Beefing Up A Skinny Foster

[GeorgeofNE]

I expect that dogs are like people; some of us run chunky, some of us run average, and a few of us are skinny no matter what.

 

If he's otherwise healthy, and it certainly sounds like he is, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

He looks like a sweetheart!

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

He's very sweet, and he's funny! He lays on the bed and barks randomly and rolls around snorting. Goofy boy!

[Guest BrianRke]

I had trouble keeping weight on Frank after I got him. Like you, I mixed in canned puppy food with his dry kibble. It took about 6 weeks to really notice that it was starting to work.

[TheFullHouse]

You know Jen for the first 4 years my big boys were here they were like that. I couldn't feed them enough to put any weight on them. I think it was their metabolism's, Heart was the same way and since they are all litter mates, I tend to think it's genetic. That all stopped though when they reached about 9 years of age and suddenly they started putting on too much weight and I had to cut their food back. I would say wait a while and make sure he's maintaining the same weight and as he ages and is now off the track and not running like he has been he will start putting on weight. I think he looks pretty good.

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

Thanks Judy, that helps a lot So maybe it's just the way he is. I knew I'd get some good ideas and input here. Most of the dogs I foster are just right, some even need a diet here and there to keep them in race weight, so this boy threw me a curve ball. He sure had fun today swimming in the bay. He's already giving me "is it dinner time yet?" looks. Maybe he should have three smaller meals a day.

[Guest Whistle]

If you really feel he needs to gain some and more kibble hasn't worked, I'd add some medium-fat ground beef or a couple eggs a day and see if that does it for him.

 

This. I just went through the same thing with a foster. His last race weight was listed at 70 pounds and he got down to 59 after an illness. Switching half of his kibble out for a "high performance kibble" and adding 1/4 pound of ground beef and two eggs a day did the trick. He was back where he should be within a month.

[Guest leemc]

I dont have the knowledge about this to give any input . I just wanted to say that he is a handsome boy

[Guest Whistle]

Thanks Judy, that helps a lot So maybe it's just the way he is. I knew I'd get some good ideas and input here. Most of the dogs I foster are just right, some even need a diet here and there to keep them in race weight, so this boy threw me a curve ball. He sure had fun today swimming in the bay. He's already giving me "is it dinner time yet?" looks. Maybe he should have three smaller meals a day.

 

I just saw this. We also did three meals a day with my foster boy.

[TwiggysMom]

I don't think he looks overly skinny, though a few pounds wouldn't hurt. Of the fosters I've had just a few weeks off-track, they usually still had pretty amped-up metabolisms. Some, like my girl Twiggy, just are really high-metabolism generally. (almost 4 years off-track, and she still eats about 1700 calories a day at 57.5 lbs)

 

Also, your intuition about grains could be right. Twiggy definitely needs carbs to maintain weight. A year ago I decided to do 1/3 raw for her (1 raw meal out of 3 meals per day), and the weight started dropping off her. It was to the point that I had to feed her more kibble along with the raw than she needed to maintain weight on kibble alone - it was like the raw was subtracting calories from her intake (bizarre).

 

That said, every dog is different, and some seem to gain weight better with protein than grains. Always a guessing game with these guys, isn't it?

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

Thanks all. After much discussion tonight with the trainer, I think he may go back to the kennel for some beefing up. He's been a complete pleasure, though! I gave him another round of dewormer today too, just in case. He's such a cool dog.

[Guest Profgumby]

Dare I say that he doesn't look too bad in the picture you posted?

Perhaps he just needs time for his metabolism to chill down now that he's finished his racing career. Personally, I'm not a big fan of satin balls-- too much fat-- I would fear upsetting the pancreas.

 

I'm curious too..maybe that is just his build? Our last two whippets were healthy girls, and were all their lives. Missy was a full bodied whippet and Simone was skinny, like skinny as a rail. Simone ate more than Missy, and was completely healthy, just skinny. And as she aged it was more evident. We called her "Boney Simoney" She lived to be 13 1/2 years young before she had to be put down.(the only time she was ever sick)

 

Am I right in thinking that Greys can be the same way? We have the 3 now and all 3 have different body types yet are other wise healthy...maybe your boy is just a lean one?

Edited July 14, 2011 by Profgumby