7 month old German Shepherd puppy needs weight?

Question

She weighs approx. 54 pounds. I have talked to my vet about her weight and he feels she looks good for her activity level...But, I think she still needs weight. Her hair coat is beautiful, she is growing and muscling out good, and you can't see any bones (you can slightly see her ribs)...But, she is not as good as she could be. I feed her Hundchen Flocken Puppy (Solid Gold) both wet and dry; this is the only food she will eat (she is a very picky eater). She will only eat approx. 3-5 cups of dry and 1 can of wet a day; mixed and split between 2 meals. I leave a bowl of dry out all the time. She is outside all day on the farm with me and comes in at night.

Any ideas?

I have had her checked for worms (fecal was negative) and she has been wormed (shot form) 2 weeks ago.

I have had her checked for worms (fecal was negative) and she has been wormed (shot form) 2 weeks ago. I do not feed her any table-scraps. The vet did say she was going to be much bigger than we excpected.
What I am mostly worried about is her appetite... she will only eat if I am in the room with her. I know she is as bonded to me as I am to her; but her not caring wether or not she is hungry worries me.

Answer 1

Stop worrying about it. They are a skinny breed all the time anyway, and at 7 months the last thing you want it a FAT GSD.
As long as the dog has no parasites and eats, and is active....do not worry.

Answer 2

You say she'll "only" eat 3-5 cups of dry and 1 can of wet a day... that is a TON of food for a 54-pound dog, especially since it's such a high quality food. I'll guess this is because she's still growing, but expect that to slow down as she gets older.

It's amazing to me that she's eating so much and not porking up like a sausage, but she may just have a very high metabolism, and of course, she's still growing. If she's been checked for worms and your vet has seen her, I wouldn't worry about it. Keep in mind that for good health, you WANT to be able to easily feel her ribs.

She's also going to keep filling out over the next few months, but she may just be from lines that are very light-boned. We joke that one of our shepherds is part greyhound because he is very streamlined, and I get people asking when he's going to fill out, but he's done. He gets that build from his mother, and most of his siblings are built the same way.

Answer 3

Hi there, don't be too concerned about the weight issue as we have a 2 1/2 yoa GS as well and he is also slightly underweight (approx 72lbs). Unfortunately there is little that you can do. We fed him a diet of real meat while in the UK, but he could go days without eating. He is also a picky eater and will not touch dry food unless mixed with a meat. The only thing I can suggest is to only feed her once a day. We have only been in the country now for about 2 weeks and upon arriving he was eating, maybe, a pack every other day. Now we have switched to only feeding once a day and he is eating much better. We are now up to 2 cans of wet meat a day plus a cup of Eukanuba for working dogs. To be honest, we change his wet food regularly (anything that looks remotely like the food we eat) and this helps him stay interested. Unfortunately he is only maintaining weight. According to my UK vet, it is natural to feel their bones and a thick layer of meat over bones is not natural. With all that said, I know exactly you how you feel as he gets every meat scrap, plus cooking grease in his feeds. An additional point, his lifestyle is much like your girls' as he spends alot of time with me out and about, as well as at the stable.

Answer 4

If your vet says the dogs weight is fine for her age and activity level, then I wouldn't worry about adding weight. Many breeds will develop more muscles and bulk up a little bit after 2-3 years. You leave food out for your puppy and she eats if she's hungry. Trust me, if your dog is hungry, she'll eat. She'll fill out later down the line when she gets a little older. If you try to add weight, this could back fire on you and you could end up with a dog with a weight issue.

Answer 5

She sounds like she is in good shape, esp if she is a very active dog. Large dogs cont to greow until they are 11/2 -2 yrs old. Many dogs think their animals are to sm and then end up w/ overweight dogs that have trouble getting the weight off and often have joint problems. As far as the picky eater, i think this is somewhat common w. G. S. I have a friend that has one that will only eat royal canine. He also appears thing but is growing well, he is about 11/2. giver her time and unless you can see her ribs well, or her hip bones, or back bonedon't worry about it.

Answer 6

We have a Sheppard with very similar eating habits. But as she got older even with high levels of activity she got a little over weight. Listen to your vet, he knows what he's talking about. Just give it time, as she matures she will probably start to lose some puppy energy and start to put on more weight.

Answer 7

have you had her spayed yet? most animals put on weight after you get them fixed, and their energy level sometimes goes down. solid gold is a great food for dogs, you are feeding her one of the best foods, as long as shes eating everyday dont worry too much, everyones metabolism is quicker when we are younger. try adding a little more food as time goes on maybe try to lower her activity level some days.but with a german shep this is sometimes impossible:) i love them though they are amazing dogs when they are not left to sit in the backyard day after day and go crazy from boredom. it sounds like your has a great home though.

Answer 8

I would say don't worry about it, I was brought up with 3 german shepards and one of them was the opposite at over weight and it did a number on her hips, German Shepards are more prone to hip dysplasia anyway but the vet at the time had said the weight didn't help any either.....

GOOD LUCK with your furry friend!!

Answer 9

My german shepard is exactly the same way but shes a bit older. She has always been that way. I feed her everyday and she is very active. I wouldnt worry too much especially if the vet thinks shes fine.

Answer 10

My belgium shepherd was skinny. What I did to put weight on her was feed her Baby Food. Its very healthy and she put on 15lbs. She is a very picky eatter. But now you cant see or feel any bones. The Vet told me to have her eat that. Just mix in it with her food. She will love it.