# Fattening up a Dog



## Woodscrew (Jun 26, 2009)

I noticed my dog stopped gaining weight and attually started looking scrowny. I gave her some wormer and put her back on puppy chow. She also seemed to stop eating as much as she use to about the time she stopped gaining weight.

My question is whats the best thing to feed a dog to fatten them up the fastest?  Any sugestions?


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## fordcycle (Jun 26, 2009)

How old is the dog? Are the gums pale? What are you using for wormer? I would personally find out why the dog is loosing weight, before trying to fatten it up. If you will give me alittle more info, I would be happy to help in any way I can. Thanks and good luck with the dog.


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## Woodscrew (Jun 26, 2009)

She is a Full Blooded Bloodhound. About 10 month old. I haven't noticed her gums. I know there not real pale or whitish looking like a goats get when its wormy. I bought some of the wormer from Wal-mart and gave her last weekend. I had her on puppy chow and swapper her over to Ol Roy Hi Pro dog food plus started giving her some canned food to. I been giving her Ivermec every month so I thought that probably would take care of any worms she might would have gotten.


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## SarahFair (Jun 26, 2009)

Did she just go through a growth spurt?


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## Woodscrew (Jun 26, 2009)

Not sure but I can tell she got taller. I haven't weighed her lately but she was at 57lbs. for 2 month in a row. I figured she should be at lest around 70 lbs. by now. Her mom was 80 something and I think they said her dad was 125.


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## fordcycle (Jun 26, 2009)

Ok the wormer from Walmart wont cut it. Even though you are giving Ivomec, it wont 100% prevent worms. It will prevent heart worms. You need a broad spectrum wormer, like Panacure, Synathic, or Strongit. Also wih the age, most likely the dog is hitting that lanky point from a growth spurt. Never swap a dogs diet. it will only make matters worse. Stick to one diet, and the dog if healthy will pick back up its weight. Good luck. I would purchase a wormer by the name of Drontal Plus. Its a one dose pill. That will assure you of no worms. Also a fecal exam will let you know if there are any worms.


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## Woodscrew (Jun 26, 2009)

Well I looked at her poop and didn't see anything I just gave her the wormer because she was looking scrawny.


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## irocz2u (Jun 26, 2009)

bread  will  fatting her  up  fast


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## JuliaH (Jun 26, 2009)

The worst offenders as to internal parasites cannot be seen in the poop. Get a fecal sample and take to your vet, then purchase Drontal for her.

PM coming too.



Woodscrew said:


> Well I looked at her poop and didn't see anything I just gave her the wormer because she was looking scrawny.


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## TripleXBullies (Jun 26, 2009)

Is her poop normal consistency? 

If all else seems well I would bet she just hit a spurt and now she looks a little scrawny. 

I wouldn't use ol roy..


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## gobblehunter (Jun 27, 2009)

I wouldn't worry about it too much, all of my Bloodhounds did the same thing at about the same time. Seems like they hit a growth spurt about the same time their appetite tapers off for a while. This heat isn't helping the appetite either. Just be careful not to overmedicate, and don't change diet when you have something like this going on. Although it is time to get the dog off of puppy food (in my opinion). I feed mine Ol Roy Hi performance w/ a can of wet food mixed in. It's high in protein, and fat, which will help w/ the weight. Bloodhounds need nutrition that is high in fatty acids, so if you notice any skin issues or unusual shedding or scratching w/out a flea problem, you may want to give a supplement (vitamin) or feed additive (like fish oil) that is high in fatty acid. I give mine "People Vitamins" from Tractor Supply, once per day. Seems to work for me.


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## 91xjgawes (Jun 27, 2009)

I will agree that that ol roy is not helping anything... My buddy feeds it to his 2 dogs, and says thats what they are going to eat, but they are far thinner than mine.(black gold) 

If you do decided to change foods, and in my opinion you should, make the progression slowly, mixing some of the ol roy and the new food for a while, and then start adding more of the new food and less of the old


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## bigrob82 (Jun 27, 2009)

i would not feed a bloodhound hi pro feed and i would not feed ol'roy either feed good complete nutrition feed and she will be fine bloodhounds will not fill out untill they are around two years old i went through it with mine i tried everything i was feeding her as much as she would eat and it did no good thats just the way they are made


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## fordcycle (Jun 28, 2009)

Oh, one more thing. I use Wheat Germ Oil. I put it in a spray bottle, and mist their food with it. This goes out to all. It has alot of vitamins. Great coats, and more muscle tone. Tractor Supply has it for $16.95 a gallon. I have been using it for years. The dogs seem to love it. So it will help with them eating their feed.


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## CedarSwampRetrievers (Jun 29, 2009)

Split the food into at least 2 feedings a day. It's easier for their system to digest smaller portions more efficiently. Even my adults (labs) get fed 2x/day


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## JuliaH (Jun 29, 2009)

Ditto what she said... tho mine are GSP and Brittany! 



CedarSwampRetrievers said:


> Split the food into at least 2 feedings a day. It's easier for their system to digest smaller portions more efficiently. Even my adults (labs) get fed 2x/day


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## crackerdave (Jun 29, 2009)

Don't feed Ol' Roy to a dog you care about.Ask a vet.


