Looking for suggestions.?

Question

My blue pit bull rescue is about 1 year old. she is in great health and height but I cant seem to get her weight up. she is good size for a pit bull. about 45 pounds currently eating purina dog chow with pedigree chopped beef mixed in. I just cant seem to get her a little taller and thicker. any answers welcome.

Photos
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/MWCartel/chrisphotos004.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/MWCartel/chrisphotos003.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/MWCartel/chrisphotos002.jpg

Answer 1

She has a smaller frame and is an excellent size for that frame. Bulking them up more than what their frame is meant to hold can be dangerous and cause more issues than it solves. She is not underweight or anything.
Dog chow has very low quality protein in it, so try feeding a higher quality food with more protein and her body will naturally put on the right amount of muscle. She is also still young and will likely bulk up a little more with age. Don't force it though or you will end up with a dog with joint issues at best.
Here's a good site to research better food.
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

Answer 2

I would feed something better than purina.. thats junk food full of fillers and by products. Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul, Merrick's, Canidae, California Natural, Innova, Evo, Eagle Pack, and Timberwolf Organics are just a few of the high quality foods available.


She looks well proportioned. She may fill out more yet as she matures, some dogs can still grow until they are around 2 years old. Even my small dog filled out more after his first birthday. If she doesnt get any bigger, I wouldnt worry. She is not fat, nor is she too thin. She's a nice healthy weight.

Answer 3

A lot of dogs don't fill out and muscle up completely until well into the second year (or longer!). At a year, she's probably as tall as she'll ever be, but she'll continue to bulk up a bit for some time to come.

You should probably feed her a better food. Neither Purina nor Pedigree is great nutrition. Also, exercise is important for building muscle.

In your pics, she doesn't look underweight at all to me, just young. Time and good nutrition is all she really needs ... she's still got some growing up to do! Good Luck!

Answer 4

Well alot of store and even petstores have alot of corn and fillers in them I would start to use a dog food that is labeled human grade its fairly expensive but there is no cheap fillers in them .They are actually the grade for humans.One product that petco has is solid gold dog food and its humane grade.I dont think your dog is going to really get taller and as it gets older it will slow down and gain more.See your dog is a teenager and it wont completly fill out untill after 2 yrs of age.Than when he hits like 4 years of age you will notice he is slightly to heavy if you are not carefull.Its like what you do now will catch up with you later type if thing.45 pounds for a pit is really a good weight.I would switch to a human grade dog food.It takes alot less of it to fill your dog up and its healther and now a days a safe way to go.

Answer 5

From your photos she doesn't look to be underweight. She's not "ribby" or anything.

Purina Dog Chow and Pedigree are low quality foods. I know dogs that could do nothing but sit and eat a low quality food 24/7 and look like they're starving to death.

Try a higher quality food such as Canidae or Innova.

Answer 6

I think she looks perfect. They're both very pretty. My 10 mo. old pit is a big boy about 65 lbs, but his mother is about the size of your small female. It's normal for the females to be smaller, not unusual at all. Her ribs look fine. The ribs should have a thin layer of fat without excess fat covering.

I don't know if a pit could ever be fat. They have so much energy.

Answer 7

i put my pits on some vitamins and work them out more and they seem to be gaining more weight!

Good luck!!


Bye the way there gorgeous!