My Dog Is So Skinny

I'm not really sure what to do about my skinny dog. She is a golden doodle and 3 years old. She has a ton of energy and is obnoxious 20 out of the 24 hours in the day. I am sure all of her energy she ha is what keeps her staying so skinny. However, I feed her 4 cups in the morning and 4 cups at night. I feel as though this is A LOT of food and I really cannot afford to spend anymore. I know it really depends on the type of food. I have given her both puppy and adult food and they both give the same results. Right now she is eating a type of adult Purina food. We also give her our scrapes very often. She gets steak bones probably twice a week. I'm really not sure what else to do. Any suggestions?

 

Is she really too skinny is the question. Many people think that 'perfect condition' is too skinny and that fat dogs are a good weight. If you do decide to breed her you do not want her overweight at all.

Is that her in the picture? Very Cute. Many darker red Goldens come from field bred lines which often means a more active working temperament, a less blocky and more athletic or wiry body type and many have the darker red coloring as opposed to the bigger, lighter, heavier bench bred lines. Field bred lines are bred more for active working and hunting and the emphasis on the traits both physical and personality wise to excel in that. With Poodles there are also the two distinct body types with a blockier and more heavy boned body type and a more wiry and skinny body type. Standard Poodles are also a hunting and working breed.

She should have a waist. Her ribs should be able to be felt just under a very thin layer of fat when gently running your hands over the rib area. Does she have good muscle tone? A dog that is too skinny will begin to lose muscle tone. There are some health issues in both golden and poodles as well as in general that a low body weight might indicate but most likely she is probably a good weight for her body type and individual characteristics and just seems skinny to the casual observer. Ask around at your vet the next time she is in for a visit and see what they think about her body weight before trying to make her gain weight when it might be unnecessary or not good for her health.

I just saw that is your mom's dog in the profile picture. That is your darling girl in the meet my dog picture playing in the water?

 

My first thought was worms. I'm not sure but do worms cause hyperactivity and prevent dog's putting on weight? Have you looked into this?

 

My dog, Kash, is like that too. She is part Pug and part MinPin and I cannot get her to gain weight for anything! I know it's not worms and I know she's eating enough because she's eating me out of house and home! (Quite literally as she ate my floor in my old trailer LOL) I think it's just some dogs won't gain. Kotton was like that until she hit 3 and now she is "pleasantly plump" at 3 1/2 pounds

 

I guess it’s the same with overactive kids. Due to constant movement and plays, they won’t gain weight. That’s why it’s important that they get enough food and nutrients to support their actions or have something to burn while they’re energetic.

 

Parasites can cause weight loss and other health issues. Some dogs are just active and have less body fat. I used to have Italian Greyhounds and they are literally skin and bone and lots of muscle in the right places. They have no body fat.

Is your dog really chubby at only 3 1/2 pounds Pugskjj? She should weigh less than that?

 

I think it depends on the dog.

Like Dark Lady, my Dobermann. She can finish a whole pot of food at one go and still look for more. In her case, I think it's her breeding. Dobermanns are bred to have big chests and slim waists. Also I think Dobermanns must have very short intestines. I suspect this because Dark Lady can go for a run, eat some grass and pass the grass out. Within an hour.

So if your dog is healthy, I wouldn't be too worried about the weight. An obese dog is not something to aim for.

 

I honestly think she is too skinny. I can feel her ribs and her spine really good. It doesn't seem like there is hardly any fat there at all. Yes, that is her jumping in the water!

She has been checked about a year and a half ago, but it could be possible she has them now I guess. I should probably look into this. Thanks!

 

Check up to know if she has parasites will really help you find out more about her being skinny issue.
We do have a skinny puppy right now and we know she does not have worms but just very active. We hope she will eventually gain weight as she grows.

 

Okay, get her checked out, some basic bloodwork / cbc, heartworms, parasites ect. and if all is on the up and up and no signs of trouble you can try adding some satin balls but don't over indulge (or let her) or anything. We want her to be healthy. She may just be an active, wiry, high metabolism little girl and fits with her breeds. She looks fun, that's for sure. You should be able to feel the ribs in most dogs, if she has a lot of muscle but little body it fat may just be who she is. Let us know please.

 

I would be concerned about it. Any dog that is getting fed regular dog food plus table scraps should have trouble with obesity not with being too thin.

As people mentioned, it could be a variety of things from parasites to thyroid disease. I would have your dog checked out to make sure there isn't something wrong. If there isn't a medical reason, the veterinarian will be able to give you direction on ways to maintain healthy weight. It may be that the dog food and table scraps aren't meeting her nutritional needs.

My previous dog was a Lab. I had a heck of a time for a couple years maintaining her proper weight. She wasn't allowed food scraps and I had to buy low calorie food and treats so she didn't gain weight. I'm saying this because I think it's easy for a dog to gain weight. Not being able to gain weight might be a sign of a problem.