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Best way for dogs to gain weight

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  • 16-11-2010 5:36pm
    #1
    CreedonsDogDayc
    Registered Users Posts: 305 ✭✭


    Hi all,

    Im fostering two dogs at the mo that are quite skinny. What's the best to feed them to help them gain weight?

    Thanks!


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    #2
    andreac
    Registered Users Posts: 8,000 ✭✭✭andreac


    I would feed a puppy food that would have a lot more in it than normal adult food.
    Then feed 3-4 meals a day and gradually build up their weight.

    You could add pasta to their diet as well which will help bulk them up or some mince a few times a week.


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    #3
    dvet
    Registered Users Posts: 329 ✭✭dvet


    The main things i think would be worming, and feeding a high protein, high calorie food - the cheapest option is puppy food, although if they're very severely overweight it may be worth getting hills a/d, which is expensive, but very good for underweight dogs. (although probably best to try them on a small sample pack first to see if they like the taste... if they don't, it's not going to work however good it is!) :)

    It's best to avoid anything too fatty as their stomachs might find it a bit much to take.

    If you find it hard to get weight on them even after a few weeks, or if they have very poor appetites/diarrhoea etc, a quick check up and maybe some bloodwork might help you find out if there's anything else going on.


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    #4
    lorebringer
    Registered Users Posts: 1,712 ✭✭✭lorebringer


    +1 for the puppy food! Fostered dogs and it works very well. Adding carbs to their food is also great - pasta, rice and potatoes are grand (and they love them!). The one problems with the puppy food is that sometimes it can give them mild scuts, nothing too bad but just to warn you. A mix of adult food and puppy food usually prevents this. Lots of brands of food do a "high energy" version which would also work.

    Feeding little and often is also a great way to get the extra calories into them without stuffing them full of food all at once.


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    #5
    boxerly
    Registered Users Posts: 430 ✭✭boxerly


    andreac wrote: »
    I would feed a puppy food that would have a lot more in it than normal adult food.
    Then feed 3-4 meals a day and gradually build up their weight.

    You could add pasta to their diet as well which will help bulk them up or some mince a few times a week.
    :)I find mashed potatoe added is great aswell:)


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    #6
    Sigma Force
    Registered Users Posts: 5,132 ✭✭✭Sigma Force


    Deffo as said, small regulat meals and it's better to gradually have the weight put on that stuffing them too much. It doesn't take long though you'll notice a difference each week.
    My middle dog needed more weight on so I doubled her meals but feed a couple of times a day to break it up so she's not all bloated and stuffed.
    Works well but it took a while because she's pretty active.


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    #7
    CreedonsDogDayc
    Registered Users Posts: 305 ✭✭CreedonsDogDayc


    great, thanks for the advice, all taken onboard. They're not the best eaters so little and often is the only option I have with them anyway!


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    #8
    The Sweeper
    Registered Users Posts: 10,658 ✭✭✭✭The Sweeper


    What ages are they, and what breeds / crossbreeds, e.g. small, medium or large breeds?


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    #9
    CreedonsDogDayc
    Registered Users Posts: 305 ✭✭CreedonsDogDayc


    Frank's a white gsd / lab cross, he's 7, and Yelski is three, he's a staffie x.


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    #10
    dollydishmop
    Registered Users Posts: 561 ✭✭✭dollydishmop


    CreedonsDogDayc wrote: »
    Hi all,

    Im fostering two dogs at the mo that are quite skinny. What's the best to feed them to help them gain weight?

    Little and often. Easily & highly digestible, nothing too rich. Bulk it out with bread, rice, chicken, pasta, sardines / tuna (in oil), bio-yoghurt etc (not all in the one meal though :pac: ). Gravy is a nice occasional treat, but can be a little rich, and also high in salt.

    Aim for slow and steady weight gain, and schedule appropriate exercise to compliment this, with regards to building muscle tone etc.

    If they are living outside, concentrate on keeping them as warm as possible, No point shovelling food into them for weight gain, to have it wasted on regulating their temperature.

    Keep on top of worm schedule.


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    #11
    HelenT
    Registered Users Posts: 70 ✭✭HelenT


    Goats milk and tripe are really good for weight gain. Would introduce very slowly and mix the tripe with a very good quality dog food. Our fav is James Well Beloved as it has no hidden crap in it.

    Slowly changing the dogs diet is most important or you will end up with doggy diarrohea!


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