Puppy Question in relations to food??????HELP ME!!!!!Plz!Oh yeah can the 8th month old pupy go on adult food!?

Question

Hi ppl

I have close to an 8month old German Shepherd Pure brred Girl puppy. She is very classy looking but in my head she could do to gain weighht. She thinks eating is like a chore..she only eats when i keep putting the food bowl by her every time she lies down and this takes and hour to get at least(when im lucky) She eats the purina puppy chow.(i know its fuccccked up food here in the caribbean they probly to cheap to buy proper dog food for the stores (they sell pedigree-Purina_beneful)commercial brands.Neways she eats but with a gripe and i dont see ribs but i can feel them so should i have her gain weight or what cuz she supposed to be a large breed dog. Also i have a 5month malegermanshepherd and actually he looks bigger than my 8month old Wats with this..Does ths have to do with her being sick for at least a MONTH with Lepto(aka Jaundice) cuz she came back from the vet like a skeleton.neways has this affected her growth cuz i think she shud be big.Will she be small 4everhlp

oh yeh the 8month old loves eating adult pedigree food aand hates the puppy one) but she will eat the puppy food if i keep it infront of her when she sits. Newasy i i forgot to ask can she switch to adult or wat??Also has the jaundice stunted her growth or is she on track..plus she looks longer than she is taller and iv seen bigger 8month old girls than mine in terms of height...Will she be small 4 ever or wat,....this is stressing me out cuz i have to go to college so answers wud help me here plz...experience owners who have experienced this wud be more likely to help me in this quest to find out wats wrong..Oh yeh my male puppy has like a dent in area right over his hips place wats with that he walks fine and can run but when he do run its %0%chance he runs like a bunny or runs like a proper dog..Pls ppl answer all my questions plz.

Answer 1

Well there's a reason its called puppy food... it's contumely made for puppies. Same with adult food. I don't think it would hurt. When my dog was a puppy it ate adult food and it seems to be just fine.

Answer 2

As for your female, congratulations you have gotten to the age where every GSD owner thinks their dog is too skinny. Its the gangly teenager look. GSD's almost all go through it. If you can't see her ribs she may actully be overweight, depending on her coat thickness. Feeling her ribs is good. You WANT to feel them. You want to see a nice figure on her. A think waist and a decent tuck under her belly. Look at her coat and see if it is shiny or dull. If she sheds way too much this could be a sign of malnutrition as well, but keep in mind that she will be shedding her puppy coat soon if she hasn't already. When was she to the vet last? Take her in for a checkup if she hasn't been in for a bit, even just to get her weighed and a quick nod of the head from the vet saying she looks ok. It can really help for a worried owner such as yourself. I would keep her on the puppy food for a couple more months. But a good all life stages food is also good. You might also look at starting a raw diet with her. and your male as well. Look up Raw Feeding or BARF. But do alot of research. Puppy chow and pedigree are basically junk food and you can do alot better by your pups.

As for you male, I'm really not sure what you mean by an indent. I'd have to see him. But if you are worried about his gait, talk to your vet.

ETA: A GSD is NOT full grown until about 2 years old and may even fill out a bit after that.

Answer 3

Go to a pet supply store.Forget the national brands.They are filled with junk.After the big dog food recall,it opened my eyes.The holistic/organic foods are a little more expensive,but read the ingredients.Then compare.You will be amazed.A dog will eventually eat when it becomes hungry.I have learned to look at the obvious.When a human selects something to eat,smell is the first sense
that usually guides the decision.This applies to animals as well.They have a keaner sense of smell and taste.You could have a finicky dog.Try different foods beleive it or not,the stinkier the better.I feed my dog a Solid Gold product called "Barking at the Moon".It is high protein as she is an active dog.The first ingredient is salmon....She loves it and it is very nutritious food.You want to feel the ribs not see them.Depending upon how sick your dog was,yes it is possible for their growth to be affected especially as pups.When dogs are sick,they can decline rapidly.If this were my dog,I would start out with high protein and perhaps some kind of vitamin regiment.Excercise too.Your dog survived Lepto.Amazing.Here is your second chance with your dogs life.Make the most of it for both of you.

Answer 4

First of all dogs are considered pretty much full grown by at least 8months of age so yes i would recomend switching her to adult food...and yes with her being sick that may have stunted her growth as a puppy and she will most likely always be small....it is healthier to to have a 'fit' dog instead of an overweight one...does she play or exercise alot? we have a small breed dog in our house and he's always been skinny too and he's 3years old...if you're really worried about her i would reccomend getting your vet checking her out....hope this helps...

Answer 5

Purina brand dog food is a great food...and has never been on a dog/cat food recall list so you are safe using it.
Put her food out in a place that is out of the way, say in the corner of the room...don't forget to put out water also.
If she eats then she is hungry...if she doesn't then don't worry. If she goes 24 hrs without eating then you need to take her to a vet.
And a puppy should be on puppy food and not adult food...at 1 yr they can move to the adult food...puppy food is formulated for puppies (extra nutrition)

Answer 6

Yes, you can switch her food. However, you must realize that puppy food is higher in calories. I had my dog on it until he was 18 months. I had a male German Sheppard that was the same way. I had to buy an elevated food bowl as the vet said that eating laying down was bad for his digestion.

My male German Sheppard died @ 7 years old. He grew to be very tall but very slender. I tried many things to help him gain weight but that was just the way he was. He was very healthy according to the vet.

Answer 7

I personally think the larger boned, breed dogs should stay on puppy food at least until 1 1/2 to 2yrs old. , But feed a good quality large breed puppy food. There bones are sensitive and need to develop properly to avoid problems in the future. Try to make her food more appealing. I feed my Doberman kibble in the AM but then he gets RAW food in the PM. He loves it !!!!!!!! Consult your vet or a holistic group in your area for advice.

Answer 8

My dog was about 8 months when we switched to adult food. The vet said he was growing at a good rate and didn't need puppy food anymore.

Answer 9

mix the adult food 25% with 75% puppy food. your girl needs the extra vitamins in the puppy food.try putting a raw egg in.almost sure to get her to eat.
sounds like your little male may have the begining of hip dysplasia,a common malady in larger breed dogs.bring the unusual gait to the attention of your vet.
the girls growth should get back to normal rate with the jaundice taken care of.
hope this helps. good luck

Answer 10

my dog is a bit of a picky eater, too. I think adult dog food has more flavor than puppy food. you might try adding things to the food, like some milk, an egg, or some meat drippings.