jules dief taz tor Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 hi all, just after some ideas, dief and taz r very different dogs , size wise, dief is quite chunky , taz is all legs, the problem is taz looks too thin, well to me any way, hes 22 weeks old and weighs 18 kg, the reason im concerned is that i can feel his spine, ribs not so much , the thing is he has twice the amount of food that dief has, they have 3 meals a day , they r wormed regularly , have the same exercise, dief is gettin fat , taz is thin , any ideas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 I had the same problem with kimba, have you tried adding chappie with his food (i feed kimba kibble as a main diet and chappe worked Wonders!) don't forget all dogs are different, look at humans, some have to eat a tonne of cream cakes to put on 1lb others only have to look at a tonne to put on a stone lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 hi all, just after some ideas, dief and taz r very different dogs , size wise, dief is quite chunky , taz is all legs, the problem is taz looks too thin, well to me any way, hes 22 weeks old and weighs 18 kg, the reason im concerned is that i can feel his spine, ribs not so much , the thing is he has twice the amount of food that dief has, they have 3 meals a day , they r wormed regularly , have the same exercise, dief is gettin fat , taz is thin , any ideas I am guessing Dief is an adult? As a puppy Taz will typically eat more than your adult Sibe as he is growing. Keep in mind Sibes are bred to have slow metabolisms and are bred to go far on small amounts of food - if Dief is over 12 months I would suggest that three meals a day is way too much for him and this is why he is getting fat. If a dog is underweight you will be able to see their ribs - a dog at an ideal weight will have ribs that you can easily feel when you touch their sides. If you can't feel Taz's ribs easily, I wouldn't be worried - he is a puppy and will eat a lot because he is growing. How much do you feed them? How much does Dief weigh? I would keep Taz on 2-3 meals a day as he is still growing but if Dief is getting over weight cut him down to a main meal in the morning and a smaller meal (i.e. a raw bone like a chicken wing) at night time. I find my dogs are hard to keep lean as they are so food driven and because Micha's metabolism is so slow - he got up to 34kg once eating 3 cups of food a day. I cut him down to one cup and he's stayed a nice lean 27kg for more than a year now. I only feed in the morning and sometimes give them an extra raw bone at night time. What are you feeding them on at the moment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jules dief taz tor Posted January 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 have tried a variety of kibble type foods, they r not a problem, but any form of wet food, aarrgggghhhhh dodgy tummy for days, have debated a few extra meals cause if they eat too much at any one time that gives them the runs as well, at a loss as to what to try next, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jules dief taz tor Posted January 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 dief is a week younger than taz lol and he weighs 16 kg, but hes smaller than taz, like i said taz is all legs , they are currently on purina puppy kibble, they too are food driven, they would eat untill they exploded if you let them, and if they do , they literally do explode if you get my drift lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistyrayn Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 i can understand what you mean about looking thin... my 2 girls are so different Nikita is 4 yr old weighs 20.9 Kg and has just shed her coat and looks skinny.. ( i think ) .. but Tikaani is only 11 months old and allready taller but surpisingly weighs the same 20.9 kg ( or did a week ago ) and she looks like she has got a podgy belly.... the correct weight for a husky males 45 - 60 pounds ( 20 - 27 kg approx ) females 35 50 pounds ( 16 - 23 kg approx ) so at 22 weeks old... theres still plenty of time .... i wouldn't worry my 11 month old puppy's brothers look a lot bigger than her.. but still look very good.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 have tried a variety of kibble type foods, they r not a problem, but any form of wet food, aarrgggghhhhh dodgy tummy for days, have debated a few extra meals cause if they eat too much at any one time that gives them the runs as well, at a loss as to what to try next, I won't and never will feed wet or canned food - the only meat my dogs get are raw bones and mince. Wet or canned food is notorious for giving dogs the runs and upset tummies. I would cut them both down to two meals a day, is there any chance Dief is eating some of Taz's food? How much do you feed them? The runs are *usually* not caused not caused by eating too quickly but the type of food going through the dogs body and how much they retain. Instead of feeding more meals, what about just feeding 1/2 or 1 cup of food at a time? i.e. once they finished eating you can give them the rest. dief is a week younger than taz lol and he weighs 16 kg, but hes smaller than taz, like i said taz is all legs , they are currently on purina puppy kibble, they too are food driven, they would eat untill they exploded if you let them, and if they do , they literally do explode if you get my drift lol Do you have some pics of Dief you can show us? Preferably one where he is standing? Some food driven dogs will eat until there is no more they can possibly eat. My beagle ate 1/3 of a container of cat biscuits in less than a minute and would have kept going if I hadn't caught her! She had eaten so much she looked like a barrel and her belly was hard... bloody hound. If your dogs are food driven you may be over feeding them because they always appear hungry - Micha is the same too, he always wants to eat, hence how he got so fat! ETA: Are they related or from different breeders? Males will be built a bit bigger than females