# 75 lbs at 9 months.. Should I worry?



## RuxinLBJ (Jan 19, 2011)

I'm 24, this is the first dog I've owned as an adult although I've grown up with them my whole life(multiple goldens).. He gets a decent amount of exercise and has been eating the food serving recommendations that are on the bag of food and what I've read online(he's eating Diamond naturals lamb/rice) was having two cups in the morning and two at night.. 

Recently he's been having knee problems where the patella something or other on the front of the knee would slip out of place and he wouldn't put weight on it but then it'd fix itself, the vet didn't seem to have any problem with his weight and didn't say that was the cause, he said not to walk him for two weeks, he's also on some medicine.. 

I do know he should lose _some _weight and get more exercise than he does, but I'm just wondering if he's abnormally huge.. Here's a couple pictures I just took



















Just for reference, this is a picture of his dad










As you can see I think I know where he gets his body shape from, I just hear about how you should be able to feel his ribs and stuff like that


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## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

The average weight for an adult male Golden is 60-80lbs, so I wouldn't say he's over weight at all.

The knee problem could be some sort of genetic defect...? Did your breeder supply any kind of clearances?


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## RuxinLBJ (Jan 19, 2011)

Just a two year deal if he has any hip issues


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## Thor0918 (Feb 28, 2008)

I would think loosing a little weight would be good for the knees.


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## cisobe (Feb 22, 2010)

From what I've read in here and heard elsewhere, proper weight is very difficult to determine. It really varies from dog to dog. A good indicator of his ultimate size and weight is to look at his parents. What did they weigh, did they look overweight, etc.

Our Golden's mom was ~60lbs, and his dad was ~65lbs. Tobey is now 1 year old, and ~60lbs and on the lean side. Our vet wanted us to keep him on the lean side during his major growing period so we've been feeding him ~1.5-1.75 cups twice a day (Solid Gold Wolfcub), now he gets ~1.75 cups of California Natural Venison twice a day.


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## Bob Dylan (Mar 31, 2009)

Our Lennon is 9 mo and weights 58 lbs. my vet likes them be be on the lean side.
He gets 1.5 cups of Nutro Holistic twice daily and treats in between.

Welcome to the forum, you dog is beautiful!

Lennon is the one up on the fence! One of these days he will jump over it.


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## RuxinLBJ (Jan 19, 2011)

Thanks for the welcome and the fast replies


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## Jamm (Mar 28, 2010)

It all depends on genetics! Joey is 9 months old and is jusssttttt at 65lbs.. More like 64.5 haha.


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## LincolnsMom (Sep 28, 2010)

Hmmm sounds like Luxating patella this happens when the knee slips out of place and is painful for a dog to put weight on it. It isn't something that is usually used for clearance on a large breed but ai would call the breeder and let them know if they are responsible they will call all the other pups and check up on them too.

Luxating patella is something that effects dogs as small as yorkies so weight actually isn''t going to change he will mostly likely need surgery in the future it is 100% fixable that's the good news.


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## Chelseanr (Oct 3, 2010)

I believe the general rule I've heard around here is that you should be able to feel his ribs but not see them, and when looked at from above he should have an hourglassish shape where his sides dip in before his hips if that makes sense. :]


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## RuxinLBJ (Jan 19, 2011)

LincolnsMom said:


> Hmmm sounds like Luxating patella this happens when the knee slips out of place and is painful for a dog to put weight on it. It isn't something that is usually used for clearance on a large breed but ai would call the breeder and let them know if they are responsible they will call all the other pups and check up on them too.
> 
> Luxating patella is something that effects dogs as small as yorkies so weight actually isn''t going to change he will mostly likely need surgery in the future it is 100% fixable that's the good news.


That's exactly what it is, I just couldn't remember the word other than Patella..


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## Our3dogs (Apr 3, 2008)

He looks good in your pictures, but because he has the knee problem keeping him on the lean side would be beneficial for him. Maybe cut his food by a little bit. It's been a while since our dogs were young, but 4 cups a day does sound a bit on the heavy side. I am sure those with young dogs can help with this.


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## RuxinLBJ (Jan 19, 2011)

I don't have a bag of food in front of me but for weights 60-75 lbs in his age range it said ~4 1/2 cups total daily.. I've cut it to 1 1/2 in the morning and 1 1/2 at night..


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## Our3dogs (Apr 3, 2008)

Don't always go by what the dog food bag says. Remember - they are in the business of selling dog food. LOL! I don't think I have ever read the dog food bag. Now that you have a starting point, do like most of us do, by how well our dogs look, weigh, and if we can feel their ribs, etc. Depending upon the brand of dog food, I might feed less or more. Good luck!


