone said he could possibly have some sight hound in him, I had a co-worker who had 2 lab/pit-greyhound crosses...and they looked quite a bit like your dog! VERY good looking in pictures and person but no matter what she fed either girl(they where litter mates) she could NOT put that extra couple lbs on them!!


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## magicre

both bubba and malia are about two pounds over their desired weight. people call them fat. they aren't. they are pure muscle, especially bubba with that bully chest of his.....

two pounds either way? well....sometimes it's good to have a little fat between the bones and skin....to protect like the immune system...and it really depends on the dog and the owner....

my dogs aren't fat....i am, but my dogs aren't LOL....skin is tight, no hanging except malia but she's almost twelve. how long are they supposed to keep that tuck, ya know? 

if you're happy and your dog is healthy, then drink champagne.


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## mischiefgrrl

It's funny because everyone thinks they know what a dog should look like. My friend has barrel chested beagle mix and a pure beagle. On first glance, they look fat. She even commented that she knew the mixed breed was overweight. I gave her a good pat down and could feel ribs and the see the indentation of her waist. Her skin was nice and tight against the muscle and I told her she was actually just right. The other one, who appears smaller, had loose skin, plenty to grab on the sides and I could not feel her ribs. Just shows that appearances aren't everything.


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## Herzo

Yes I have to say with Bassets they are a little like the Frenchies and Bull dogs they are built like that. People are always telling me Turtle is fat when she's not that bad at all. Except at the vet where they said she looked pretty good compared to the Bassets they see. She does need to lose a few lbs. but not much IMO.


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## meggels

I like to keep my frenchie lean because it's better for him. When he's a little *too lean* he has an enormous chest. 

My hound mix is a stringbean naturally, very long and lean. I'm always scrutinizing her making sure she doesn't look too fat. My mom thinks I'm crazy lol.


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## Scarlett_O'

Herzo said:


> Yes I have to say with Bassets they are a little like the Frenchies and Bull dogs they are built like that. People are always telling me Turtle is fat when she's not that bad at all. Except at the vet where they said she looked pretty good compared to the Bassets they see. She does need to lose a few lbs. but not much IMO.


See I grew up with a Basset, she had 3 kids at home with her 24/7(home-schooled) so she was always VERY fit! We would get the "That cant be a FULL Basset?!" because of her lack of fat and rolls!:tsk: So I TOTALLY understand that one! When she was 12 the vet guessed her to be 6 because of how her body looked!:tongue: So yes that is DEFINITELY a breed that most think "should" be fat!

Now I have a pug/x an my Mum has a Frenchie...we both get the "They arent fed enough" just cause they dont have rolls and can actually run more then 20 feet without flopping down dying!


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## magicre

meggels said:


> I like to keep my frenchie lean because it's better for him. When he's a little *too lean* he has an enormous chest.
> 
> My hound mix is a stringbean naturally, very long and lean. I'm always scrutinizing her making sure she doesn't look too fat. My mom thinks I'm crazy lol.


i agree about frenchies....pugs, too....they get that girly waist and it makes them look so top heavy and broad chested.....i'm afraid bubba's going to fall over when he's too lean...but that's my taste...i figure as long as he doesn't get too heavy and have the back problems pugs can get from being heavy, especially with their curly tails and breathing issues...

malia, on the other hand.....we've let her gain some weight these past three or four months...she's almost twelve...and her immune system was never the best...so a little fat on her is probably a good thing...she no longer has that tuck and whilst she indents a little, she's probably about two pounds too heavy....but it's not terrible.....she's not a roly poly dog...she's just not lean anymore....


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## MollyWoppy

SilverBeat said:


> I was walking him last night and a couple stopped to pet him "aww, what a cutie... blah blah blah." As they were walking away I heard the lady say to her boyfriend/husband "that poor thing... he's emaciated. Just wasting away. She should be ashamed."
> 
> I'm not going to comment on how much that last bit hurt. I know he;s on the skinny side, but, does he look _emaciated_ to you?
> 
> 
> I'm not looking for a bunch of people to agree with me... I really want to know your opinion.



