My 10 week Yorkie Puppy is gaining to much weight - YorkieTalk.com Forums

campbems · 01-25-2016, 06:58 PM

I have a really energetic male puppy that is currently on Science Diet Small Breed dry food and he loves it. We are really feeding him on schedule but he is gaining weight and getting quite big. My question is there a set amount he should eat daily to keep him on track. When I first got him 3 weeks ago he was estimated at the vet to be 5 pounds grown. Now 3 weeks later he is estimated 6 pounds at full grown. I want him to stay in the 5-5.5 pound range. Should I be worried that he is gaining so fast?

DvlshAngel985 · 01-25-2016, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by campbems

I have a really energetic male puppy that is currently on Science Diet Small Breed dry food and he loves it. We are really feeding him on schedule but he is gaining weight and getting quite big. My question is there a set amount he should eat daily to keep him on track. When I first got him 3 weeks ago he was estimated at the vet to be 5 pounds grown. Now 3 weeks later he is estimated 6 pounds at full grown. I want him to stay in the 5-5.5 pound range. Should I be worried that he is gaining so fast?

What the vet told you is just a guess. An educated guess, but a guess none the less. The only way to guarantee size is to adopt an adult, if possible 18 months old and older. I got my pup at 12 months, and he put on another pound of healthy adult weight.

Puppies should not have their food limited. They have boundless energy, are growing, and developing their bodies. They need nutrients to continue to grow. I'm sure that's not the response you were hoping for, but it's the truth. Even a 7 lb dog is tiny. I have a 7 pounder and he is so easy to travel with and pick up in case of emergencies.

Yorkiemom1 · 01-25-2016, 08:36 PM

There are numerous "breeders" that "control" a dogs growth and size by controling their feeding amounts. When you have a dog, it is genetically determined how large that dog will eventually be....that is preprogrammed into that dog's genetic make up, set in stone by God, not any breeder or owner. When I first started getting serious and researching yorkies and breeding stock, there are a lot of "breeders" that STUNT a dogs growth by withholding food....then they brag and boast about their tiny little dog, blah, blah, blah....it isnt because God pre programmed that baby to be small, it is because some unscrupulous "breeder" has stunted that pups growth by withholding food during its growth season....which is the first 12 months of a pups age.

This is an unbelievable practice that is very common, just to sell "small" dogs. YOUR baby has a blueprint that determines how large he will be when he is grown up. You can with hold food to stunt his growth....you can cut his legs off at the knees to make him smaller.....but you can NOT determine by how much food or nourishment you provide him with, or how much you starve him, to determine how much he is going to grow to his full potential.

Feed this baby the recommended nutritional intake to determine his full development potential, for the first year of his life. You are supplying him necessary "building material" to assure he will reach his healthiest, fullest potential..... Then at a year old, when the building blocks have been set in stone, THEN you can start to determine his adult weight, to a degree, by how much you let him eat.

A ten week old puppy being denied a full and balanced diet, is akin to feeding a human baby of 3 weeks old, three bottles in 24 hours, because you dont want a fat teenager. Fed your baby, as much as he needs....you can not determine his HEALTHY adult weight by not feeding him. I remember the first baby I got years ago, was a tiny little male....the breeder told me to feed him 4 times a day, 6 kibble only at each feeding. I started questioning and investigating and that is when I found out people starve their pups so they stay small. "Staying small" is genetic....you can starve your baby and stunt his growth to keep him "small", but that is not humane. That is like starving your child to keep it undersized and tiny.....It is inhumane and cruel to juggle around food to control weight/growth in a developing puppy. When that baby is a year old, fine, THEN you monitor weight and adjust feedings....but do not underfeed a growing baby to keep it small.

Actually, that pup should still be with its momma, where it is getting nourishment required to make it the very best it can be.

DvlshAngel985 · 01-25-2016, 08:42 PM

^^ listen to her, she knows what she's talking about.

Wylie's Mom · 01-26-2016, 05:03 AM

You cannot control his pre-determined size by trying to not feed him enough. He's going to be a larger yorkie, and that's just a fact. Please do right by him and just let him eat what his body NEEDS.

campbems · 01-26-2016, 05:52 AM

I'm really just trying to make sure I'm not overfeeding him. Not really sure what to feed the little guy because I honestly believe he would eat until he founders.

pstinard · 01-26-2016, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by campbems

I'm really just trying to make sure I'm not overfeeding him. Not really sure what to feed the little guy because I honestly believe he would eat until he founders.

We free-fed our Bella as a puppy and we still do, and she is still a healthy weight at three years of age. Ten weeks is WAY too early to be considering a diet--he's still a baby. If your dog is eating continually until he gets sick, he could have a medical problem and you should see a vet. But if he is otherwise healthy and just a little pudgy, let him eat what he wants. You should at least be following the feeding recommendations that are on the bag of dog food, and give him a little more if he wants it, but not less.

Yorkiemom1 · 01-26-2016, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by campbems

I'm really just trying to make sure I'm not overfeeding him. Not really sure what to feed the little guy because I honestly believe he would eat until he founders.

