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Putting on weight


phoenixjill

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Hi all! I adopted my 3 year old girl Jill 2 weeks ago, she was 7 months off the race track and 26.7kg when she came home with me. She's been settling in amazingly, no stress and picking up commands (no luck with learning her name, though). She's also fully up to date with worming and vaccinations etc. I was wondering if I'm feeding her a good enough diet so that she can put on a bit of weight since all her ribs, hips, and backbone are very prominent at the moment.

In the morning when I wake up at 8:30am I give her about 1/2 cup of kibble and a chicken neck. In the afternoon, around 3pm, she gets 1/2 cup raw beef mince, a chicken neck, a few pieces of tripe, and 1tbsp olive oil. Before bed at about 9:30pm she gets a chicken neck, about 1/4 kibble, mixed with some canned beef+pasta wet food. In between she gets treats for training and occasionally a chicken heart or a marrow bone to chew on.

I fear that I may be overfeeding her (I'm a first time grey owner!). Thanks in advance!

 

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Hi! I’m a first time greyhound owner too, but I’ve had mine for just over a year. He’s bigger than yours (he was 33kg when we brought him home) but is now pushing 40kg. I didn’t think that I was overfeeding him but a few people have made comments about him being ‘solid’, and he looks chunky next to other greyhounds.

I don’t give Buddy any raw food or things like chicken necks - we feed him on kibble with a few extras. I started another post about ways to help him loose weight, and one of the replies suggested that it was the quality of the food he was being fed. So when I first read your post I thought it sounded like a lot of food, but the type of food is different so the way Jill processes it will be different. If you’re feeding her too much, it will show really quickly. I think that with a retired greyhound, you should be able to see the last three ribs and two of the vertebrae (you should be able to see about seven ribs in a racing hound, I’ve read - I think that’s too skinny!). I also read that ‘greyhounds don’t tend to overeat’ in the same book - ha! This is not necessarily true!

photos of your pup will help people decide if you’re overfeeding her*

*also not true but it would be lovely to see a picture of her!

Buddy Molly 🌈 5/11/10-10/10/23

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1 hour ago, MerseyGrey said:

Hi! I’m a first time greyhound owner too, but I’ve had mine for just over a year. He’s bigger than yours (he was 33kg when we brought him home) but is now pushing 40kg. I didn’t think that I was overfeeding him but a few people have made comments about him being ‘solid’, and he looks chunky next to other greyhounds.

I don’t give Buddy any raw food or things like chicken necks - we feed him on kibble with a few extras. I started another post about ways to help him loose weight, and one of the replies suggested that it was the quality of the food he was being fed. So when I first read your post I thought it sounded like a lot of food, but the type of food is different so the way Jill processes it will be different. If you’re feeding her too much, it will show really quickly. I think that with a retired greyhound, you should be able to see the last three ribs and two of the vertebrae (you should be able to see about seven ribs in a racing hound, I’ve read - I think that’s too skinny!). I also read that ‘greyhounds don’t tend to overeat’ in the same book - ha! This is not necessarily true!

photos of your pup will help people decide if you’re overfeeding her*

*also not true but it would be lovely to see a picture of her!

That's a really good point about different kinds of food being processed differently, I hadn't thought of that! And you're right about the overeating, Jill would eat my arm off if I let her... :wacko:

It's hard to find pics of her that show her distinct boniness since she's so dark that she pretty much absorbs all light, but here's some shots of her being a Big Baby <3

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XGDcytt.jpg

(please ignore very sad plants)

Edited by phoenixjill
fixed photos
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Welcome to you and Jill!  She looks and sounds beautifully adorable.  Just as she should.  :)  

I agree with above -- I think her weight looks good.  Since hip and rib prominence are different on each dog, I prefer to go with a subjective eyeball on the tuck (waist).  I want to see a beautifully proportioned small tuck.  At 26.7kg (58 lbs?) she is small, even for a female, so any extra weight is going to show up on her immediately.  You'll know if she gains a kilo.   My opinion on Jill is that while she looks good now, she would also look good at 1-2kg more.  How she looks and what she weighs also depends on how muscular she is, as the article explains.  

I am not a nutrition expert, but since you are feeding partially raw it would be a good idea to make sure you are feeding a nutritionally balanced diet, if you haven't already.  

Quote

picking up commands (no luck with learning her name, though)

Try rewarding her for just looking your way when you say her name. When she does that reliably, advance to coming when called.  

 

siggy_z1ybzn.jpg

Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey

remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter

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She looks like my Grace when I first got her. Her race weight was 24.25 kg (53.5 lbs). She has put on a couple of pounds and now weighs 25.5 kg (56.2 lbs) but I'm being careful she doesn't put on any more. You will probably find she will put on weight now she's not training.

Grace (Ardera Coleen) b. 18 June 2014 - Gotcha Day 10 June 2018 - Going grey gracefully
Guinness (Antigua Rum) b. 3 September 2017 - Gotcha Day 18 March 2022 - A gentleman most of the time

 

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Thank you guys so much for this input and the helpful link! The lady at the shelter told me she was very underweight so i’m really pleased to hear she’s at a good weight now :wub:

I’m trying my best to give her the most balanced diet I can, about 70% raw meat 20% bones 10% fruit and veggies, with supplementary things like treats and oils. 

She likes her socks, it’s too bad they’re always dirty :rolleyes:

Rainy day pic:

https://i.imgur.com/YIa9VWk.jpg

 

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