# My dog is skinny...



## Sashiro (May 16, 2012)

When I got my pup several months back, he was kind of small. He was the next smallest in the litter, the smallest one living (the runt had died, sadly). I've had him checked for worms and he's gotten a clean bill of health. Still, he is skinny at nearly 8 months. So much so that others have commented on it. Last time he was weighed at the vet about 1 1/2 months ago, he was 27lbs. You can't see his ribs, but you can feel them.
I don't understand since I feed him well. He gets about 3 cups of food a day + treats and, bad me, select table scraps. He just ate a big ol plate of leftover french fries. Do some dogs just stay skinny?


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

Looks like an okay weight to me. You should be able to feel the ribs with little fat covering.


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## Sashiro (May 16, 2012)

I don't know, it's just, when my mother was visiting, she said he looked thin. Then a friend of mine was over last night and told me he looked skinny. That's why I worry.


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## golden_eclipse (Apr 1, 2011)

Growing golden pups almost always go through a tallish skinny awkward phase, they are like teenagers. His weight looks fine to me, the thinner he is, the less stress you are putting on his joints all at once. I wouldn't be worried, most people keep their dogs too fat, and thus compromise their long term health. (they are also used to seeing overweight dogs, and thus a normal weight looks skinny.)


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

Sashiro said:


> I don't know, it's just, when my mother was visiting, she said he looked thin. Then a friend of mine was over last night and told me he looked skinny. That's why I worry.


I do not own a Golden but people think my dog is starved and underweight. But hes not, hes a perfect weight. Some people dont know what a healthy weight looks like if it bit them in the butt. People are just to used to seeing over weight dogs and think thats normal










Heres another angle. Mine gets 2 cups a day plus treats.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

He's doesn't look skinny to me, better on the lean side than obese anyway. Obesity shortens a dog's life. Your pup is young yet and while growing goes through lanky-looking stages. He also doesn't have his full coat yet. Goldens usually don't fill out until their second year.


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## photoweborama (Dec 6, 2007)

Being thin is ok.. My dog got fixed later in life, about 4 years old, and he spread way out. He went from about 95 pounds to 105 pounds. No matter how much I exercise him (he is really fit right now). I'd love to be able to give him treats when ever I felt like it, but he has to be strictly limited.

Don't worry, be happy!


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

Just like people, dogs have gotten more plump over the years and it's considered the norm. Your dog seems to be perfectly fit and looks healthy. Maverick gets about 3cups a day and a ton of snacks throughout the day. My vet and along with other owners say he is a healthy and fit looking boy.


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## toliva (Nov 24, 2011)

A growing puppy will always get more food than an adult dog, so it's best not to compare how much you feed to what someone is feeding their adult dog.

It might be a good idea to see your vet. Yes, it is definitely good to keep a pup at a trim weight for their joints, but it is also good for the pup to have strong muscle tone on those joints, and muscle weighs a lot. That would be my concern with the low weight - does he have enough muscle tone? My pup weighs 60+ lbs and I can easily feel his ribs. He is very muscular.

All that said, try not to worry too much. He may be just on the low-end of average and perfectly healthy. I know the feeling... my 4-year old weighs 25 lbs. She is tiny, and she eats... she is just small.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

He doesn't look too skinny to me. Most people don't know what a healthy weight in a dog looks like.

Purina.Com | Dog | Caring | Understanding your Dog's Body Condition (FYI- I still hate the company but they are the only ones whose explaination and chart are easily understood)


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## Trailman (Sep 15, 2012)

A1Malinois said:


> I do not own a Golden but people think my dog is starved and underweight. But hes not, hes a perfect weight. Some people dont know what a healthy weight looks like if it bit them in the butt. People are just to used to seeing over weight dogs and think thats normal
> 
> 
> 
> ...


There you go again, turning someones post into your post.

This Forum should be called GoldenRetrieverForum and *Malinois Mutt Forum.

I feel like I,m on Sesame Street, Can you tell me which one of these things don,t belong.
*


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## MazY (Sep 11, 2012)

At 8 months, he looks lean to me, but not skinny. I board a skinny black labrador from time to time who, because he was ill when young, never really got a chance to catch up and so will always remain skinny. But yours looks nothing like he does.

Like some others have said, I think we have become so used to seeing overweight dogs that a lean dog looks skinny by comparison. And, again, like other have already said, he is still really young and probably going through his stage of growing upwards instead of outwards at the moment. He may never be a larger dog, but I'll bet from looking at the above photo that he looks handsome regardless!


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Trailman said:


> There you go again, turning someones post into your post.
> 
> This Forum should be called GoldenRetrieverForum and *Malinois Mutt Forum.
> 
> ...


Play nice. :wave: You pointed out in other posts when people were rude to others. I hope you will hold yourself up to the same standard . Under your name is does say "Bully hater."

They were using their dog as an example of ideal weight vs. what others think.


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

Trailman said:


> There you go again, turning someones post into your post.
> 
> This Forum should be called GoldenRetrieverForum and *Malinois Mutt Forum.
> 
> ...


Hi 22retrievers in disguise 

For one I was using my dogs ideal weight as an example so no I didn't take over the thread. You complain when people are rude here yet your being prettu arrogant yourself. Anyone is welcome here regardless of what breed they own


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## Trailman (Sep 15, 2012)

Is *22retrieversa Bully Hater also. Why can,t I find them why I put name in search, they get banned cause if you. 
*


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## tobysmommy (Jan 9, 2011)

That's enough of the snide remarks back and forth. We have already had plenty of that in another thread. Whatever issues the two of you have with each other, they don't belong here. Stay civil and on topic, please.


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## Amberbark (Oct 5, 2011)

PLEASE stop it! Sheeesh.......

Anywhoo, many think that Amber is too thin at 65.5 lbs and 25 inches at the shoulder. The vet says that she is perfect. SO, please, listen to the folks that are familiar with the healthy weight of a dog......:wavey: Vicki


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

tobysmommy said:


> That's enough of the snide remarks back and forth. We have already had plenty of that in another thread. Whatever issues the two of you have with each other, they don't belong here. Stay civil and on topic, please.


I have no issues with this user. She seems to have issues with me for whatever reason. Nor, was the drama in THIS thread created by me, Trailman was the one who opened the door to this thread.


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## MaggieMom (Jul 5, 2007)

I remember that awkward teenage body. My McGee looked like that when she was that age. Yes, it's completely normal.

Maggie


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## az_melanie (Aug 5, 2012)

Your pup does look on the thin side, but like others said, it seems that so many people are used to fat dogs these days! 

I met with a guy from a golden rescue and he was totally ok with his male golden weighing in at 90 lbs. And this dog was from what he would consider a reputable breeder (I can't make a judgement there, as I haven't researched that breeder). Anyway, it seems that anytime I tell someone a female golden is supposed to weigh between 55-65 lbs and a male is supposed to be between 65-75, they look at me like I'm crazy or something...


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