He may be so hungry he will eat until he gets an upset tummy, but that is just because he is trying to stave off hunger....free feed this growing baby....he will not "founder". Let him eat what his baby body says he needs to be consuming in order to grow and play and develop into the very best he can be!

Owners should never try to derail genetic growth patterns by with holding food intake.....

pstinard · 01-26-2016, 07:02 AM

You can find the feeding recommendations on the Hills website. If this is what you are feeding, you can find the feeding recommendations here:

Hill's® Science Diet® Puppy Small & Toy Breed

For a 5 pound dog, they recommend one cup per day if the dog is less than 4 months old. But a little more won't hurt. In the case of our Bella, like I said, we let her feed freely throughout the day. At 10 weeks of age, puppies are still at risk for hypoglycemia, and need to have food available so their blood sugar doesn't drop.

DvlshAngel985 · 01-26-2016, 10:38 AM

At this point in time, your puppy is growing and needs the nutrients. Once your pup reaches maturity, if you see a weight problem, then you can consider switching to scheduled, measured feedings if needed.

My pup's healthy weight was established around the 18 month mark. His vet told me then he should weigh around 7 lbs. (give or take a few ounces) So when he reached almost 10 lbs at over 2 years old, I knew I had a problem. He has LP, and his weight aggravated the issue. That's when I switched him to measured, scheduled feedings. At that point it was in his best interest for me to control his intake as his eating everything in sight was affecting his health. He's back to a healhty weight and his knees don't bother him as much anymore. i wouldn't have taken such drastic measures if he was still growing and developing.

Dudley's Mom · 01-26-2016, 12:08 PM

My Mickey weighs 9.6 to 10 pounds. My vet is all upset at me because he is "too fat". I have him on reduced fat Wellness Core but he doesn't seem to be losing. I feed him 1/2cup per day And when I tried to cut back to smaller amount he suddenly started eat pooh from my poodle. I don't know what else to do. He is back eating 1/2 cup and treats are green beans (3 pieces). Any ideas? He will be 2 in April.

pstinard · 01-26-2016, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dudley's Mom

My Mickey weighs 9.6 to 10 pounds. My vet is all upset at me because he is "too fat". I have him on reduced fat Wellness Core but he doesn't seem to be losing. I feed him 1/2cup per day And when I tried to cut back to smaller amount he suddenly started eat pooh from my poodle. I don't know what else to do. He is back eating 1/2 cup and treats are green beans (3 pieces). Any ideas? He will be 2 in April.

1/2 cup is not a lot of food at all. How long has he been on this diet? Maybe you should give it more time...

capt_noonie · 01-26-2016, 11:34 PM

Wait a minute. So you got this pup at 7 weeks old? In some states it is illegal to sell a puppy under 8 weeks of age! I hope your state has a puppy lemon law that will protect you.

I really wonder about a breeder who would release a pup SO young. They may have even told you the pup was older than it really is so it would seem even smaller, so your pup may be even younger than you think. If that is the case, the full grown weight may be more than 5.5-6 lbs. Unless the papers you got were AKC, there really isn't any solid proof of the age of the pup. All the other registries APRI, CKC, etc aren't regulated registries and anyone can register anything (yes thing, not even a dog) to these registries.

01-25-2016, 06:58 PM	#1
campbems Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: kentucky Posts: 32	My 10 week Yorkie Puppy is gaining to much weight I have a really energetic male puppy that is currently on Science Diet Small Breed dry food and he loves it. We are really feeding him on schedule but he is gaining weight and getting quite big. My question is there a set amount he should eat daily to keep him on track. When I first got him 3 weeks ago he was estimated at the vet to be 5 pounds grown. Now 3 weeks later he is estimated 6 pounds at full grown. I want him to stay in the 5-5.5 pound range. Should I be worried that he is gaining so fast?

