# Does skylie look too skinny or lanky? Pics



## jwemt81 (Aug 20, 2008)

I think it's just because her hair is so short. Tucker is also 20 weeks and his hair is pretty short, but starting to get longer. He's almost 50 pounds, but he's a boy, so he's going to be a bit bigger. I think she looks fine!


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## martinrt (Jun 24, 2008)

Not to me, but then again I have a 6 month old that is only 40 pounds. I agree that the short hair probably makes her look skinnier. There's definitely not much wrong with feeding a little pup more food though, they burn through the calories like crazy.


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## skylielover (Sep 27, 2008)

martinrt said:


> Not to me, but then again I have a 6 month old that is only 40 pounds. I agree that the short hair probably makes her look skinnier. There's definitely not much wrong with feeding a little pup more food though, they burn through the calories like crazy.


Yeah I always want to feed her more.. She normally eats 4 cups total, but I was wondering if she should be eating more...


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

She looks like a beauty to me. They all go through a long and lean phase at that age.


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## HovawartMom (Aug 10, 2006)

She looks great!.Wouldn't worry about her weight unless she is hungry!.


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## martinrt (Jun 24, 2008)

Yeah, this is what we always called the Bambi stage. Tall skinny legs, and not a whole lot of meat. From what our vet always said, if they eat really quickly and always seem to want more then there really shouldn't be any harm in feeding more...especially in time of growth spurts which it looks like yours may have just gone through. As long as the poops stay good I would maybe feed a bit more, but I would also say there is most likely nothing wrong with your pups current weight. Just a matter of preference. I feed about 4.5 cups a day to my 6 month old because I'm definitely trying to beef him up, but he did go through some medical issues that kept him on the skinny side.


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## LOVEisGOLDEN (Jan 4, 2008)

goodness she looks so much like my Layla! she is beautiful & looks great!


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## skylielover (Sep 27, 2008)

martinrt said:


> Yeah, this is what we always called the Bambi stage. Tall skinny legs, and not a whole lot of meat. From what our vet always said, if they eat really quickly and always seem to want more then there really shouldn't be any harm in feeding more...especially in time of growth spurts which it looks like yours may have just gone through. As long as the poops stay good I would maybe feed a bit more, but I would also say there is most likely nothing wrong with your pups current weight. Just a matter of preference. I feed about 4.5 cups a day to my 6 month old because I'm definitely trying to beef him up, but he did go through some medical issues that kept him on the skinny side.


yeah Skylie has had diarrhea issues since I've had her at 8 weeks. Lots of vet visits and meds.


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## skylielover (Sep 27, 2008)

LOVEisGOLDEN said:


> goodness she looks so much like my Layla! she is beautiful & looks great!


funny you say that, because I've noticed a pic of Layla awhile back, and always thought that she was going to grow up and look like her. I hope so, Layla is beautiful..


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## martinrt (Jun 24, 2008)

skylielover said:


> yeah Skylie has had diarrhea issues since I've had her at 8 weeks. Lots of vet visits and meds.


Is the diarrhea is happening? I'll assume, as was the case with mine, that she's been tested and treated if necessary for all the standard issues (Giardia, Coccidia). If not, check those out, that could be a big factor. If so, I found a lot of success with a grain free diet as well as probiotics and even Tylosin, a antibiotic from the vet. The grain free is easier to digest, at least from my experience, the probiotics help keep everything in order with puppies who eat everything they're not supposed to, and the Tylosin is for non-specific diarreah most likely attriuted to a bacteria overgrowth. Aston was only 25 pounds at 4 or so months, and all these things combined has been helping him pack on the pounds. Overall though, I wouldn't be that concerned based on your dogs age and weight, but I would worry more about the diarrhea if it continues.


