# Skinny Dog



## Jesse Dalton (May 19, 2011)

I have a Mal that turns 3 next month, and since we got him a year ago, I've had a hard time keeping weight on him. I know part of it has to do with him being a big pacer, even in a kennel, but even upping his food doesn't help. They can't find anything at the vet that would cause it other than it "just being him." Didn't know if anyone else has dealt with this. My other Mal has no problem keeping weight on and he's a more active worker.


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## David Winners (Apr 4, 2012)

Here is a recent thread on the topic.

adding weight to working dog


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

i posted in that thread too, but i'll add this :
1. does your dog have plenty of energy and stamina ?
2. is it bright eyed and high drive ?
3. does it relish working hard ?
4. have you done basic blood work and had a vet check his cardio ability ?
.........i could list a few more but try and get my point :
be happy with your dog and stop trying to make it look like something you think is more cool....lean and mean is just fine and the bottom line for me is the fire in the gut is way more important than how macho it looks in your eyes

all sorts of ways to fatten a dog up but often NOT needed, imo 

- and you posed your Q just like many others do : you think it "looks" skinny but did not mention anything about it running out of gas or performing poorly because it wasn't carrying the weight i needed

imo pics of your dog and some performance vids showing the problem would have been a better way to present the problem you feel you might have


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

and why are you sure that part of this problem is due to pacing ????
might just be that he needs to be out of the kennel more often


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

"in the kennel" is I think, one of the places where a dog is *more* apt to "pace". just saying...


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Jesse Dalton said:


> I have a Mal that turns 3 next month, and since we got him a year ago, I've had a hard time keeping weight on him. I know part of it has to do with him being a big pacer, even in a kennel, but even upping his food doesn't help. They can't find anything at the vet that would cause it other than it "just being him." Didn't know if anyone else has dealt with this. My other Mal has no problem keeping weight on and he's a more active worker.


Both you and the vet think he is too thin? 

As mentioned, pics would be a big help. Do you have a body-profile photo (the dog standing, with the camera at his level, from the side), and also one of the dog standing with the picture being of his entire back, neck to tail, from above him?

(Of course, a video of him moving as well would be great.)


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

are you familiar with the bloodlines and is this dog not following them in conformation ?

basically i'm just saying i would need more reasons other than just looks before i would put weight on and if the dog has held this structure for three years and been skinny you might have a genetically skinny dog

i hope you answer a few of the questions and keep this a two way thread. not much background provided yet 

your comments about the vet comments don't shed much light. 
what brand foods ?
what health checks have been done by the vet ? any second opinions ?
previous worm probs ? 
previous pup sicknesses ? 
lots more questions that others might want cleared up

the other thread also stated lots of "go to" weight gaining options and supps. what ones have you tried ?
- getting back to the pacing in and out of the kennel ... does it have nerve issues that could be affecting its metabolism ?


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## Jesse Dalton (May 19, 2011)

As far as the vet goes, he's been to two different vets since we've gotten him. Everything looks normal and they've wormed him to be sure of that. When I say he paces, if he's not actively doing something, (play, etc.) he paces around the house, yard, kennel, wherever he is. As far as the kennel goes, he's in a kennel maybe 3-4 hours out of the day/night. He is high energy, and doesn't run out of gas easily. Right now he does Blue Buffalo Wilderness kibble (3 cups) in the morning, then two meals of raw one at lunch and one at dinner. When I say he looks skinny, it has nothing to do with what I want him to look like other than not showing hip bones, all of his ribs and just all around looks. Don't get me wrong, he's definitely not emaciated, but still. I have 4 other working dogs and they are all lean, past what most people think of as skinny. I can tell a difference in his appearance to theirs and while he has times where it seems he puts on weight and looks good, he loses it just as fast. I've tried adding oils to meals to help with extra calories. I have a container of Vertex coming in this week to try. I've also added egg and goats milk in the past but nothing seems to keep weight on. He's currently still on Salmon Oil, Coconut Oil, egg and then the Vertex when it comes in. I just feel like I'm adding so many things and not seeing any results.


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## Dustin Fritz (Apr 17, 2013)

My female gsd has a very hard time keeping weight on. I tried a lot of different foods (raw, brand of kibble, etc..) and kept adding more food...didn't make a difference. I added vertex and it did seem to help. Im really not a big supplement user, but it did make a difference with her. I took her off of it for a while just to see and she got real skinny again. I'm sure every dog is different, but mine saw good results from vertex.


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## Jesse Dalton (May 19, 2011)

I've had a few people tell me the same thing about Vertex. It came in today so we'll see what happens. Maybe I'll take a couple of pics tomorrow and then comparison shots on Vertex.


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## Zakia Days (Mar 13, 2009)

Jesse Dalton said:


> As far as the vet goes, he's been to two different vets since we've gotten him. Everything looks normal and they've wormed him to be sure of that. When I say he paces, if he's not actively doing something, (play, etc.) he paces around the house, yard, kennel, wherever he is. As far as the kennel goes, he's in a kennel maybe 3-4 hours out of the day/night. He is high energy, and doesn't run out of gas easily. Right now he does Blue Buffalo Wilderness kibble (3 cups) in the morning, then two meals of raw one at lunch and one at dinner. When I say he looks skinny, it has nothing to do with what I want him to look like other than not showing hip bones, all of his ribs and just all around looks. Don't get me wrong, he's definitely not emaciated, but still. I have 4 other working dogs and they are all lean, past what most people think of as skinny. I can tell a difference in his appearance to theirs and while he has times where it seems he puts on weight and looks good, he loses it just as fast. I've tried adding oils to meals to help with extra calories. I have a container of Vertex coming in this week to try. I've also added egg and goats milk in the past but nothing seems to keep weight on. He's currently still on Salmon Oil, Coconut Oil, egg and then the Vertex when it comes in. I just feel like I'm adding so many things and not seeing any results.


Salmon oil although good for the dogs, is not what I reach for when trying to add weight. Try asking the butchers for leftover beef, lamb or pork fat to add to his rations. That should make more of a difference than salmon or coconut oil. Chicken fat works well also. If you have fatty chicken backs, boil them and add to the kibble. You should see weight gain in one or two weeks. Good luck.


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## Jesse Dalton (May 19, 2011)

Thanks Zakia. I will start trying that also. I can see some difference with the Vertex already but every little bit helps.


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## Jojo Bautista (Mar 7, 2010)

Have you tried adding DIGESTION AIDS to his food? It helps the stomach break down the food efficiently. You can try PINEAPPLE...


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## Matt Vandart (Nov 28, 2012)

I have two dobes which are litter sisters. One paces, the other doesn't the pacer I had a hard time putting weight on. I taught her not to pace and she is built like her sister now. Both are lean and muscular, the pacer had hips and spine just showing for ages, they are now gone. I didn't up food or add anything, just stopped the pacing.


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