01-25-2016, 08:36 PM	#3
Yorkiemom1 Rosehill Yorkies Donating YT Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Houston Texas Posts: 9,462	There are numerous "breeders" that "control" a dogs growth and size by controling their feeding amounts. When you have a dog, it is genetically determined how large that dog will eventually be....that is preprogrammed into that dog's genetic make up, set in stone by God, not any breeder or owner. When I first started getting serious and researching yorkies and breeding stock, there are a lot of "breeders" that STUNT a dogs growth by withholding food....then they brag and boast about their tiny little dog, blah, blah, blah....it isnt because God pre programmed that baby to be small, it is because some unscrupulous "breeder" has stunted that pups growth by withholding food during its growth season....which is the first 12 months of a pups age. This is an unbelievable practice that is very common, just to sell "small" dogs. YOUR baby has a blueprint that determines how large he will be when he is grown up. You can with hold food to stunt his growth....you can cut his legs off at the knees to make him smaller.....but you can NOT determine by how much food or nourishment you provide him with, or how much you starve him, to determine how much he is going to grow to his full potential. Feed this baby the recommended nutritional intake to determine his full development potential, for the first year of his life. You are supplying him necessary "building material" to assure he will reach his healthiest, fullest potential..... Then at a year old, when the building blocks have been set in stone, THEN you can start to determine his adult weight, to a degree, by how much you let him eat. A ten week old puppy being denied a full and balanced diet, is akin to feeding a human baby of 3 weeks old, three bottles in 24 hours, because you dont want a fat teenager. Fed your baby, as much as he needs....you can not determine his HEALTHY adult weight by not feeding him. I remember the first baby I got years ago, was a tiny little male....the breeder told me to feed him 4 times a day, *6 kibble only at each feeding. I started questioning and investigating and that is when I found out people starve their pups so they stay small. "Staying small" is genetic....you can starve your baby and stunt his growth to keep him "small", but that is not humane. That is like starving your child to keep it undersized and tiny.....It is inhumane and cruel to juggle around food to control weight/growth in a developing puppy. When that baby is a year old, fine, THEN you monitor weight and adjust feedings....but do not underfeed a growing baby to keep it small. Actually, that pup should still be with its momma, where it is getting nourishment required to make it the very best it can be. Last edited by Yorkiemom1; 01-25-2016 at 08:40 PM.*

01-25-2016, 08:42 PM	#4
DvlshAngel985 Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA Posts: 12,693	^^ listen to her, she knows what she's talking about. __________________ Littlest JakJak We miss you Kaji

01-26-2016, 05:03 AM	#5
Wylie's Mom Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 35,889 Blog Entries: 2	You cannot control his pre-determined size by trying to not feed him enough. He's going to be a larger yorkie, and that's just a fact. Please do right by him and just let him eat what his body NEEDS. __________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann \| Pfeiffer \| Marcel Verdel Purcell \| Wylie \| Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨°

01-26-2016, 10:38 AM	#10
DvlshAngel985 Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA Posts: 12,693	At this point in time, your puppy is growing and needs the nutrients. Once your pup reaches maturity, if you see a weight problem, then you can consider switching to scheduled, measured feedings if needed. My pup's healthy weight was established around the 18 month mark. His vet told me then he should weigh around 7 lbs. (give or take a few ounces) So when he reached almost 10 lbs at over 2 years old, I knew I had a problem. He has LP, and his weight aggravated the issue. That's when I switched him to measured, scheduled feedings. At that point it was in his best interest for me to control his intake as his eating everything in sight was affecting his health. He's back to a healhty weight and his knees don't bother him as much anymore. i wouldn't have taken such drastic measures if he was still growing and developing. __________________ Littlest JakJak We miss you Kaji

01-26-2016, 05:52 AM	#6
campbems Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: kentucky Posts: 32	I'm really just trying to make sure I'm not overfeeding him. Not really sure what to feed the little guy because I honestly believe he would eat until he founders.

01-26-2016, 07:02 AM	#9
pstinard YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Urbana, IL USA Posts: 3,648	You can find the feeding recommendations on the Hills website. If this is what you are feeding, you can find the feeding recommendations here: Hill's® Science Diet® Puppy Small & Toy Breed For a 5 pound dog, they recommend one cup per day if the dog is less than 4 months old. But a little more won't hurt. In the case of our Bella, like I said, we let her feed freely throughout the day. At 10 weeks of age, puppies are still at risk for hypoglycemia, and need to have food available so their blood sugar doesn't drop.

01-26-2016, 12:08 PM	#11
Dudley's Mom YT Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Hemet, Ca Posts: 359	My Mickey weighs 9.6 to 10 pounds. My vet is all upset at me because he is "too fat". I have him on reduced fat Wellness Core but he doesn't seem to be losing. I feed him 1/2cup per day And when I tried to cut back to smaller amount he suddenly started eat pooh from my poodle. I don't know what else to do. He is back eating 1/2 cup and treats are green beans (3 pieces). Any ideas? He will be 2 in April. __________________ Mommy of Dudley( RIP), Mickey, and poodle Mitchell http://www.dogster.com/dogs/1326033 Last edited by Dudley's Mom; 01-26-2016 at 12:09 PM.

01-26-2016, 11:34 PM	#13
capt_noonie www.yorkierescue.com Donating Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Las Vegas & Orange County Posts: 17,408	Wait a minute. So you got this pup at 7 weeks old? In some states it is illegal to sell a puppy under 8 weeks of age! I hope your state has a puppy lemon law that will protect you. I really wonder about a breeder who would release a pup SO young. They may have even told you the pup was older than it really is so it would seem even smaller, so your pup may be even younger than you think. If that is the case, the full grown weight may be more than 5.5-6 lbs. Unless the papers you got were AKC, there really isn't any solid proof of the age of the pup. All the other registries APRI, CKC, etc aren't regulated registries and anyone can register anything (yes thing, not even a dog) to these registries. __________________ The T.U.B. Pack! Toto, Uni, & Bindi RIP Lord Scrappington Montgomery McLimpybottom aka El Lenguo the Handicapped Ninja 10-12-12