# underweight????



## happyperson507 (Jan 15, 2008)

I think my golden is underweight....I feed her everyday...approx. 2 of the 36 ounces of those drink cups you get at the conv. store. She seems really thin even though the puppy is thriving. We feed them separately so they don't take each others food. I don't know if maybe my puppy is giving her more excersise or what! lol How can I put some weight on her? Thanks


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## Charlie06 (Feb 10, 2007)

How old is she and what does she weigh?


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## kalkid (Feb 22, 2007)

Wow is that 9 cups or am I reading this wrong? I don't know what you're feeding but that's a lot regardless of brand. What type of food? Does she have any worms or some other medical problem? Again that's a lot of food. Some dogs are just skinnier but this doesn't add up to me. As far as gaining weight more calories in and/or less burnt however again this doesn't add up to me yet.


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

Why don't you post a couple of pictures of her? One from the top looking down and one from the side. Also, age, height, and weight would also be good information.


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## happyperson507 (Jan 15, 2008)

*How?*



mdoats said:


> Why don't you post a couple of pictures of her? One from the top looking down and one from the side. Also, age, height, and weight would also be good information.


 She is 2 yrs old now and she has ABSOLUTELY NO MEDICAL PROBLEMS! She is active and very healthy other than I think she is thinner than she should be. How do I post pics of her? Let me know. Thank you


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## happyperson507 (Jan 15, 2008)

*weight*

I just weighed her and it says 46....is that ok?


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## Ardeagold (Feb 26, 2007)

I have a Newf like that. Very thin.........and very healthy.

However, after she reached 3 yrs of age (age of maturity for a Newf) and was still so thin, I began to wonder if she had an overactive thyroid. Rare, but it happens.

Fortunately, in the past few months, she's begun to pick up some weight. She's slim/slender now but not skinny.

Is your girl spayed? What do you feed her? What's her height at the shoulder? If she's only about 21-22 inches, she should weigh about 50-55 lbs. If she's taller, she would definitely weigh more.

That's a LOT of food for a Golden. Most eat around 2-3 measuring cups per day depending on their size and sex. The food itself may need to be changed to one that gives her more of what she needs.


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## kalkid (Feb 22, 2007)

Do you know what she weighs? I often get the your dogs too skinny comment but I think people have just gotten use to seeing some "plump" labs and goldens lately. For reference there are many on here that have females in that age group that range from 50 to 65 lbs or so if that helps. Sorry I just saw your post. 46 would be on the thin side assuming she is of average height/overall size. Either way something isn't adding up with the amount of food you say you're feeding.


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

happyperson507 said:


> How do I post pics of her? Let me know.


In the "Post Quick Reply" box, there is a little icon with a mountain. You click on that to insert one image. Or in the "Go Advanced" reply you click on the "Manage Attachments" to attach as many pictures you like.


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## happyperson507 (Jan 15, 2008)

*I apologize*

Sorry I just confused everyone... I feed that to 2 dogs! LOL It's like one of those cups you get when you get soda at a store. Which fills her dog bowl and that is what they both eat. I feed the puppy and then she eats the other half. So to my account its like 4 cups?????????? She eats Beneful Heathly Radiance. She seems to like it and some of the others make her sick. Only other she will eat is the Purina dog Chow.


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## Phoebe (Feb 8, 2006)

happyperson507 said:


> I just weighed her and it says 46....is that ok?


Phoebe is 44 pounds and she is two years old. I understand your concern, I worry about Phoebe's weight too. But my vet keeps telling me to stop fussing, that she'll gain weight in her own good time. I must admit I feel a little better knowing there is another golden out there around Phoebe's weight! Phoebe gets 3 cups of food per day.

Jan, Seamus, Gracie, Phoebe & Duke


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

2 years old 46 lbs is a little light. But it also depends on her build. Can you visibily see her ribs or hip bones? You should not be able to "see" her ribs or hip bones, but you should be able to feel her ribs when you pet her.

