# Putting Weight on a Raw Fed Dog



## candiceb (Jan 22, 2010)

Hello all,

It's been a while since I've been on here, mostly because things have been going pretty well with my dogs. However, I'm encountering a situation that I think needs some help. My Brittany, Ryder, is re-entering the show ring in a couple months to finish his Grand Championship and basically run the show circuits for a few months in order to hopefully go to Westminster in February. Once the handler has him he'll be on kibble, so this won't be a problem then, but in the meantime, I don't want it in my house, but I do want to put some weight on him. He's in perfect condition right now, but as some of you may know, career show dogs tend to be a little fat. With his good metabolism and extremely high energy levels, this is difficult for him. Does anyone have an idea of things I could feed him to make him gain weight? Do I need to maybe consider a short-term BARF diet, if carbs would do the trick? Any thoughts, opinions, or facts would be wonderful.

Thanks in advance!


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## SaharaNight Boxers (Jun 28, 2011)

Fatty cuts of meat added to his meals or even lard would help. You could always feed just a tad more too.


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## candiceb (Jan 22, 2010)

That's a good idea. My local ethic grocer (where I buy most of the dogs' meat anyway) sells pork "scraps" cheaply that are mostly fat anyway. I don't know why I didn't think about that before. I can try that and see how well it works.

It would seem obvious just to increase his portions. But he has a tendency to burn off his extra calories so that's why I'm looking for alternatives of things that might put weight on him anyway, despite his hyperactivity.


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## SaharaNight Boxers (Jun 28, 2011)

It could help with his coat too to make it look even better. Also feeding more heart is good.


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## BoxerParty (Nov 9, 2011)

Both my dogs lost a LOT of weight several months back, and I wanted to bulk them up. I increased their rations (2% -> 4% of their estimated adult weight) and split it into 4 meals per day to limit the chances of digestive upset. 

I increased the fat dramatically (beef scrap, eggs, plus added lots fish oil and coconut oil).

I also added in some potato or yam (cooked) to every meal. I was advised to do this by my vet (a raw feeder herself) as a way to add calories without upsetting their stomachs.

Malcolm went from 40 to 58 lbs in about 8 weeks, and Lila went from 35 to 50 lbs on this programme.


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

If he is up to that point and can handle the rich meats... Beef heart. Lots of beef heart. My bluetick has a metabolism to die for and he needs lots of red meat. He eats mostly beef heart and can eat it for days before getting any loose stool at all. He drops weight like crazy on poultry so he only gets that when we have some chicken going stinky in the fridge and Dude isn't going through it fast enough.

I can honestly say that I have never seen an overweight brittany in the ring. Maybe the hair is hiding it but I have never seen one. I am keeping my bluetick lean. I won't fatten him up for the ring. He is staying a lean, mean, treeing machine! 

I know what you mean about the brittany metabolism. I had a brit for 17 years and, no matter what that dog ate (before I knew about raw) he NEVER got fat.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

I just increased the amount of food per meal regardless of protein/fat content and got a dog to gain weight.


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## Rottnk9s (Jun 28, 2010)

My 15 month old rottweiler Tryst is a thin young man too. I like him thin but we are going to the US in june for a show circuit and I need him to gain weight was well. Tryst will not eat any more food. I tried that and it is a no-go. He also swims a lot everyday so he is solid as a rock. I have been adding sweet potatoes and a little bit of cream cheese and I think it is working. I hope it is anyway ... good luck!


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## candiceb (Jan 22, 2010)

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! You've given me some great ideas. 

Yeah, Brittanies definitely aren't known for being overweight, but I've had the opportunity to have my hands on some of the top dogs before, and they definitely are thicker than my dog. The hair does help, but my boy is very light in that department--he definitely got the typical southern U.S. field coat. I had another several years ago that was from up north, and he had quite a bit more hair to fill him out. No such luck now!


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## pogo (Aug 28, 2011)

Chance was half the weight he should have been when we rescued him, I never feed barf as it's not needed, i just fed him little and often to ensure his stomach doesn't get empty and in 6 months he's put 22kg on!


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

We use lots of heart and fat and my boy gained enough weight to be comfortable and show well. He may not be quite as heavy as others in the ring but he does have a light padding and great musculature plus being a bit lighter he moves way better than the heavier dogs. I don't know about your breed but movement is being watched pretty closely in the collies.


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