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Hard to tell from the pic, but in my experience, what they list on the bag is almost always too much food, and you'll want to keep him on the lean side b/c of the knee issue.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

With the larger breeds, having a patella that luxates, frequently requires surgical intervention. My first golden was given to me at 6 months because of her laterally luxating patella. More of the large breeds have laterally luxating patellas. I was told by the orthopedic surgeon that I took her to, that the condition is often associated with hip dysplasia. However, she did not have hip dysplasia. I would definitely get it checked out radiographically. 6 lb yorkies often live with luxating patellas due to their size, it's harder for a big dog to live that way.

Those darn dog food bags... the dog food companies claim that they are "guidelines".
Your boy is a handsome boy, but with orthopedic issues, I would cut back on his food. Is it puppy or adult? I would definitely switch him over to adult food if he is not on it already.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

My Flora had severe patellar luxation in her left knee and required surgery at 11 months. Her breeder more or less accused me of letting Flora get too big (She weighed in at 63lbs before she had surgery) and that was why she had this problem, but when I asked my vet she rolled her eyes and said NO. It is a hereditary issue, and while having an obese dog will make it worse, having a dog that's normal weight will not exacerbate it and certainly does not cause it.

That said, if it does get worse for your dog I would consider surgery or else he could end up with bad arthritis at a young age. I'm sorry you're going through this, it's a PITA. Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions about the surgery or the condition in general. If it makes you feel any better, Flora's vet also said she had patellar luxation in her right knee, but it was mild and since the surgery on her left knee she has been fine in that regard.

Here's some info:

Causes of Patellar Luxation
Patellar luxation occasionally results from a traumatic injury to the knee, causing sudden non-weight-bearing lameness of the limb. It may also develop subsequent to cranial cruciate deficiency in dogs that will typically have a chronic history of lameness. However, the cause remains unclear in the majority of dogs. The femoral groove into which the knee cap normally rides is commonly shallow (Figure 2a, Figure 2b) or absent in dogs with non–traumatic patellar luxation. Early diagnosis of bilateral disease in the absence of trauma and breed predisposition supports the concept of patellar luxation resulting from a congenital or developmental misalignment of the entire extensor mechanism. Congenital patellar luxation is therefore no longer considered an isolated disease of the knee, but rather a component/consequence of a complex skeletal anomaly affecting the overall alignment of the limb, including:​ 

Abnormal conformation of the hip joint, such as hip dysplasia
Malformation of the femur, with angulation and torsion (Figure 3)
Malformation of the tibia
Deviation of the tibial crest, the bony prominence onto which the patella tendon attaches below the knee
Tightness/atrophy of the quadriceps muscles, acting as a bowstring
A patellar ligament that may be too long


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## iansgran (May 29, 2010)

I agree with everyone who says the dog food bags suggest feeding too much. Jaro is also 9 months and he weighs 60 lbs. Up until recently he has been one on the smallest of the puppies born in April (you might want to check out the April puppies thread) but he is now catching up. I feed him 2 c total of kibble a day plus training treats and a kong or marrow bone now and again.


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## RuxinLBJ (Jan 19, 2011)

Sally's Mom said:


> Is it puppy or adult? I would definitely switch him over to adult food if he is not on it already.


He's 9 months.. I cut his food to 1.5 cups in the AM and 1.5 in the PM


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## lovemydoggiesx2 (Sep 5, 2010)

I agree it is the genetics. I dont think you should worry I dont think he´ll get much bigger. Im in the same boat as you worried about size. My baby is 6 months and already is a 65lb monster!!


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Yes, losing some weight would probably be a good thing. No he is not grossly overweight, but if he is having issues, the less weight the better for sure. I have also found that the "recommended feeding amounts" listed on bags of dog food are in general more than a Golden needs. 
Here is a link to a visual and descriptive chart that I find a good resource. Now of course with the coat of a Golden it can be a little more difficult to do visually, unless you soak the dog so the coat lies flat and close.


http://www.purina.com/dog/weight-and-exercise/bodycondition.aspx


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

At his age, none of my golden kids have eaten more than 3 cups/day. Plus at 4 months, it has been adult dog food.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

Wow, your guy is gorgeous. From the pictures, he doesn't look overweight to me. I think my dog achieved his adult weight (75 lb) around that time too, but my memory might not be right.


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## RuxinLBJ (Jan 19, 2011)

Quick update since he just recently went back to the vet for his 1 year check up, and he is still right at 75 lbs..


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

He has such a sweet face!


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

You need to scale back the food. He looks overweight in the photos. Has his thyroid been tested? He is very cute.


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## Jax's Mom (Oct 16, 2009)

What a sweet face he has! How is his knee doing?


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## RuxinLBJ (Jan 19, 2011)

Jax's Mom said:


> What a sweet face he has! How is his knee doing?


Knee is much better.. He rarely pulls it up like he used to, went for a 30 minute walk the other day and he didn't do it once, and usually after he goes to the bathroom he sprints back to the house(~40 yards probably) and has no issues

To the person who says he looks fat and I should cut back on the food, what do you recommend? he gets 1.5 cups in the morning and 1.5 in the evening.. that's too much?


