why won't my dog gain weight?

Answer 1

There could be many reasons why but it depends on age, breed, and also food. Like if your dog is a puppy newborn to age 3 he or she need lots of extra vitamens in the dog food Or your dog could have worms and you would need to deworm him/her I can help you more but I need more info

Answer 2

There are a LOT of reasons that dogs might not gain weight. A lot of dogs go through a gangly, leggy stage, usually between 7-12 months, where they are physically growing faster than their body mass can keep up to. The larger the dog is expected to be, the longer this gangly stage is. And, depending on the breed of dog, some are just lean. Some dogs have a high metabolism, and if you're feeding a not-so-great food, then it will not keep weight on a dog. I had the same problem with my husky, and there are two foods that worked for us. Nutro Natural Choice High Energy and Blue Buffalo, any variety. These are both high quality foods that put good weight on my dog and have kept it there. He looks great, his skin and coat are in good condition, and he loves his food. It might not be a bad idea to have your dog checked out by a vet just in case. Inability to gain weight could possibly be a sign that something is wrong. Good luck!

Answer 3

There are a few reason and since you didn't give more info I list some reasons I can remember.

1.Worms/ internal parasites
2. Disease
3. Genetic disorders (like growth hormone problems among others).
4. Could just be how the dog is. I have one dog that looks skinny and never seems to put on weight, but then he is full grown and a rather uptight kind of dog.

Answer 4

What are you feeding your dog? Just cause you're feeding it a lot of food does NOT mean that your dog is absorbing it. It could be eating all that food and just pooping it out. Also canned food will give your dog runny stool and consists mostly of water. Exercise will help your dog gain weight- muscle weighs more than fat, also depending on its breed it may not gain weight... If you're really worried contact a vet and ask about food, potential vitamins your dog may need, and proper exercise to help increase weight.

Answer 5

Has your dog been dewormed in the last month? Are you feeding a good quality dog food with the first ingredient a meat like Lamb, Beef or Chicken? Is your dog spayed or neutered? If your pet has worms, is fed a poor quality food and is intact they won't always gain weight. Then there are some breeds that are always slim and don't gain! Like whippets and Italian greyhounds.

Answer 6

You dog probably could be having a high metabolic rate at this time. Try keeping him/her happy, sans any stressful atmosphere.

Along with a balanced diet which includes meat, avoid over excercising the dog for some time.

Examine its overall health status. If everything is alright it should gain weight . Confirm if other dogs of the bloodline are gaining weight and your dogs case is not unique.

Answer 7

We were concerned for our youngest dog's lack of weight gain. He was bred and raised by us, and all the other puppies gained weight just fine. He was one of the largest of the pups when he was younger, but as he got older he remained smaller than his siblings (since adopted all weighing in at 80-120 pounds each). He was a mere 70 when wet, which brought me great distress. We had him neutered threw the humane society, and they asked to keep him for three days to perform a few extra tests to find the problem. "He's severely emaciated," they said, "We won't give him back until he have him at least tested for worms." To my horror the findings weren't any good. His tests came back negative, the SPCA threatened to report us for animal abuse. One week went by, I feared the worst (we have two cats & our pups mother and father dog to worry about). I feared for the "last puppy" the dog nobody wanted, the pup we refused to send to the pound. Would we loose All our animals?! And what of our Skinny puppy- Now 2 years old. I view my dogs like my kids I worry for them. We got a call from the SPCA on a Friday. "We need you to pick up your animal." No other information was given... Upon arrival I was terrified, I asked how my dog was, did he swallow something, why did he not gain weight for so long, Was he alright?! They brought him out, And I cried. He looked awful. He LOST weight there. The director pulled me aside, offered me a tissue, "What DID YOU DO to my dog?" I blubbered angrily. She said in a quiet voice, "I've never seen anything like it! He just eats All Day Long. there is Nothing wrong with him. We tried vitamins, different food varieties, we medicated him... He Still lost weight! How Do You Keep His Weight Up?!" I could see her frustration. I laughed, "Gravy. He like it when I serve him his dog food with gravy, vegetables, and meat chunks in it. To be honest my husband complains I make the dog better meals than him." Laughing ensued soon after, and we were allowed to leave, a Whole Family once again. Since then I've had a baby, so our dogs continue to get scraps. They All refuse to eat their dog food otherwise. But no scraps are given until all human members of the family are fed. The cats are Still indifferent to this issue. Please don't judge me for my dog being thin, there is a Good Reason other neighborhood dogs run to my house when they run away from home. :)

Answer 8

My understanding to this issue is that your dog might have worms. All you have to do is go to a feed store and purchase a de-wormer, they go by the weight of your dog. There are people there at the feed store that will help you. If not just take your dog to the vet. But the first option would be cheaper.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

Because your dog is geneticlly programmed to be so.No matter what amount of food it will eat it would not gain weight.It is in its body constitution.