# Quickest Way To Put Weight On A Mal



## Shane Woodlief (Sep 9, 2009)

I recently picked up a 18 month old working Mal. He has great potential but he needs to put on 5 to 6 pounds as he is to thin. Hip bones are showing so I need to beef him up a little. I am looking for a quick but healthy way to beef him up. Any advise out there?


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## andrew kurtowicz (Nov 19, 2008)

it all depends on his activity level,is he a kennel dog or a house dog,there are plenty of things you can mix with his food to help him bulk up..... oatmeal or yogurt are good for puttin on lbs.


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## Meng Xiong (Jan 21, 2009)

I always add additional chicken or beef fat to my dogs meals during the cold season.


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## andrew kurtowicz (Nov 19, 2008)

you also want to have the dog checked by a vet for worms, parasites...etc. once he/she has a clean bill of health then look at adding to his/her diet


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## virginia reed (Mar 10, 2009)

don't need a vet to diagnose common worms - just buy the stuff yourself and give it to him.

doesn't hurt the dog if he doesn't have worms to begin with

you could use horse wormers too - just use a small dose


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## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

Rather than thinking in terms of "adding something" to his diet, you could simply feed him more of whatever he is already used to. Although not knowing what he is eating now, experimenting with different food and higher quality may help too.

I second the vet check and/or worming, to rule out any health issues first.


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

Shane, you only got 4 posts and I got a whole bunch. But that don’t mean I know what the hell I am talking about I just say a lot of nothing. But when you say “recently” are you talking about, a day or month? Any reason for the rush? If it’s been a while and the dog aint holding weight that might be a vet issue to me. But I would think you can get this dog to gain the few pounds in two weeks (again I really don’t know what the hell I am talking about). 
I would be curious to see what you consider to skinny. Not to question your knowledge but for my own learning experience. I think dogs can look a lot skinner than what us Americans like to see them looking like and still be way healthy.


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## mike suttle (Feb 19, 2008)

Assuming the dog is healthy and free of any parasites. Keep him a crate and feed him several small meals a day mixed with meat and cottage cheese.


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## Terrasita Cuffie (Jun 8, 2008)

I'd do Drontal--plus---gets everything and try adding oatmeal with some sort of meat.


Terrasita


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

I agree with Mike. If the dewormer comes back clear, smaller meals using Diamond Extreme Athlete dry food will do it. I would rather do 4 smaller meals a day, with water and then reduce to 2 per day at regualr size. Also reducing the ability to burn it off through jumping and pacing in the kennel will help. My male Bouvier is very hard to keep weight on.


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## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

A few months back I got returned to me a very thin malinois, much more serious than your boy. There are many suggestions on this old thread regarding feeding and supplement suggestions and how to break up the feeding into smaller meals. You may want to read through it as there is a lot of good information on building a dog back up:

http://www.workingdogforum.com/vBulletin/f25/malnurished-mal-need-rehab-suggestions-11134/


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Debbie I saw your post and that was bad. I like smaller meals for dogs and me. As you get older, you get fat and lazy. The body doesn't burn the fuel in the same way. Smaller meals are used to a fuller level and there seems to be a better use and not turned to waste. More bang for the buck!

I am thin and try to stay in shape and my dogs are required to be the same way. I hate seeing a fat dog and owners who waddle into the kitchen for more Little Debbie cakes and lots of chips. I see folks at the pet supply stores making dog "snack" purchases and I think, " They have a big fat *#$ and so will the dog."

Chicken and beef fat are great but in excess stuff can fly out from the south. I got my hair cut today and the girl there was talking about getting a Boxer as a rescue. The owners went on vacation for 13 days, put the dog in the backyard kennel, and there wasn't food or water left for it. So why do I catch an attitude when some want to question my dog interests and breeds? Or they come up with BSL stuff! They need to dial up these half-brained folks and save a few critters!!!! 

OK soapbox is over, back to the "weighted question at hand!"