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## skylielover (Sep 27, 2008)

martinrt said:


> Is the diarrhea is happening? I'll assume, as was the case with mine, that she's been tested and treated if necessary for all the standard issues (Giardia, Coccidia). If not, check those out, that could be a big factor. If so, I found a lot of success with a grain free diet as well as probiotics and even Tylosin, a antibiotic from the vet. The grain free is easier to digest, at least from my experience, the probiotics help keep everything in order with puppies who eat everything they're not supposed to, and the Tylosin is for non-specific diarreah most likely attriuted to a bacteria overgrowth. Aston was only 25 pounds at 4 or so months, and all these things combined has been helping him pack on the pounds. Overall though, I wouldn't be that concerned based on your dogs age and weight, but I would worry more about the diarrhea if it continues.


Yes she been tested and treated for Giardia & Coccidia, even treated for whipworms. All tests came back negative. It cleared up for weeks but just came back.The vet told me to starve her for a day, then feed her chk and rice again. I have also given her pepto, yogurt, pumpkin, and a acidophilus pill. After all that, her stool had mucus in it. That's when I called the vet. 

What grain free food do you feed?


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I think she looks like a perfectly normal teenager! Remember, some research shows that the slower they grow, the healthier they tend to be over their lifetime.


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## cannondog (Oct 10, 2008)

Cannon is in that lanky phase too  They are pretty close in age and he weighs about 40 pounds now as well...I think it's pretty normal and she will start to put on more muscle and weight as time goes on....but it looks like she is doing great!


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## sasha's mum (Nov 24, 2008)

Your picturs so remind me of Sasha she is now 14 weeks and i think skiny and lanky, but i have spoken to my vet and he says she is great, weight is 11.6 kgs = approx 22/23 lbs i think, also ok the vet says, i think we are all just worried, me its 14 years since i had a puppy so i have forgotten most of it, dont remember Saxon being so fiesty though, lol
this pic was taken about a week ago


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## martinrt (Jun 24, 2008)

I agree with everyone else that your pup looks quite normal, skinny and lanky is typical for a growing dog/person/anything. As for the food, to each dog their own, but with Allee, now 14 months, we found Natures Variety Instinct Chicken was awesome. It's one of the only foods I've come across that is grain free, chicken based, and doesn't have potatoes either. As for my other dog, Aston almost 7 months, he eats Taste of the Wild Salmon. I've had a ton of people on this forum inform me that negative test results don't actually rule out a legitimate issue, but if you haven't done some experimentation with foods I would definitely try that. What are you feeding right now? How bad/often is the diarrhea?


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## skylielover (Sep 27, 2008)

martinrt said:


> I agree with everyone else that your pup looks quite normal, skinny and lanky is typical for a growing dog/person/anything. As for the food, to each dog their own, but with Allee, now 14 months, we found Natures Variety Instinct Chicken was awesome. It's one of the only foods I've come across that is grain free, chicken based, and doesn't have potatoes either. As for my other dog, Aston almost 7 months, he eats Taste of the Wild Salmon. I've had a ton of people on this forum inform me that negative test results don't actually rule out a legitimate issue, but if you haven't done some experimentation with foods I would definitely try that. What are you feeding right now? How bad/often is the diarrhea?



I tried Nature's Recipe and Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy when she was younger and she had bad diarrhea every time I would increase the amount. I started over with chk and rice and gradually over 2 weeks time added Blue Buffalo and I couldn't give more than 1/2 cup without her having diarrhea. I then switched to Pro Plan. She had loose stools on and off (not diarrhea, just soft). One night she had diarrhea so I took her to the vet. She was treated for worms, giardia, and coccidia just to be sure. Everything got better for about 3 weeks then... all of a sudden again... bad diarrhea again this weekend. 

The only thing different I did was give her a rawhide chew thing. She didn't eat it, just chewed it. She also could have eaten something outside that I missed? 

My vet even told me before that giving a different treat should not be causing this much of a long going issue. however, I am no longer giving any animal product treats. 

I'm waiting for her to go today, to see if it has gotten any better. I have fasted her for 24 hours and she is now on a bland diet. 