too, and certain lines can throw different 'looks'. Micha is at the top end of the scale but looks a lot heavier than 27kg. This was him just last month... he is a perfect weight for his size but he has a big chest: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siberian_wolf Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 I had this worry with Marley and Bandit. Both brothers and Marley looks bigger in size than Bandit (see pic) but Bandit is, very slightly, heavier than Marley. I was worried that Bandit looked thin (even though he was heavier) and called the vet about it. They said that it wasn't anything to worry about as their weights were around the same. I still dont understand exactly why Bandit looks thinner than Marley but is heavier but I think it is just thaty they are of different body builds. I would suggest you to call your vet for some advise. I found this site which explains if your dog is over or under weight: http://www.k9station.com/articles/fat.htm It does say that your dog is underweight if you can prominently feel the spine which is true but you say you cannot prominently feel the rib cage nor does it sound that he is underweight but more just his build. You may find that he may 'fill' out as he get older which is what happened with Bandit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jules dief taz tor Posted January 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 have tried to add pic, but im crap at it, they r fed under supervision every time so there is no food nickin, they r fed in bakin trays to make them take their time as they used to wolf it down with out chewing, they have dief has 3 hand fulls, taz has 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 have tried to add pic, but im crap at it, they r fed under supervision every time so there is no food nickin, they r fed in bakin trays to make them take their time as they used to wolf it down with out chewing, they have dief has 3 hand fulls, taz has 5 So they get 3 or 5 handfuls (depending on the dog) three times a day? I would definitely cut them down to two meals a day. What about giving them something to chew on that will take them longer to eat like raw bones? I feed cow leg bones, lamb shanks, chicken frames and wings, turkey necks etc and they all can take the dog longer to eat because they have to chew a lot more to get through the meat and bone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 tho bear in mind the chicken shudnt be cooked otherwise chicken bones will splinter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austinville Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Bo was slight for a while too. I switched to "Taste of the Wild" "Taste" is a higher protein food which has no grains or fillers. It is for all stages of growth. I do watch Bo more closely now as the higher protein combined with his lower activity and age can cause excessive weight gain which isn't good for his arthritis. The high protein can also cause ear infections and hot spots. Food information link: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=1285&cat=8 The best advice I got in regards to his weight recently (I was concerned he was getting too heavy) was to look straight down at his back and haunches. If you can see the dog's 'waistline' - you're ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 good link, added to rep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jules dief taz tor Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 i thnk a lot of the problem is his colouring lol no im not mad i mean with him being a lighter colour underneath where his hip bones are, which makes it look like his hip bones are stickin out , he is full of energy , gets plenty of exercise, and seems happy in him self, looking at other pics, i think maybe i worry too much, hes just havin gangly stage lol, thanks for all the help, ps smeagle tried bones, they love them , me im not so keep on pickin up the slop they leave afterwards lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 i thnk a lot of the problem is his colouring lol no im not mad i mean with him being a lighter colour underneath where his hip bones are, which makes it look like his hip bones are stickin out , he is full of energy , gets plenty of exercise, and seems happy in him self, looking at other pics, i think maybe i worry too much, hes just havin gangly stage lol, thanks for all the help, ps smeagle tried bones, they love them , me im not so keep on pickin up the slop they leave afterwards lol LOL - I don't find bones too messy but then again I either feed them in the crate or outside, never ever in the house. We feed bones pretty much every day, as I have the dogs on a BARF diet. Obviously every dog is slightly different but this is a good visual weight guide (scroll to the bottom for the dog one). It shows you what is under weight, ideal weight, over weight, obese etc: http://www.iams.com/iams/pet-health/cat-and-dog-body-condition.jsp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jules dief taz tor Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 lmao when i said slop i was being polite, i meant shit lmao, they both seem to have really dicky tummys, most dog treats set them off, wet dog food , raw bones, the only thing they eat that doesnt seem to upset their bellies are socks lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 lmao when i said slop i was being polite, i meant shit lmao, they both seem to have really dicky tummys, most dog treats set them off, wet dog food , raw bones, the only thing they eat that doesnt seem to upset their bellies are socks lol Oh sorry, my bad I would try a BARF mix on them - human grade beef mince, with natural yoghurt (it helps with digestion), grated vegies and fruit (I do apple, pumpkin, celery, carrot), a couple of tins of sardines and maybe some chopped up offal. Yoghurt is great for digestion and the vegies will give them lots of nutrients. