# Help with weight gain



## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

There's not really any scientifically proven reason to feed a dog grain-free, so it might be worth transitioning her to a good quality food that contains grains. I'd keep the protein source the same and do a slow transition. 

But also check the calories in your food and any new food you consider. There is some equation that is so many calories per kg of dog weight - you can probably google it, but make sure your source is a good one. It's sometimes easier to go with a higher calorie food than to increase food amounts (some dogs just don't like to eat a ton of food).

I will add - my 45 pound 4-yr-old girl sort of sounds like yours body-wise. Thin but not emaciated. My trainer thinks she is too thin, mainly because you can feel her tail bones, like yours. But when I asked my vet if I should increase her food, she said, do you think she would want to eat more? I thought about it and said, probably not. She eats slowly and she isn't always begging me for more.


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## Taz Monkey (Feb 25, 2007)

All of my dogs, ages 2-14, have been on grain free for their entire lives with me. I tried Pro Plan once with my golden about 5 years ago after reading great reviews about it here, and ended up with a $500 ear infection. So we went back to our grain free. I see no need to change that. 
Phoebes current food has 337 kcals per cup. I?m sure she?d be okay with eating more, I was just thinking it would be more cost effective to try a more calorie dense food. I don?t know how long it takes for dogs to gain weight, so I?m not sure if buying a bag of higher calorie food would make sense, or if it would be better to just feed more. I was looking at the Pro Plan Sport varieties, as I don?t believe she has any sensitivities so far to grain inclusive foods, but at Tractor Supply they only have giant bags.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Which Pro Plan did you try?


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## Taz Monkey (Feb 25, 2007)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> Which Pro Plan did you try?


Honestly, that long ago I'm not sure. I think it was a salmon variety though. Maybe the sensitive skin version?


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I was going to recommend that, I started feeding my guys the PPP SSS when I adopted Remy. He was underweight 15-20 lbs., was having soft stools and not gaining weight. Had him in the Vet numerous times for deworming, running tests, antibiotics, etc. 

Tried several different brands and formulas of food, and the PPP SSS is what worked for him and I've kept him on it the last 6.5 years. He's done great on it and still is.


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## Taz Monkey (Feb 25, 2007)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> I was going to recommend that, I started feeding my guys the PPP SSS when I adopted Remy. He was underweight 15-20 lbs., was having soft stools and not gaining weight. Had him in the Vet numerous times for deworming, running tests, antibiotics, etc.
> 
> Tried several different brands and formulas of food, and the PPP SSS is what worked for him and I've kept him on it the last 6.5 years. He's done great on it and still is.


I bought a small bag of the SSS today to try on Phoebe. It has almost 100 calories more per cup than her current food. I hope it works. It stinks though that I can?t put a few of my other dogs on it. I think I?d have to cut their food wayyyyyy back to account for the extra calories. So now I have 6 dogs on 4 different foods ?


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I agree it stinks, I don't like fish to begin with, so the smell is a bit much for me to take. 
I also give Remy treats from Plato Pets, they are salmon also. He LOVES them......


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

I think you could just feed her more per day to put some weight on her.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

When I used to foster rescues, many of them who came in very skinny, I would feed them the same food as I fed my dogs, but I would give them 3 or 4 smaller meals a day, regardless of their age, until they put on the weight they needed to gain.


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## Taz Monkey (Feb 25, 2007)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> I agree it stinks, I don't like fish to begin with, so the smell is a bit much for me to take.
> I also give Remy treats from Plato Pets, they are salmon also. He LOVES them......


Lol I don?t mean it stinks and it smells bad, I meant it stinks that I can?t feed it t my other dogs because it has so many calories and now I have 6 dogs and 4 different foods


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## usually lurking (Apr 21, 2017)

Charliethree said:


> When I used to foster rescues, many of them who came in very skinny, I would feed them the same food as I fed my dogs, but I would give them 3 or 4 smaller meals a day, regardless of their age, until they put on the weight they needed to gain.



I second this, regardless of the food you feed. More meals also helps mitigate softer stools caused by feeding too much at once. I never feed more than 1.5 cups at a time to mine, who has trouble keeping weight on.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

usually lurking said:


> I second this, regardless of the food you feed. More meals also helps mitigate softer stools caused by feeding too much at once. I never feed more than 1.5 cups at a time to mine, who has trouble keeping weight on.


I also agree with this. More small meals. Otherwise you risk them getting a belly ache or throwing it all up.


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