If you think she needs to put on weight you should find a high calorie dog food, there are some that are formulated for high energy, high performance dogs. I have used Nutro Natural Choice High Energy in the past to put weight on foster dogs that were malnourished. Innova is also a good one.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

happyperson507 said:


> Sorry I just confused everyone... I feed that to 2 dogs! LOL It's like one of those cups you get when you get soda at a store. Which fills her dog bowl and that is what they both eat. I feed the puppy and then she eats the other half. So to my account its like 4 cups?????????? She eats Beneful Heathly Radiance. She seems to like it and some of the others make her sick. Only other she will eat is the Purina dog Chow.


First thing, get another bowl and feed them in separate bowls so you know for sure how much she's eating, she may not be getting as much as you think sharing the same bowl of food.

What other foods have you tried? There are much better foods than Beneful and Purina that I would encourage you to try.


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## happyperson507 (Jan 15, 2008)

my little mountain asks for a url to pic???? what do I do?


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## happyperson507 (Jan 15, 2008)

what good food does Petsmart carry?????....its the closest pet store.


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## happyperson507 (Jan 15, 2008)

MY golden is VERY important to me... spent months saving up to get her, I just want her healthy. I visually don't see ribs or hip bones. So I guess that is a good sign!


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## Celeigh (Nov 29, 2007)

What does the vet say? 46 pounds is small for a 2 year old golden. (That's 10 pounds more than my 17 week golden). Can you see her ribs? You should be able to feel them, but not see them.


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## happyperson507 (Jan 15, 2008)

Everyone says she's great! Vet loves her. but this was all before the puppy came into the picture. We just got her a month ago. They act like best friends. They get along great. Bree (2yr old) and Cassidy (12wks) neither are fixed. Bree and Cassidy are Golden-Labs.


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## kerribear's golden kids (May 17, 2007)

46 lbs is a bit low for a 2 yr old, PetSmart carries the *"Nutro Natural Choice HIGH ENERGY"* like Mylissyk mentioned, it is VERY good to put weight on a dog, switch them over slowly, do not just put it in her bowl, do 1/4 new food with 3/4 old food for 3 days then 1/2 & 1/2 for 3 days then 3/4 new & 1/4 old for 3 days then all new. 
Seperate the bowls, do not feed them together, as the pup grows it may over take the bowl. You'll have to stand by and supervise the feedings until they know, don't let Cassidy near Bree's bowl until Bree is finished and so on...

Good luck...


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

As several have pointed out to determine if she is too light would depend on how tall and overall build. If you vet does not seem concerned with weight than it is probably ok. It is better for her well being for her to be a "lilltle" underweight than a "little" overweight. If you are still concerned and yougot her from a breeder ask them for their opinon. 
If you can't upload a photo or two maybe a friend can help you. I have to get help from my kids all the time when it comes to the computer.


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## happyperson507 (Jan 15, 2008)

*pics*

I am hoping these pics come out. The first is of when I first got her and the 2nd is of today.


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## Celeigh (Nov 29, 2007)

She's got a sweet face. Do you have any side pictures where she's standing? Those would be easier to tell from.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Hi again
She looks beautiful, however from the angle of the photo it is tough to judge for your question. A picture of her standing taken from the side would work better.


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

Can't really tell about weight from those pictures, but she sure is a cutie! Very sweet face.


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## happyperson507 (Jan 15, 2008)

This is the best I could do...she isn't very obedient...lol


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## Carsonsdaddy (Nov 1, 2006)

She doesn't look underweight to me. She looks like Carson.....


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## dogsbestfriend (Jul 21, 2007)

Looks pretty healthy to me! 
My golden is 8 months old and only weighs 50 lbs.
She's very healthy, as well- very solid and lean (and super strong!).
She eats 4 cups of food per day. I really thought she would be huge by now, since her parents are 75 and 80 lbs. 
I thought that after a year she would be full grown. Will she gain much more after a year?????????????