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jules dief taz tor Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 tbh i tend to steer clear of beef, might try the youghurt though ,pumpkin is quite hard to get hold of over here, offal aaarrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhhh never lol, i did look into the barf diet when i had a shih tzu , but i could never find a proper diet sheet , if you know what i mean, there was plenty of advice but i wanted a "you feed this" list , i know its trial and error to a certain degree, but i was quite worried about feedin the wrong things, could you pm me a list of what to feed them, ammounts etc and i would give it a go , will try anything , thanx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 tbh i tend to steer clear of beef, might try the youghurt though ,pumpkin is quite hard to get hold of over here, offal aaarrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhhh never lol, i did look into the barf diet when i had a shih tzu , but i could never find a proper diet sheet , if you know what i mean, there was plenty of advice but i wanted a "you feed this" list , i know its trial and error to a certain degree, but i was quite worried about feedin the wrong things, could you pm me a list of what to feed them, ammounts etc and i would give it a go , will try anything , thanx Here's a good thread on quantities and how much to feed. Like you said, it does depend on the dog, where you live and what is available. I'll PM you the recipe I use too http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=155114 Does beef upset their tummies? You might find the yoghurt will help with tummy upsets. Offal isn't too bad - I get chicken livers which over here are cheap and easy to get a hold of, they are small and they don't smell so they are a good option - offal is an important part of a BARF diet though so if you are considering switching you will need to feed them a bit of it. The other important part of a BARF diet is feeding raw meaty bones (RMBs). You should actually find their poo improves when they have more bones in their diet, as the don't have any grain to pass through (which is what makes up a lot of dog food on the market). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jules dief taz tor Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 cheers for that added to rep, i know its gonna sound really stupid, but what sort of bones are suitable ? if i walked into a butchers what should i ask for ???? look forward to your recipe, anything for an excuse to go shopping lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 cheers for that added to rep, i know its gonna sound really stupid, but what sort of bones are suitable ? if i walked into a butchers what should i ask for ???? look forward to your recipe, anything for an excuse to go shopping lol LOL at the shopping quip... hopefully there will be other members from the UK that feed raw that can help you out with bones - I am actually in the UK at the moment for holidays Back in Oz, it is really easy to get BARF ingredients cheaply, and bones/off cuts are cheap and easy to get as well. Not sure what it is like here, or if it is worth buying stuff in bulk or not. I put this in the PM I sent you, but basically I buy a lot of bones when I go to the supermarket (cheapest place to get them usually) or butcher, and freeze them so I can take them out when I need to. You can also alternate between a BARF mix up and raw bones - I could buy a 1kg tray of chicken wings, and just feed the dogs chicken wings for the day, give them barf the next day, and then the rest of the chicken wings on the third day. Or I could buy a lamb neck each and give them a lamb neck for their dinner. With a pup I would probably feed the BARF mix in the morning and a bone at night. Bones I feed include: - chicken wings, necks and frames (frames are excellent and can be a whole meal for an adult dog!) - lamb necks and flaps - beef bones (marrow/soup bones aren't as good though as generally they aren't very meaty). - turkey necks - any other raw meaty off cuts you think the dogs might like This might change a bit country to country and what is cheap and easily available. I am sure being in the UK you could probably get a bit of game-y meat off cuts quite easily/cheaply too. Any raw meat/bones is good to try with your dogs and see how they react to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jules dief taz tor Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 will have to go and pay a visit to my local butcher lol, funny thing is i hate meat, but i love my pups so will just close eyes take a deep breath and hope i dont fall over anythin in the shop lol, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithy Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 I feed mine on Barf, I use these http://www.prizechoice.co.uk/ they have a good section on feeding, if you have a big freezer then it'll work out alot cheaper. The tripe stinks a bit but once you get used to it it's fine. Smithy has a VERY delicate tummy, but since feeding Barf have had no problems, and all the dogs lurve chrunching on a bone:)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jules dief taz tor Posted January 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2009 great site added to rep thanx xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jules dief taz tor Posted February 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 up date, since swithchin to the barf diet, both dogs have stopped havin dicky tummies , so bonus there, took the dogs to see the vet and get them weighed, taz put on 2 kg in a month makin him 20.87 kg and dief put on 4 kg makin him 20.75 kg, so they r both still gaining weight , but taz still looks thin lol the vet checked him and said he was fine, mind you i said they we on the barf diet and she said is that a home cooked one, urrrnnn duhhhhh i told her it was all raw and she still insisted on callin it home cooked, looking for new vet lmao Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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