he is around 6 months, and an american staffy x. I have noticed he is getting quite large muscles. is this a good sign? right now im feeding him about 1 1/2 kgs a day and he is still thin in his tummy. i am always worming him. can you tell me what I should do?
2006-12-10 15:05:33 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
AmStaffs are naturally extremely muscular dogs! I would definitly not be concerned about the extra bulk, its a sign that he is healthy and beginning to develope, as he should be. Although they are muscular, they are quite a sleek breed, so a little leanness in the stomach area is alright. You definitly don't want any flab! A good rule of thumb is that you should be able to feel his ribs if you run your hand over his side, but not see them. If you find your self poking around for his ribs, he is probably too chubby. If you are still concerned, call up your local vet. They will be able to give you a professional opinian.
2006-12-10 15:48:48 · answer #1 · answered by mlle-fantine 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Stop deworming him constantly! YOu will make him dehydrated! A dog should be dewormed at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 9 weeks and sometimes 12 weeks. At about 16 weeks you should have started him on a heartworm preventative like Interceptor. That will take care of most intestinal worms automatically. If you are feeding your dog a high quality, low residue food then it won't take much to give him the nutrients that he needs. He could eat a whole lot more than what you are giving him but that may not be what is best for him. I suggest a food such as Eukanuba or Iams. They are both high quality foods. They cost a little more but are well worth in because they require less to give him what he needs and they produce less waste. There will be a feeding guide on the side or back of the bag. Take that recommended daily feeding and give him half of that amount in the morning and half of that amount in the evening and he will do just fine. It is okay for a dog to look a little on the thin side - matter of fact - that is ideal weight. Good Luck!
2006-12-11 00:05:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A six month staffy mix should be very lean until the age of around 18 months, when bulking begins naturally. Forcing this puppy to gain muscle/weight is putting his bone structure is serious jeopardy.
A good quality food should be fed 2 x a day, offering approx one and a half cups per feed. Increase if dog is extremely active or a working dog (agility, flyball, schutzhund)
2006-12-10 23:23:06 · answer #3 · answered by Kimmie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
look @ the back of the bag. am stafs are going to have big bulky muscles, that is the breed. As puppies they do look thin and kinda skinny. These dogs don't get the same amt of fat as a lab or golden retriever, they tend to be a leaner more muscular dog, that is one of the many reasons they should not be left outside, but that is a different question. Depending on the food you feed him and the amt he ways. I think nutro large breed lam and rice puppy is a good food for bully's, the lamb and rice is good for the many skin issues they have. on the back of the bag they have a good list, but I will tell you that my dogs rarely eat as much as it says they can on the back. It is a good food and the better the food the less they have to eat. but the dog food co are in the bussiness of selling food. So the guide is a good start. If you notice a lot of excess fat or if they start to loose the hourglass shape, they are eating to much and you need to cut back. Good luck, if you have any more questions email me.
2006-12-10 23:41:35 · answer #4 · answered by tera_duke 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
being that your dog is only 6 months old. I would stay close to the feeding guidlines on the bag of food you are feeding. it also depends on the brand of food you are feeding. typically if you can buy the dog food at a grocery store or somewhere like walmart, it is not a good quality food. brands like Iams, Beneful and Ol'Boy have a lot of garbage in them. its like eating take out each day. fills you up for a bit but shortly after you are hungry again. also b/c it doesnt have all the nutrients you need your dog will end up eating more just to get the same amount of protein and essential fats and what not.
I myself keep my dog's bowl with dry food in it at all times. i believe that a dog should have the oportunity to eat when it wants. if you are feeding atcertain feeding times, this is good too. but make sure the food quality is high.
Hope this helps. I am curious as to what brand you feed your dog. I feed mine Royal Canin Dachshund. my dog is a Dachshund Chihahua cross. I work at a pet store so i'm not talking out my ass or anything...
2006-12-10 23:20:16 · answer #5 · answered by Suzanne N 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
why are you always worming him?? a good dewormer from a vet works better than the limited over the counter ones which only kill some worms.. at 6 months he shouldnt need more than 2 dewormings so far...
you want to SLOW growth of these dogs NOT speed it up...
the amount depends on the quality of the food - the cheaper foods you need to feed more of.. and will get more poops
ALL foods from grocery or Wal Mart are cheap foods...
if you feed him a better food he will get better nutrition and wont need to eat as much and will poop less
neutering is very beneficial as well - plus he wont get testicular cancer
2006-12-10 23:38:51 · answer #6 · answered by CF_ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is he neutered? Intact males tend to be on the lean side no matter how much you feed them; once he's neutered, he should put on some extra fat. The best thing to do is check the food bag- at 6 months, he should be on large breed puppy food, which should tell you exactly what to feed based on his age and weight. If your dog food doesn't tell you that, upgrade to one that does. Good luck!
2006-12-10 23:13:10 · answer #7 · answered by Dreamer 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Start with the amount on the bag. If he is extremely active, or seems to be loosing weight, add a little more food. Also, the muscling is actually good and he may be a little on the lean side just because he is growing.
2006-12-10 23:33:24 · answer #8 · answered by iluvmyfrenchbulldogs 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
two cups of dog food in the morning and night. Also give him a 4 1/2 inch bone(freshies) for lunch and dessert. When he's good give him some dog treats.
2006-12-10 23:26:53 · answer #9 · answered by jeff_da_bomb_ladesich 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He is still a growing boy, mind you tho, my 3yr old dobe only eats approx 300gms of dry food, 700gm of wet and she weighs 45kg, so maybe he is eating a bit much. Take him to the vet and have his thyroid checked because this can affect the metabolism. Or maybe he just has a really fast metabolism naturally.
2006-12-10 23:19:06 · answer #10 · answered by Big red 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