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## Woodscrew (Jun 29, 2009)

I have used Ol Roy for years and never had a problem with it. Don't really think its my problem now.


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## 91xjgawes (Jun 29, 2009)

That particular dog may not like all of the corn in ol roy. And some of the other cheap ingredients.


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## BulldogsNBama (Jun 29, 2009)

Eggs and canned mackerel or salmon is good to help put a little weight on one.  Being a young dog though, you're really better off with less weight on the joints.  Much better to keep pups lean. :  )


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## Ga. Black Gold (Jul 5, 2009)

In the dog food business, if you want US to say "poor dog", tell us your feeding Ole Roy.  It IS the cheapest dog food on the market.  The quality of the ingredients is the lowest.  Mars is the producer and most of the recalls made in the last several years are for the foods made by Mars.  Nutro, Pedigree, PMI (Purina Mills) all Kroger brands, Publix brands, Wal-Mart brands, etc.  They get their ingredients from China.  Ole Roy is the number 1 selling dog food in America because it is the most convenient.  Please switch the dog to something better, immediately!!!


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## waterdogs (Jul 6, 2009)

You want crap food, keep feeding Ol' Roy. Some friends of ours are out of town and we are feeding there dogs. They feed some cheap crap and the dogs will not eat. Food is still the bowls day after day. So today I took them some Black Gold dog food. Well they cleaned the bowls. The owner called to check up and we told them what we did. Looks like she will make the switch to Black Gold.


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## houndsman (Jul 6, 2009)

i agree and disagree with alot but i've had dogs for about all my life things you need to look at are have the dog checked buy a vet and drop the guess work you will save more in the long run. as far as feed goes check ingredients before you make any choices the first is the most of what they are made of personally i prefer meat based they will not poop as much this i know from experience and never change there diet drastic it will tare there stomac up a raw egg over there feed will help some a couple times aweek, bread seems to make dogs more wormy


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## badboygolfer777 (Jul 9, 2009)

man I've raised hounds, bulldogs, rottwielers, labs, weiners,
and of course my chihahas, and I dont care what nobody says, mix in table scraps with the dog food and they will fatten up and be healthy for life. All my dogs have lived over 10+ years and thats what I've always done. and the are fat healthy dogs. they will lose some weight in the summer time because the heat keeps them from wanting to eat. Then I grill them a bag of leg quarters every 2 weeks for a treat and they eat like h377!!!!


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## Woodscrew (Jul 9, 2009)

I'm sure they like that chicken but don't let my dogs have any chicken bones. They splinter when they break. But I have always fed mine table scraps to.


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## fireretriever (Jul 9, 2009)

Listen to Ga. Black Gold he knows his dog food. I have tried them all from the cheapest to the most expensive and Black Gold is what I always wind up with because it works. Remember a fat dog is not a healthy dog, I would rather see a touch of rib than round dog.


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## Woodscrew (Jul 10, 2009)

Ga. Black Gold said:


> In the dog food business, if you want US to say "poor dog", tell us your feeding Ole Roy.  It IS the cheapest dog food on the market.  The quality of the ingredients is the lowest.  Mars is the producer and most of the recalls made in the last several years are for the foods made by Mars.  Nutro, Pedigree, PMI (Purina Mills) all Kroger brands, Publix brands, Wal-Mart brands, etc.  They get their ingredients from China.  Ole Roy is the number 1 selling dog food in America because it is the most convenient.  Please switch the dog to something better, immediately!!!



So if I wanted to try Black Gold what would you recomend for an adverage 11 month old Bloodhound?


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## Ga. Black Gold (Jul 10, 2009)

26/18, black bag.


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## shakey gizzard (Jul 10, 2009)

Woodscrew said:


> I'm sure they like that chicken but don't let my dogs have any chicken bones. They splinter when they break. But I have always fed mine table scraps to.



Only if they are cooked.


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## davis211 (Jul 12, 2009)

Add egg to the food.  It is great for them - adds the weight also.


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## dwh8417 (Jul 12, 2009)

I agree with the comments about ol roy being a terrible food.  It would be like feeding your children only happy meals.  
1.  Keep the puppy on a  puppy formula until it is 1 year old.  The nutritional requirements for a puppy is significantly different than an adult and by switching your puppy to an adult food you are not providing the right levels of nutrients that it needs to fully and completely develop.  
2.  Switch to a premium brand.  To switch brands properly you need to take at least 7 days.  First 2-3 days use 75% old food with 25% new food.  Next 2-3 days use a 50/50 ratio.  Then use 75% new food and 25% old food for 2-3 days.  This will give you proper transition and will hopefully give you the least amount of upset stomach.
3.  Dont believe the myths about corn.  When corn is ground and cooked it is a superb source of fatty acids for healthy coat and skin, a great source of carbohydrates for energy and high quality protein for muscle.  
4.  Your dog is considered a large breed puppy and so you need to find a large breed puppy formula.  Large breeds are dogs that are over 55 lbs full grown and at healthy weight.  Large breed puppys need different food to maintain a healthy growth rate.  If they grow too fast their joints and bones dont develop correctly and they can wind up with hip problems.