Oh yeah, he looks terrible, skinny, emanciated, a wreck in fact. :biggrin1:
Honestly, you know he's absolutely fine, that he's fed enough, so what if he's a touch skinny and can't gain weight, a lot of people are like that too - you don't have to listen to some ignorant opinion from someone who hasn't got a flippin clue.
You should just tell them to take a flying leap and be secure in the knowledge that you have given him a great home, a great diet, and he's obviously revelling in it. Screw em all.


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## mischiefgrrl

Just wondering on how Wallaby is doing. I know you had an epiphany on how much you were feeding and was wondering if your new formula worked? 

I was thinking of him while I was bathing Tanis the other day. He still has a layer of fluff on his chest and being so hairy, I couldn't see his waistline until he was wet. I was a little startled to see his hip bones showing a little! I thought he was still a little overweight but I guess not.


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## SerenityFL

Because you asked, yes, your dog looks too thin...especially in that third photo. I would up the amount of food for him if possible.

Having said that, I think it's pretty obvious you take care of your dogs and love them, (you wouldn't be here if you didn't), and some people who have comments to make should say things to your face. Maybe it's hard for your dog to gain weight. Maybe your dog had a medical condition. Maybe your dog was recovering from something. 

I would have called after her and asked her to repeat what she said. I can't stand a coward. I can not stand them! If you have something to say, don't mutter it under your breath as you walk away, you have the cojones to stand there and say it TO me. You could have had a discussion with her, maybe she would have had some ideas, (doubtful but you never know), and maybe she could have walked away with a better understanding of dogs and how some dogs put on weight easily, some dogs eat and eat and eat and eat and eat and never seem to put the weight on. It's just like people.

Anyway, yah, if there's something you can do to up the weight a bit, I'd say put a few pounds on that pooch. But, no, not emaciated. I've seen enough Animal Cops to know what emaciated looks like...not even the same.


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## lauren43

Avery looks rather similar to your pup. Yea, he could probably gain a lb or two, but he looks good to me and he's a relatively active dog so I don't push it. He is 60lbs and eats as much as your boy (I feed him about 1.5 lbs per day).

I too have had ppl say he was skinny. One of which was my neighbors daughter and their dog is easily 10lbs overweight...




























I think every dog is different and that some dogs are just naturally on the skinny side. I wouldn't let it worry you. You know you are doing right by your dog and that is all that matters!


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## lauren43

SerenityFL said:


> Because you asked, yes, your dog looks too thin...especially in that third photo. I would up the amount of food for him if possible.


I have a question here. Is there a point where you are feeding a dog too much? I know her dog 'looks' skinny but she is feeding him almost double the recommended intake.


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## SerenityFL

lauren43 said:


> I have a question here. Is there a point where you are feeding a dog too much? I know her dog 'looks' skinny but she is feeding him almost double the recommended intake.


Recommended doesn't always fit every single dog. It's a "recommendation" not a "strict, no budging an inch" instruction.


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## lauren43

I understand a recommendation, I am just wondering if there is a cap to how much one should feed...


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## meggels

magicre said:


> i agree about frenchies....pugs, too....they get that girly waist and it makes them look so top heavy and broad chested.....i'm afraid bubba's going to fall over when he's too lean...but that's my taste...i figure as long as he doesn't get too heavy and have the back problems pugs can get from being heavy, especially with their curly tails and breathing issues...
> 
> malia, on the other hand.....we've let her gain some weight these past three or four months...she's almost twelve...and her immune system was never the best...so a little fat on her is probably a good thing...she no longer has that tuck and whilst she indents a little, she's probably about two pounds too heavy....but it's not terrible.....she's not a roly poly dog...she's just not lean anymore....



This post makes me feel better lol. Murph's waist is very lean and it makes him look so thin cause of his giant ribs. He's SO broad chested that it can be really exaggerated.

My mom's boyfriend made a comment last week "does it look like Murph has lost more weight?"....he's always making comments about Murph being thin. But his cavalier is an obese sausage, so I'll take my guy a little thin rather than humongous with NO defined waist or tuck up what-so-ever.


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## SilverBeat

lauren43 said:


> I understand a recommendation, I am just wondering if there is a cap to how much one should feed...


Your dog will tell you. If he is pooping a TON and it's loose and runny more often than not, he's probably eating too much. Wallaby seems to have a very fast metabolism, his poop has been fine on 1-1.5 lbs a day. Some days I feed him close to 2 lbs now, and he still does okay.