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## DianaM (Feb 18, 2010)

RuxinLBJ said:


> Knee is much better.. He rarely pulls it up like he used to, went for a 30 minute walk the other day and he didn't do it once, and usually after he goes to the bathroom he sprints back to the house(~40 yards probably) and has no issues
> 
> To the person who says he looks fat and I should cut back on the food, what do you recommend? he gets 1.5 cups in the morning and 1.5 in the evening.. that's too much?


It is also important to look at the calories. 3 cups may not seem like much but the calories may be way more than you expect. Is he still eating puppy or did you switch to adult food?


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## RuxinLBJ (Jan 19, 2011)

He's eating adult food, which has less calories than the puppy food


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## iansgran (May 29, 2010)

When counting calories be sure to include the training treats and and other little snacks. Most of us with Goldens who are turning a year this month feet about 2 cups a day, one in the am and one in the mp. Or less if they get lots of frozen kongs etc.


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

What food are you specifically feeding? That would be helpful in knowing what to recommend.


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## RuxinLBJ (Jan 19, 2011)

Chicken & Rice Adult Dry Dog Food Formula | Diamond Pet Foods


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## Dinozzo (Dec 25, 2010)

He is such a handsome boy! So glad to hear his knee is better now. 
If I ever feed my boy the amount the bag suggests, he'd balloon up in a week. Right now the bag says 5 cups a day. I feed 1 1/2 cups at am and 1 1/2 cups at pm. He already is a 61 lbs, hyperactive, 6 1/2 months old monster. I shudder to think about how he'd be if he eats the suggested 5 cups.


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## RuxinLBJ (Jan 19, 2011)

RuxinLBJ said:


> Chicken & Rice Adult Dry Dog Food Formula | Diamond Pet Foods


sorry to keep bumping this thread, but does anyone have an opinion on that food?


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

The food is fine.

How tall is he? 

Cosmo is a year, 24inches, and a good weight at 68. His brother is quite overweight at 75. Much depends on the build and parents though. If the parents are show dogs/bred to the standard) you should expect him to be within 65-75lbs as an adult.


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

Oh and given the food I would feed no more than 3 cups a day, less if getting less than 1.5 hrs of walks...


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## dochusar (Apr 10, 2011)

He has such a nice face and really does not look overweight in the pictures. His side view looked appropriate for an adult dog.

I think your vet is right as he really knows your dog.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

The standard for males is 65-75 lb, so at 75 he is just fine. But, your vet is the best person to advise you.
(PS he has a very sweet face)


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## Cocodaminkie (Aug 5, 2010)

Oh, no worries. 75 pounds at 9 months shouldn't be anything to worry about. My goldie puppy is 9 months exactly two days from now and he is about 70-75 pounds. I expected this though because he was the biggest pup in the litter. 
I feed him around 1 cup of Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy, 3 times a day, with a raw egg or a vitamin cup that I have for large breed puppies. He's fine, healthy, and loving life!


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## cubby (Jun 23, 2010)

Cubby is female and was 70 pounds as early as 8 months I believe. Vets never told us anything either. She is just a BIG dog.


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## RuxinLBJ (Jan 19, 2011)

Thank you all for the advice and compliments.. He's getting ~2.5 cups a day, one in the morning and one in the evening but its usually a bit over the cup so I'll say closer to 2.5 total.. 

to measure his height do I do it to the top of his head when he's standing on all fours or the middle of his back? 

and just to repost for reference, this is his dad, who is also a big golden


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...-breed-standard/89896-how-measure-height.html


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## RuxinLBJ (Jan 19, 2011)

Tad late on the updates I suppose lol.. He's 3 years old now and after living with my fiance only for a while(she started a new job and we lived apart for six months) he lost some pounds and is much healthier all around. At his last visit he was 65 pounds, I still can't believe how big he looked now as I look at the old pictures I posted. Our vets a couple years ago said he was going to need surgery on both knees, and that he should avoid stairs all together. He hasn't pulled up lame once in probably a year and a half, and he runs up and down the stairs at our new place. We changed his diet to Zignature trout and salmon and he goes crazy for it. He also exercises quite a bit more now.. Here is a few recent pics, including one to try and show his size compared to the original post





































thanks again to you guys for the great advice back when I initially posted about him

Here are the two pics from when he was 9 months old for comparison


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

He looked then, and he looks good now. He is a handsome boy!


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## Ksdenton (Mar 17, 2013)

Wow, big difference in his size. He looks very healthy. Glad he's doing well. Pretty boy.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

He does look much better now, it's so easy to not realize they've gained too much weight. Losing that weight probably saved you two surgeries. 

Welcome back to the board!


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## Barkr (Dec 23, 2011)

Wow he is a good looking boy, glad you checked in.


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## sharonvk927 (Jan 13, 2013)

He is beautiful.


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## RuxinLBJ (Jan 19, 2011)

Thank you all for the kind words.. I forgot how nice this board is compared to the rest of the internet haha


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