My recommendation is  Science Diet Large Breed Puppy. Science diet is one of the only foods that is clinically proven.  It is also the #1 food vet recommended and the #1 food that vets feed their own pets.  Not to mention they have the strictest testing and quality control so you dont have to worry about recalls.  Also, they dont use any ingredients from China.    

I am a pet nutritionist and if you have any other questions I would be glad to answer them.


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## Woodscrew (Jul 15, 2009)

dwh8417 said:


> I agree with the comments about ol roy being a terrible food.  It would be like feeding your children only happy meals.
> 1.  Keep the puppy on a  puppy formula until it is 1 year old.  The nutritional requirements for a puppy is significantly different than an adult and by switching your puppy to an adult food you are not providing the right levels of nutrients that it needs to fully and completely develop.
> 2.  Switch to a premium brand.  To switch brands properly you need to take at least 7 days.  First 2-3 days use 75% old food with 25% new food.  Next 2-3 days use a 50/50 ratio.  Then use 75% new food and 25% old food for 2-3 days.  This will give you proper transition and will hopefully give you the least amount of upset stomach.
> 3.  Dont believe the myths about corn.  When corn is ground and cooked it is a superb source of fatty acids for healthy coat and skin, a great source of carbohydrates for energy and high quality protein for muscle.
> ...



Whats your opinion on this wonder food they call "Black Gold"? 

I haven't yet figure out how I have had healthy dogs my whole life and never had to use this stuff or Science Diet either.


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## dbodkin (Jul 15, 2009)

We feed Orijean grain free salmon. Dog loves it. Nice shiny coat and very active. Look at http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/


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## ch035 (Jul 16, 2009)

i feed innova if you do the research you will find it is one of is not the best out there. dogs do grow up then out at that age, i would hit the vet for a fecal sample and throw the walmart stuff in the trash.


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## 7Mag Hunter (Jul 17, 2009)

It may be the heat that has you dog slightly off her feed...
Try mixing canned food with her dry food....Give smaller portions
to avoid waste..
1/2 can and 1-1/2 cups dry..


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## dwh8417 (Jul 19, 2009)

Woodscrew said:


> Whats your opinion on this wonder food they call "Black Gold"?
> 
> I haven't yet figure out how I have had healthy dogs my whole life and never had to use this stuff or Science Diet either.




My opinion is that it is better than anything you will find at Kroger or Walmart.  I think it is a good premium brand but is not a superior product.  If you look at the AAFCO statements on its foods, they say that the food is formulated to meet the requirements for "all life stages"  that means that it is not specifically a puppy or adult food, and that instead of making the food specifically formulated for the age of your dog.  Aside from that, I think it is a well balanced and quality food.  It would be better to get a food that AAFCO states is "for maintanence of adults".

As far as you having healthy dogs and never feeding a premium brand...  Its just like how some people can smoke their whole life and live to be 100, and other people may never smoke and get cancer and die at 40.  The premium food will not garantee your dog a long life.  But what it means is that based on your dogs genetics and pre-disposition to certain diseases you can give your dog the best chances of living long and healthy by providing the perfect nutrition.

Hope that helps.


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## bassfishga (Jul 24, 2009)

davis211 said:


> Add egg to the food.  It is great for them - adds the weight also.



Raw egg or cooked egg?

Sunny side up with a side of bacon?  Just kidding.


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## davis211 (Jul 25, 2009)

I give mine raw egg - mixed with their food.  They love it and it makes their coat shine and they seem to fill out wonderful.
I also gave raw egg to my bloodhound pup when she was bitten by a copperhead - this was the only thing that really settled her stomache.  I usually give 2 eggs per day until they don't need it as much and then I back off to about 2 -3 eggs a week.


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## stev (Jul 25, 2009)

Lifes Abundance dog food is the best .Call your vet and ask for it .


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## BSC Libertarian (Jul 25, 2009)

Don't worry too much about fattening her up yet - she's still young and her joints are still developing. 

Just to echo some others:
It's summer and dogs that are outside a lot lose weight in the summer usually.
Please don't feed her the Ole' Roy anymore - you don't have to spend a fortune but just about any name brand is a huge step up...and switch over slowly as someone else said just to be safe. We feed Science Diet but there are a lot of quality dog foods out there that are reasonably priced.
I personally think two smaller meals a day is better than one big meal. 
You should be able to feel her ribs w/ out much pressure.

Post a picture - let's see that hound  

Good luck.


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## mscampbell45 (Jul 26, 2009)

*dog food*

I love black gold dog food. 26/18 black bag. I have tried all the "new" stuff and the"better" stuff. I used sportmix for a while and liked it, but I had a problem with the waste. I changed to black gold and the seem to consume more with less waste and they all gained weight. There is a product out now called " happy hound" and it is a all natural meat product sold in jacksonville,fl. You might can find it closer. Its raw meat high in fat. It looks like beef stew.Anyway I use a habd full with the kibbel and that works good with pups or adult dogs. My friends raise show bullies and put 10 lbs on a stud in a week. The wheat germ oil is a great supp too.


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