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## mischiefgrrl

Hi Amy,

I'm sorry - I'm the one who bumped this up because I was asking how Wallaby is doing since you adjusted his diet. I think my question got lost... but how is he doing?


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## SilverBeat

mischiefgrrl said:


> Hi Amy,
> 
> I'm sorry - I'm the one who bumped this up because I was asking how Wallaby is doing since you adjusted his diet. I think my question got lost... but how is he doing?


That's okay I must not have seen it.. Wallaby is doing well, he is eating close to 1lb 5oz-1lb 8oz a day now. He's put on a little muscle mass and his hip bones still stick out a bit but not quite so much. I have started feeding beef heart and tongue this week and he's handling it quite well. I got a lot of heart and tongue so I am going to try and include some with each meal. He's eating mostly red meat right now, he gets fish probably once a week, and chicken a couple of times a week. I'm hoping that will help. 
Is heart rich no matter what animal it comes from? I am thinking of ordering some lamb and goat heart.


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## mischiefgrrl

That's great to hear that he's taking to eating more so well. He is very muscular everywhere but in his itty bitty waist! I heard that other hearts are not as rich, but still a great meal. I give Tanis whole pork hearts a couple of times a week as a boneless meal. He loves them and it gives him a little bit of workout to eat it whole.


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## mischiefgrrl

Oh, and I forgot to ask; how much does he weigh? I saw one raw feeding guideline that says we are supposed to be feeding 2-4% of their *ideal* weight.

It can be hard to tell on a growing dog what we are supposed to be doing. I got Tanis at 1.5 years old and he was very slender, but not emaciated. He weighed 55 lbs. I was shocked a year later when he weighed 75 lbs! He's down between 70-72 lbs now and actually looks perfect so I guess he still had some growing to do when I got him. His bone structure is much wider now than it was then.


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## magicre

meggels said:


> This post makes me feel better lol. Murph's waist is very lean and it makes him look so thin cause of his giant ribs. He's SO broad chested that it can be really exaggerated.
> 
> My mom's boyfriend made a comment last week "does it look like Murph has lost more weight?"....he's always making comments about Murph being thin. But his cavalier is an obese sausage, so I'll take my guy a little thin rather than humongous with NO defined waist or tuck up what-so-ever.


out of curiousity, how much do you feed murph and how much exercise does he get and how much does he weigh?


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## meggels

He eats about 10-11 oz a day. No real exercise except for some short walks...


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## magicre

how much does he weigh?


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## meggels

Last time at the vet he was like 21.5 lbs I think?


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## magicre

then something is wrong with bubba....he weighs the same and if i feed him more than 3 1/2 oz a meal, he looks like a suppository. 

to have that girly waist, i can only feed 3 ounces per meal. that extra ounce per day really makes a difference.

i went to you tube and i now see that bubba is a small pug....maybe even the runt of his litter....and since he has dubious breeding, his legs are not as long as other pugs and he's smaller....

sorry about hijacking this thread.
i have to get pics of both dogs and see how fat they really are.


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## SilverBeat

Wallaby weighs 32-33 lbs. His ideal weight is 35+


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## meggels

magicre said:


> then something is wrong with bubba....he weighs the same and if i feed him more than 3 1/2 oz a meal, he looks like a suppository.
> 
> to have that girly waist, i can only feed 3 ounces per meal. that extra ounce per day really makes a difference.
> 
> i went to you tube and i now see that bubba is a small pug....maybe even the runt of his litter....and since he has dubious breeding, his legs are not as long as other pugs and he's smaller....
> 
> sorry about hijacking this thread.
> i have to get pics of both dogs and see how fat they really are.




what if it's murphy that has something wrong with him lol?


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## magicre

meggels said:


> what if it's murphy that has something wrong with him lol?


i took pics of mine....one weighs 20-21 pounds. the other weighs 38 pounds...she's a little over her desired, but she's old...i'll start a thread tomorrow....and let's see if they are fat....LOL


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## magicre

SilverBeat said:


> Your dog will tell you. If he is pooping a TON and it's loose and runny more often than not, he's probably eating too much. Wallaby seems to have a very fast metabolism, his poop has been fine on 1-1.5 lbs a day. Some days I feed him close to 2 lbs now, and he still does okay.


he weighs 35 lbs? and he eats 1-1.5 lbs a day? wow. that IS some metabolism....malia weighs 38 pounds and lives on 10-12 oz a day...


