puppy food for skinny adult dogs?

[QuickSilver]

Originally Posted by yorkiepuppie

she is skinny because she doesn't like to eat. she never did.

Thor is the same way. He LOVES to eat, if he's eating cookies, popcorn, bacon, cheese, unhealthy dog food.... Healthy dog food, not so much. I free feed, because I think otherwise, he just wouldn't eat his kibble. He just has a low set weight point, I think. He's got a ton of energy if something fun is going on.

I think I calculated once that Thor eats something like 150 calories per day - about 1/3 of one cup of dog food. So I wouldn't be surprised if Milu eats a little less than that, because she is even smaller than him.

I just got two huge bags of adult dog food (Halo), so I probably won't be switching to puppy any time soon. Maybe I'll try to figure out how to get some more fat into there, though. He's really a trip. If you mix wet and dry food for him, he sucks all the wet food off the kibble, and then spits the kibble out.

I would love to have his weight issues. He only wants to eat haute cuisine, and he can never get enough exercise.

[yorkiepuppie]

Originally Posted by QuickSilver

Thor is on the lean side too. I was kind of bummed by his last vet visit, he's under 4 lbs again. He was 4.2 lbs last year, 3.8 lbs this year. Which is a 10% loss of body weight, when you think about it. 3.8 is more his usual number though, I think.

Anyway, I was realizing he gets a pretty low-fat diet, with adult dog food and meat treats. Sometimes his hair is kind of dry, so I was wondering if he could go onto puppy food. He does seem to prefer it (Halo). Or maybe it's just the novelty. I picked up a bag of puppy food by accident and I keep that at work, so he gets the puppy food a few times per week.

milu used to have dry skin as well, and she had a spot on her ear where it is extremely dry. (flaky skin) i started adding Ark Natural Royal Coat (fish oil and vit. E) to her food and now her skin is not so dry like it used to be. i think it will help with thor's coat as well if you add the Ark Natural Royal Coat to his food.

[yorkiepuppie]

Originally Posted by kjc

How does he feel when you pet him? Are his bones covered by just skin or can you feel a bit of fat under the skin? Can you feel his ribs readily or do you have to search for them?
I am not concerned with the numbers but moreso how their weight fits them. You don't want them too fat or too skinny. My first vet was too concerned with keeping my dog at 5 pounds. He was so active and started stealing food. If I yelled at him, he would grab a hugh mouthfull (really digging into the bowl) and runaway with it! To me, this says he wasn't getting enough to eat. So I increased his ration and he was alot happier. His main problem now is treats. He loves treats. When he eats too many, he will put on too much weight. Maybe this can work for Thor?
Also, I use Alaskan Salmon oil (Omega 3's & 6'S) and coconut products oil& milk to diet and hair products with coconut oil in them, for his coat.

what is that?

[yorkiepuppie]

Originally Posted by Pup-e-Love

Have you looked at the Orijen line? The makers of Orijen also make Acana which has a grain free line with an 'all lifestages' food.

yes, i just bought orijen puppy food and orijen adult food last weekend.

[kjc]

Originally Posted by yorkiepuppie

what is that?

Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil is oil from Salmon (fish) and is great for skin, coat, immune system, and cardiovascular health. Omega 3's and 6's which are essential fatty acids. It's a bit stinky, but the scent has really given my dogs renewed interest in eating. Even my Liver Shunt dog has put on weight! (They tend to be skinny)

Coconut products: kind of a miracle food. Giving you a link here as the benefits are way to many for me to list. This link refers to benefits to people but I have seen similar lists for pets. And mine love it! Coconut oil, milk , & meat all provide the benefits.

Coconut Research Center Home Page

And some info copied and edited from previous posts:

Sometimes they can go thin from not having the right gut flora. They may be eating fine, but their bodies may have a problem digesting the food. Adding a Probiotic to their diet can help, and certainly won't hurt. Probiotics can also prevent diarrhea.

And the general guidelines are: You should be able to feel the spine but not so much the sides or each individual vertebra. You should be able to feel the ribs,and a soft cushion between them and the skin. If you can see the ribs, the dog is underweight. Muscle, tendons and some fat should be covering the hips and shoulders. Bones should not be excessively evident. Age and activity will influence how an animal appears. If your dog is on the thin side, do not overfeed to put weight on. Read the feeding guidelines on the food packaging and follow them. Make adjustments to the amount as needed. Don't add fats or gravies (people food) to your dogs food, as they can cause pancreatitis. You can feed treats between meals, but be aware of the nutritional content. Nothing too fatty. Gradually the weight will come on. Also, weighing your dog weekly will help. So would a diary so you can see exactly what you pup has eaten and how he does with it. If you still think your pup has a weight problem, you'll have documented info for your vet which can help in a diagnosis.

Even though I am not an Iam's fan, this is from their website and may help a bit more: Your Pets Ideal Weight: A Visual Guide It has diagrams and better explanation.

And another developed by Purina: Canine Health Body Condition System