Correct Feeding

[CalamityJess]

So Brody is 12 weeks now. He is housetrained and can ring a bell to go outside. He is currently eating blue wilderness puppy, which has cleared up his previous tummy troubles. My question now is, I know not to go by the bag label for feeding amounts. But I don't know how to make sure he's getting enough food. He currently gets 2 cups per day split between 3 feedings. I can still feel ribs so I know he isn't fat. But he has this tiny waist thst makes him look skinny. Compounding this is the fact that he is a mix and we aren't sure what the mix is.

[Maralynn]

If it's just easy to feel the ribs then he's probably fine. If you go to pet him and the first thing you think is "wow, he's kinda bony" then increase the food just a bit. When my dog got too skinny due to a couple different issues then petting her was kinda like petting a wash board.

[gcv-border]

Sounds like good advice^^^. Once they enter their 'teenage' months, they usually do look very skinny and lanky, but body scoring (feel the ribs) should guide you as far as food amounts. If possible, I would also weigh every couple of weeks, but for me, I don't focus on that number primarily. It is just a secondary data point.

[GentleLake]

Here (again) is the body condition chart that vets use. IMO, border collies, especially young ones, should be on the thin side of moderate.

 

http://vet.osu.edu/v...n-scoring-chart

 

If you can easily feel ribs (that is, without having to push in at all do find them) and the spinal protuberances, your dog is probably fine.

[CptJack]

This is Molly at 12 weeks;

 

 

 

 

They're lousy pictures but you can get her shape and see a hint of rib when really extended. She's a deep chested, lanky dog and always has been. Just go by feel. easy to feel ribs and spine, not too sharp and you're probably good.

 

5 months there's more leg and a deeper chest, but it's basically the same feel.

 

 

I'm pretty happy with her there, but she admittedly does vascillate sometimes and get either a little too thin or a little too heavy. I think it's just hte nature of a growing puppy.

[CalamityJess]

Brody was not cooperating with side photos today, maybe when Mr Jess gets home he can assist. Top down though he's like this...

 

 

He's small compared to Molly maybe heightwise. He's only around 12.5 inches at the shoulder and currently around 13 pounds. His chest isn't deep at all, but it appears that comes with time?

 

But by that chart up there, and descriptions he feels right so I'll keep him where he's at until he needs more.

[CptJack]

Molly's always been tall. I swear she's 90% legs and, yeah, chest depth is partially age and time (mostly those) and some just build. Mostly though, he just looks good to me. That little bit of indention where his waist is, is a GOOD thing.

[CalamityJess]

Thanks all! So far so good then. Good build, housetrained, and he has already gotten a job (remind the 4 year old spaniel she's still young!!).

[RemsMom]

Looks like Brody is doing just fine although I think we need lots more photos (especially of his cute little face) before we can be sure.

[CalamityJess]

 

Oh yes, I forgot his face, shame on me! It is a cute face, and those green eyes turn me into mush...lol

[RemsMom]

That was very helpful! Definitely a most adorable puppy!

[B Point]

Good lookin pups all around..!!

[simba]

One of the things that people forget to tell you is that it is vital, on any thread where you're asking a question about anything, to post puppy pics. It might not seem relevant always. But to the knowledgeable people here, it can be vital to know just how adorable the fuzz-ball is in order to, for example, advise you on what food to get or how to worm your sheep.

 

'If you go to pet him and the first thing you think is "wow, he's kinda bony" then increase the food just a bit'- my rule of thumb is that if I pet the dog and I don't think 'Is that too thin? She may be starving, I may be killing my dog' then she's probably too fat. This is because she was about 30lb overweight for many years and I still have a distorted idea of 'normal'. Luckily the vet is very firm on this: "No she does not need to be fattened up, you're feeding the right amount."

[GentleLake]

One of the things that people forget to tell you is that it is vital, on any thread where you're asking a question about anything, to post puppy pics. It might not seem relevant always. But to the knowledgeable people here, it can be vital to know just how adorable the fuzz-ball is in order to, for example, advise you on what food to get or how to worm your sheep.

 

Too funny . . . but absolutely true. Especially the part about its relevance to worming sheep.

[Tommy Coyote]

Joey is. Coming up on one and a half and he is still really skinny. And long and lanky. Tommy stayed skinny until she was about 3.

[GentleLake]

I find that they tend to fill out at around 3 years old.

[Gideon's girl]

Gideon is 3 1/2 and he is finally looking like a dog instead of a pup, but Micah never was long, just lanky, and he started looking like an adult at around 2. He's a year younger than Gideon, but his stockiness makes him look older.