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## CorgiPaws

magicre said:


> he weighs 35 lbs? and he eats 1-1.5 lbs a day? wow. that IS some metabolism....malia weighs 38 pounds and lives on 10-12 oz a day...


Those metabolisms are EXPENSIVE to feed. lol. 
ANnie is 55-57 lbs depending on the day, and easily eats 4-6lbs of food per day. Easily. And rest assured, she's far from fat. Heck,. it's all I can do to keep her hips and spine from jumping out of her skin!


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## magicre

PuppyPaws said:


> Those metabolisms are EXPENSIVE to feed. lol.
> ANnie is 55-57 lbs depending on the day, and easily eats 4-6lbs of food per day. Easily. And rest assured, she's far from fat. Heck,. it's all I can do to keep her hips and spine from jumping out of her skin!


i'm betting, too, your dogs get a whole lot more exercise than mine do 

slow metabolisms are not so cheap either LOL


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## Caty M

WOW. 4-6lb per day? That's insane.. is that more than your danes get?

Actually.. most boxers I see are very thin. Maybe it's a breed thing, the high metabolism?

My dog is around 17-18lb and gets 1/2lb per day. He is quite active but does not have a high metabolism. I'm guessing the new pup (IG) will get around the same.


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## meggels

I wonder why Murph needs so much. High metabolism? But he isn't at all active lol. His usual daily activities consist of a) snoozing b) chewing on his bones c) riding around in the car with me to run errands or visit friends or family....

hmm...


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## magicre

bishop...your dog weighs 17-18 lbs...and gets 8 oz per day....meggel's dog gets 10 - 12 oz a day....

my 38 lb corgi mix gets 10-12 oz a day....i'm wondering now if i'm starving her LOL

they both get walked every single day, at least a 1/2 mile, usually a mile these days. if it's raining it's the treadmill and they chase each three or four times a day....

hmmm...i might have to up their food...not worry about their weight.

http://dogfoodchat.com/forum/raw-feeding/8673-my-dogs-fat.html


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## Caty M

Lol, well if she isn't too skinny you aren't feeding her too little. Keep in mind that my dog is almost one year.. your dog is twelve! My grandma eats less than any teenager I know..


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## BrownieM

I do think that your dog needs to gain weight/is a bit too thin, but certainly not emaciated. I say that he needs to gain weight because his ribs are showing (not just the last rib) and also because his hip bones are sticking out. He is lean in the loin, but based on his conformation I'd bet he will always be lean in the loin - that is not something I would worry about. His ribs are widely sprung, too, and the combination of widely sprung ribs and a lean loin increases his thin appearance. I'd say he could use a good 5 lbs. Just try feeding more fatty items and maybe continue to increase his overall amount of food. You'll know you're feeding too much if his stools get big and kibble-poo-like.

I do empathize with keeping meat on a dog. Poodles can be hard to keep weight on as well. Luckily Henry and Millie keep weight on well. Tony was rail thin with hip bones and ribs showing no matter what we did. This is not uncommon in poodles but it's mostly because they are picky eaters. I have a feeling Tiger is going to be hard to keep weight on, too. He's not a picky eater, but he is very thin. 

Your dog very well could have a breed mixed in him that is very thin naturally!


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## meggels

magicre said:


> bishop...your dog weighs 17-18 lbs...and gets 8 oz per day....meggel's dog gets 10 - 12 oz a day....
> 
> my 38 lb corgi mix gets 10-12 oz a day....i'm wondering now if i'm starving her LOL
> 
> they both get walked every single day, at least a 1/2 mile, usually a mile these days. if it's raining it's the treadmill and they chase each three or four times a day....
> 
> hmmm...i might have to up their food...not worry about their weight.
> 
> http://dogfoodchat.com/forum/raw-feeding/8673-my-dogs-fat.html


Just to clarify lol: he gets 10oz daily, but there are days where he *maybe* gets an extra ounce. I don't think he ever gets 12 oz though...