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## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

Howard Gaines III said:


> Debbie I saw your post and that was bad. I like smaller meals for dogs and me. As you get older, you get fat and lazy. The body doesn't burn the fuel in the same way. Smaller meals are used to a fuller level and there seems to be a better use and not turned to waste. More bang for the buck!
> 
> I am thin and try to stay in shape and my dogs are required to be the same way. I hate seeing a fat dog and owners who waddle into the kitchen for more Little Debbie cakes and lots of chips. I see folks at the pet supply stores making dog "snack" purchases and I think, " They have a big fat *#$ and so will the dog."
> 
> ...


What?:-o I'm on Vicodin and down for a couple weeks now with broken ribs & punctured lung..sooo maybe my posts are a little hazy..but, what's going on with you???...:smile: you dip into those funny brownies? I can't follow your post at all!


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Debbie no more for you...go up one.


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## steve davis (Mar 24, 2009)

as far as useing a high protein, high fat dog food you could try native level 4. 35% protien 25%fat http://www.nativedogfood.com/level4.html

im suprised nobody has mentioned satin balls...google it and you will find a few different recipes that will put weight on a dog fast. i did this with a GSD that did nothing but run kennels..put 10lbs on this dog in a week.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Steve this stuff looks similar to the Diamond food in P/F. How much does it cost?


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

I was surprised to see that too (missing Satan Balls). They do work but a little bit of a bitch to do up and not all that economical to feed over an extended period of time. I figured maybe for whatever reason people here didn't use or recommend them. 

I don't know if it's the same formula these days but once I used Innova Evo for something new to try out and man did my dogs pack on the weight. In fact, I think both the boxers and AB in the club did too. Julie A. did you have that same experience with it? I thought you guys did as well.

Best advice I got for adding fat/weight is feeding items that were known sources for it. Just watch it, too much and you can pretty much guarantee a mess so easy does it.


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## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

Orijen kibble worked for my Mal. The high protein (44%) seemed to agree with his metabolism, where other foods went through him.


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

I know it's off topic, but quitting smoking will sure make you gain weight. Does the dog smoke?????

DFrost


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Quote: What? I'm on Vicodin and down for a couple weeks now with broken ribs & punctured lung..sooo maybe my posts are a little hazy..but, what's going on with you???... you dip into those funny brownies? I can't follow your post at all! 

Are you getting better ?? 

Howard is always like that. I don't know what he is saying sometimes either.

Quote: I know it's off topic, but quitting smoking will sure make you gain weight. Does the dog smoke?????

Nice one. wasn't expecting that.

How about you train your dog and not worry what the **** he looks like. Get to it Mr.


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## Dwyras Brown (Nov 21, 2008)

Does Satan put up a fight when they get his balls?


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## steve davis (Mar 24, 2009)

Howard Gaines III said:


> Steve this stuff looks similar to the Diamond food in P/F. How much does it cost?


i get it at a local feed store for $35 for a 40lb bag..i dont think thats a bad price.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Shane Woodlief said:


> I recently picked up a 18 month old working Mal. He has great potential but he needs to put on 5 to 6 pounds as he is to thin. Hip bones are showing so I need to beef him up a little. I am looking for a quick but healthy way to beef him up. Any advise out there?



I sure do agree with dropping off a fecal for a vet-check.

Then, when parasites are ruled out: 

Are you feeding raw or kibble? That would affect the suggestions to some degree.

Of course, the only one of the three primary macronutrients with higher calories than the other two is fat. Healthy dogs use fat well, but, as mentioned, this is something to work up to gradually to avoid blowing it (and more) right out the other end, doing more harm than good. Carbs, like oatmeal, for example, are no higher in calories-per-gram than protein is. And you want to have protein requirements met before adding extra fat (or extra any-other-macrobiotic).

Some Satin Balls recipes blow me away, with things in them like boxed cereals (Total, for example), other cooked-type cereals, etc. All that cereal, plus _sugar_ (molasses) in many versions!  

(I've also seen Satin Balls recipes that kinda made sense, except for being described as "balanced even for an entire diet" with no calcium.)



Anna Kasho said:


> Rather than thinking in terms of "adding something" to his diet, you could simply feed him more of whatever he is already used to. Although not knowing what he is eating now, experimenting with different food and higher quality may help too.
> 
> I second the vet check and/or worming, to rule out any health issues first.


Good start. _Good food, and more of it._


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