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## happyperson507 (Jan 15, 2008)

I have another question off the topic....is it normal that she is 2 yrs old...Jan1, that she has only been in heat once?


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## happyperson507 (Jan 15, 2008)

I am glad she looks ok to you all. I guess I am used to seeing bigger dogs around her. And heavier. Thanks everyone.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

She has all four on the ground so she appears obedient to me. From your photos your sweetie appears to be a smaller, finer boned girl. From what I can see see is not underwieght to a point I would be concerned. Actually for her body type she appears perfect. I would continue to monitor her weight weekly. Also she may appear thinner to you now as you said she was two years old. Many Goldens do not finish filling out and maturing till after three years of age or even later. So what you could be witnessing is her body filling out but not putting on weight which can give a "losing" weight appearance.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

happyperson507 said:


> I have another question off the topic....is it normal that she is 2 yrs old...Jan1, that she has only been in heat once?


Yes it is normal. Some girls come into season every 6 months others can go as long as 15 months between cycles. Believe me it is easier to deal with once a year or so rather than every 6 months.
My girls tend to cycle once every 11-12 months.


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

From that picture it looks like she is lean but not underweight. I agree with some of the other posters that it would be good to know exactly how much she's eating each day compared to the recommendation on the package. I'd suggest using a measuring cup for her food. It's good information to have and you can monitor her better that way.

For comparison's sake, Rookie eats 2 cups of Canidae a day, 1 in the morning, 1 in the evening. Based on the package, that's on the low end, but he seems very satisfied with that. He's hungry at mealtime, but not frantic. He's a little over 21 inches tall and 57 pounds at 10 months. He's still growing.


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## happyperson507 (Jan 15, 2008)

AHHHHH... I am a first time golden owner so I am still learning. Thanks


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

happyperson507 said:


> AHHHHH... I am a first time golden owner so I am still learning.


You picked a great place to learn! This has been a great place for me to learn about owning a golden. And I think Rookie is better off for me being a member here.


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## happyperson507 (Jan 15, 2008)

AmbikaGR said:


> Yes it is normal. Some girls come into season every 6 months others can go as long as 15 months between cycles. Believe me it is easier to deal with once a year or so rather than every 6 months.
> My girls tend to cycle once every 11-12 months.


Sweet! She had her first cycle on her 1st birthday. And never had one again and some people find it weird so I asked. Thank you, You all have been very awesome and I am glad to be part of this group!


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

happyperson507 said:


> AHHHHH... I am a first time golden owner so I am still learning. Thanks


AHHHHHH..... I am far from a first time golden owner and i am STILL learning also. Don't ever hesitate to ask a question that is how we all learn, honestly.

I also really like your screen name


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## happyperson507 (Jan 15, 2008)

I have another question.... is it wrong to give my puppy the same food that Bree eats? Or does she require puppy food.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

happyperson507 said:


> I have another question.... is it wrong to give my puppy the same food that Bree eats? Or does she require puppy food.


How old is Bree?


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## happyperson507 (Jan 15, 2008)

AmbikaGR said:


> How old is Bree?


Bree is 2 yrs old. Cassidy is 4 months old.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Then I would recommend a puppy formula food for Cassidy til she is over 6 months of age. Then it would be okay to switch her to the same food as Bree. I think you said you went to Petsmart. They carry the the Bil-Jac brand of foods which are pretty good or ask at the store which are their better puppy foods. I would recommend spending a little more on the puppy food as this is the time there is so much going on that it is critical for the best growth for the pup. If possible I woulld also switch Bree to a premium food, you may find you need to feed less quantity and thus it does not cost too much more than you are already spending.


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## happyperson507 (Jan 15, 2008)

Thanks greatly appreciated. Will go to Petsmart tonight. Thanks again.