I started him at 8oz and he was just TOO thin. I think he looks best at 10oz. Still a bit on the thin side, but I like to keep him that way regardless. 

I think someone did the math for me before and 10oz is still right at 3% of his body weight. So probably just different needs for different dogs?


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## magicre

sorry to have hijacked the thread....as i had stated in the beginning, i can see putting a pound or two on your dog...but i keep forgetting about metabolism........


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## SilverBeat

Re- don't worry about it, really. :smile:

BrownieM- thank you. This is definitely proving to be an uphill battle. 

I will post some update pics soon. I think he is looking better, but then again I see him all the time.


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## magicre

SilverBeat said:


> Thank you to everyone who replied. I am trying to get him to gain weight and build muscle mass.. it's an uphill battle. He's very active and I feed him more on days when he gets more exercise. Normally I feed him between 1-1.4 lbs. His ideal weight is 35lbs, so that's 3-4%. On days when he gets more exercise I feed him 1.5lbs + probably once a week or so. He sometimes gets loose stool following his bigger meals.
> He is eating chicken, pork, venison, turkey, chicken liver, and fish. I'm picking up beef heart and tongue plus a lot of organ meat, neck bones, etc etc from the butcher this weekend. I heard that feeding beef, venison and other "rich" meats helps maintain a good weight. Is this true?


i think you said it best with this post. your dog is uber active....obviously has a metabolism most people would kill to have....so that means he needs more food to eat.

and, yes, venison, beef, things like that are very much richer than other things...especially venison heart, beef heart, ox heart...heart in general..although maybe not so much chicken heart....

red meats are richer than white meats...
you may want to feed him more often if possible and increase his food a little....see what happens...


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## CorgiPaws

bishopthesheltie said:


> WOW. 4-6lb per day? That's insane.. is that more than your danes get


In general, yes, she gets more than any of my other dogs. I'd say the danes average 2-4lbs per day. It's hard to give a real accurate estimate because I like to do gorge meals a lot for the mental stimulation and dental benefits, so no two meals are the same. They might eat 7lbs one day, and only 1 lb the next, followed by a day of fast. But on average, i'd say Annie averages 4-6lbs, Zailey 2-4, the baby danes get about the same as Zailey, (they don't gorge and fast yet) and hamper about 1.5, sometimes less. He gained a ton of weight living with my father in law for a year, and I'm trying to get It off of him.


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## SilverBeat

I'm happy to report that Wallaby is finally putting on weight! He's been eating some beef heart almost every day for nearly two months now. He's also been requiring less food lately, he's doing well on mostly meals 1-1.4 lbs. 

I have also been cutting back on the amount of physical exercise he's getting and replacing it with mental exercise. This is mostly to meet my needs [I am having surgery in a month and I'm not supposed to be doing any more impact exercise than necessary]. He's doing much better with more mental exercise than physical.


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## magicre

SilverBeat said:


> I'm happy to report that Wallaby is finally putting on weight! He's been eating some beef heart almost every day for nearly two months now. He's also been requiring less food lately, he's doing well on mostly meals 1-1.4 lbs.
> 
> I have also been cutting back on the amount of physical exercise he's getting and replacing it with mental exercise. This is mostly to meet my needs [I am having surgery in a month and I'm not supposed to be doing any more impact exercise than necessary]. He's doing much better with more mental exercise than physical.


yikes....surgery...blech....been there, done that...don't wish it on anyone...

but good that you're following what your surgeon wants you to do....

glad to hear wallaby is gaining a little weight....it's so obvious how you feel about him.


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## DoglovingSenior

Congrats to you and Wallaby! I am sure that you are more comfortable with the little weight gain. Sometimes we are so close to the situation that we can miss something. He always looked healthy though.
Again, Congrats Amy , good luck with your surgery and keep us posted or PM us on your recovery.


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## meggels

Congrats 


Btw, I love his name lol!!!


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## SilverBeat

Thanks for the well wishes guys. I've pretty much been in a state of constant pain for the past three years, so hopefully my quality of life will skyrocket. There's a massive buildup of scar tissue in my ankle, it looks like I'm storing a grapefruit in there. We've tried cortisone shots... which were probably one of the more painful things I've experienced in my short life... they didn't work. I had surgery in 2006 to remove bone fragments and scar tissue from when I broke it in two places in 2004. There were some unexpected complications which is why there has been more scar tissue buildup in the past few years. So I'm hoping this surgery will just fix everything...