I also just bought a bag a Pro Plan sensitive stomach food. I'm going to try that as well.

I want a better quality food, but since she couldn't handle Blue Buffalo, I'm worried that those types of foods are just too rich..

I really like Blue Buffalo, since it is sold at the only place I can buy dog food - Petsmart.


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## martinrt (Jun 24, 2008)

If the only place you can buy food is at petsmart then your options are somewhat limited. Both foods I feed aren't sold at Petsmart. I've gone through, and heard of many others on here, what you are. Treatment for conditions that don't actually exist, but are treated anyway because the test results aren't always accurate, definitely seemed to provide temporary solutions. If you aren't already doing so, I would suggest probiotics (I used to buy them from Petsmart but everyone on here recommended Dogzymes from Natures Farmacy online b/c they are a ton cheaper and just as, if not more, effective). I aslo use a product called Gastriplex. I was given this from a hollistic vet here in Colorado we took Allee too when she wouldn't get over diarrhea. You can buy it online at wellvet.com. After a month or so of consistent probiotics, gastriplex, and good food, Allee has been amazing. Aston is now on the same regiment and is doing great. Both my dogs had comfirmed bacteria overgrowth which lead to diarrhea. Tylosin, from the vet, is a subtile antiobitic that helps subdue the diarrhea as well and reduce inflammation. The tests to confirm a bacteria overgrowth can be expensive, but can also simetimes be identified just by looking at a sample under a microscope. I would ask you vet about this.


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## mjkaferle5 (Jan 15, 2008)

I think your girl is just at that, "Hey is that a yellow lab?!" stage!:


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## skylielover (Sep 27, 2008)

mjkaferle5 said:


> I think your girl is just at that, "Hey is that a yellow lab?!" stage!:


Yeah I've had people mistake her for a yellow Lab lol


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## skylielover (Sep 27, 2008)

martinrt said:


> If the only place you can buy food is at petsmart then your options are somewhat limited. Both foods I feed aren't sold at Petsmart. I've gone through, and heard of many others on here, what you are. Treatment for conditions that don't actually exist, but are treated anyway because the test results aren't always accurate, definitely seemed to provide temporary solutions. If you aren't already doing so, I would suggest probiotics (I used to buy them from Petsmart but everyone on here recommended Dogzymes from Natures Farmacy online b/c they are a ton cheaper and just as, if not more, effective). I aslo use a product called Gastriplex. I was given this from a hollistic vet here in Colorado we took Allee too when she wouldn't get over diarrhea. You can buy it online at wellvet.com. After a month or so of consistent probiotics, gastriplex, and good food, Allee has been amazing. Aston is now on the same regiment and is doing great. Both my dogs had comfirmed bacteria overgrowth which lead to diarrhea. Tylosin, from the vet, is a subtile antiobitic that helps subdue the diarrhea as well and reduce inflammation. The tests to confirm a bacteria overgrowth can be expensive, but can also simetimes be identified just by looking at a sample under a microscope. I would ask you vet about this.



Thank you for all the information. Yeah it's been stressful trying to pinpoint what is causing everything and just dealing with it. I wasn't giving any probiotics, because I never knew she needed them. I only give pure yogurt with her food about every 1-2 days. I gave her 1 of my Acidophilus pills the other day since I have a whole bottle of them that I don't use. From what I understand, dogs can take them as well? 


I will look into the doggie enzymes though and hte other pills you suggested as well. 

Thank you


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## goldengirls550 (Jun 12, 2008)

mjkaferle5 said:


> I think your girl is just at that, "Hey is that a yellow lab?!" stage!:


Ahh don't remind me!!!! :doh:


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## beargroomer (Jan 2, 2008)

Gibson is the same age as Skylie, and he's very lanky and skinny, too, right now.


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## skylielover (Sep 27, 2008)

Thank you all for taking the time to comment and reassuring me


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