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## Taz Monkey (Feb 25, 2007)

I would switch both dogs off of the Beneful and get them both on a high quality diet. By the pictures she doesn't look underweight. You said they are golden/ lab mixes, right? Are you sure thats what they are, or is it a guess. If its just a guess you could have any number of smaller breed dogs mixed in there.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I would feed Bree the Nutro High energy food and the Nutro puppy to Cassidy. Make sure they only eat out of their own bowl. I would also measure out the amount of food listed on the bag. You will find that you wont need to feed as much since it is a higher quality food. Also switch the food over slowly about 3/4 Beneful to 1/2 Nutro and one week later less by 1/2 and then 1/2 week later till you feed all Nutro. Maybe alittle sooner if they are handling it well (no diarheah). She doesnt look to thin in that picture but it is still hard to tell. I cant wait to see pictures of the both of them. Good luck with the food switch.


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## Ardeagold (Feb 26, 2007)

Taz....I'm wondering if they're being called Golden Labs because that's what so many people in rural areas call Golden Retrievers? They do that here, and it always threw me.

Apparently, from what I was told by someone a couple of years ago, they've learned throughout their lives that "Retriever" is the BREED. All Retrievers are Labs. The long haired variety is a Golden Lab. The short haired variety is a Yellow Lab. There's no recognition that a long haired Golden Retriever and a short haired yellow Labrador Retriever are separate and distinct breeds.

happyperson.......I think you have a purebred Golden Retriever there. Sure looks like one!! She doesn't look like a Golden Retriever/Labrador Retriever mix...and she's not a long haired Lab, I promise!! : She's a beautiful girl!!

She's so very pretty......and from the pics, doesn't look too skinny.

I too would put the puppy on something like Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy formula. I'd give the adult Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Adult. At 6 mos you can switch the puppy to the adult formula, so they're both eating the same thing.

But, I'd give the puppy 3 separate meals a day right now.......until 6-7 mos old. (Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Your adult should be getting two meals a day - breakfast and dinner right now. They should have their meals n separate bowls....measured out...for the rest of their lives.

While the puppy is growing, it'll probably eat more than when it's an adult. Ours all did.


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## winewinn (Jan 7, 2008)

happyperson507 said:


> Everyone says she's great! Vet loves her. but this was all before the puppy came into the picture. We just got her a month ago. They act like best friends. They get along great. Bree (2yr old) and Cassidy (12wks) neither are fixed. Bree and Cassidy are Golden-Labs.


For a golden retriever/labrador retriever cross, I would expect a 60-pound female easily. Have they been through a deworming schedule? I am not sure what area you live in, but parasites are a prime suspect for me when my dogs don't gain weight properly. Tapeworm, roundworm, etc...

Another thought is maybe she's getting crowded out of the food dish by her buddy?


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## winewinn (Jan 7, 2008)

winewinn said:


> For a golden retriever/labrador retriever cross, I would expect a 60-pound female easily. Have they been through a deworming schedule? I am not sure what area you live in, but parasites are a prime suspect for me when my dogs don't gain weight properly. Tapeworm, roundworm, etc...
> 
> Another thought is maybe she's getting crowded out of the food dish by her buddy?


I just saw her pic, and she must have more golden retriever than lab in her. She sure has a sweet face. From the side from what I can tell, she just looks petite like my Beisia. (Beisia hit 59.5 pounds while preggers with her 7 pups... she is usually about 54-55 pounds.)


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

She is a cutie. I agree with the others--a lot depends on her bone sgructure, her heighth, etc. Good luck with her and i really don't think you need to worry.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

happyperson507 said:


> my little mountain asks for a url to pic???? what do I do?


Click on the Paperclip icon instead, that will let you go find the picture saved on your computer and add it to your post. 

To use the URL you would need to upload the picture to the Gallery, then copy and past the URL that generates. 

Either way works great, but I think the Paperclip attachment is easier.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

mylissyk said:


> Click on the Paperclip icon instead, that will let you go find the picture saved on your computer and add it to your post.
> 
> To use the URL you would need to upload the picture to the Gallery, then copy and past the URL that generates.
> 
> Either way works great, but I think the Paperclip attachment is easier.


 
Sorry, I should have read through the rest of the thread before posting.


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