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## magicre

here's hoping that all goes well......you're in my thoughts...

when is this surgery going to happen?


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## SilverBeat

Thanks :becky:
At some point after I turn 21 next month. I need to apply for health insurance, I've been uninsured since I was 18.


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## AveryandAudrey

Don't feel bad, my chihuahua is thin but eats and eats. I recently put her on a higher fat diet. She is just so active and she's young. They grow, they slow down, they gain. I do think a couple poumds on him would be good, pass over the dog treats


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## Liz

Silverbeat
I am late on this thread but if he is pretty young that could be why you see those hip bones. My collies go through a very lean time when no matter what I feed they are downright skinny - they fill out as they age though and get a nice muscly look. I wouldn't worry but red meats tend to bulk my guys up a little.


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## Herzo

good luck to you, and glad the pup put some weight on.


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## schtuffy

I'm glad Wallaby is gaining weight! Sorry I didn't see the beginning of this thread, it must have started around one of the times I go MIA for awhile...unfortunately Louis has so much ridiculous fur that I can't see how skinny he is, but a couple months ago when I felt his body, I would imagine he looked something like the pictures you posted of Wallaby. I started consciously feeding him more right away, upwards of 4% or more of his body weight, without reaching the point of tar poo, and he's put on some weight but not a lot. I can still feel the majority of his ribs quite prominently as well as his pelvis, but not as bad as before. 

I'll give the beef heart a try, though it usually causes soft poos for him :frown: It also doesn't help that I've been feeding almost exclusively chicken for the past 4 days because earlier in the week he decided to steal half of my grilled cheese...! Maybe that means I am starving him :wink: (jk). Good luck with your surgery and I hope you recover quickly!


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## SilverBeat

Schtuffy, I hope Louis is beefing up a little! 

I wanted to post some pics of Wallaby now that he's not wasting away to nothing.






































His hip bones don't stick out at all anymore and he has a bit more of a waist. He is still a little ribby but not overly so. He also has a giant ribcage for his size, I've noticed.


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## catahoulamom

He looks great!!!


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## magicre

schtuffy said:


> I'm glad Wallaby is gaining weight! Sorry I didn't see the beginning of this thread, it must have started around one of the times I go MIA for awhile...unfortunately Louis has so much ridiculous fur that I can't see how skinny he is, but a couple months ago when I felt his body, I would imagine he looked something like the pictures you posted of Wallaby. I started consciously feeding him more right away, upwards of 4% or more of his body weight, without reaching the point of tar poo, and he's put on some weight but not a lot. I can still feel the majority of his ribs quite prominently as well as his pelvis, but not as bad as before.
> 
> I'll give the beef heart a try, though it usually causes soft poos for him :frown: It also doesn't help that I've been feeding almost exclusively chicken for the past 4 days because earlier in the week he decided to steal half of my grilled cheese...! Maybe that means I am starving him :wink: (jk). Good luck with your surgery and I hope you recover quickly!


schtuffy....dietary fat. it's not the quantity. it's the quality. i am not talking about prime beef LOL....just fat....you may well have to increase bone a little...but i'm starting to learn that the perfect poo does not always co exist with dietary fat.  and i'd rather not have bald dogs, which i did when i wasn't giving them enough.
my dogs eat heart....i just start with bone, feed heart for a few meals, then give bone. if you have a little softer poo, so be it....it's just the richness of the food.


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## magicre

SilverBeat said:


> Schtuffy, I hope Louis is beefing up a little!
> 
> I wanted to post some pics of Wallaby now that he's not wasting away to nothing.
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> His hip bones don't stick out at all anymore and he has a bit more of a waist. He is still a little ribby but not overly so. He also has a giant ribcage for his size, I've noticed.


OH MY..look at him. what a face.....he looks better to me.....although he didn't look terrible..he just needed a few pounds


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## xellil

He really does look wonderful - he never looked starved, but he did look a little skinny there for awhile.


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## lucky

He looks great :wink:


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