My puppy, Daisy May is 12 weeks old and I was told by the breeder that this litter is small and won’t grow to be big labs. She was 2.9 kgs at 8 weeks and now at 12 weeks is approx 4.5 kgs. I have been trying to find some advice on her feeding but it all differs and the graphs of feeding tables from labrador sites indicate much heavier weights from 8-12 weeks. The breeder has advised that I supplement her diet with scrambled egg, minced lamb, and cheese to fatten her up. The breeder kept a girlie from this litter and has been doing this with the result that her puppy weighs 5.8 kgs. However, I am using lots of healthy treats when training Daisy, plus frozen Kong. I am feeding her Burns large puppy chicken and rice 35g x 4 meals, (feeding according to the guidelines on the pack) this is what the breeder was feeding them. Perhaps she needs a better quality kibble like Lilys Kitchen or Orijen?? I am a bit reluctant to start feeding her scrambled egg or cheese on top of everything that she is having already as I am aware that if you overfeed lab puppies, they will grow too quickly, putting stress on their joints. It’s seems hard to get a happy medium... so I am now worrying that my puppy is too light for her age! I would really welcome some feedback!
As you know , Labs come in many shapes and sizes , some being small and lightweight, others being larger and heavier . The main thing to ask yourself , is she happy healthy, playing , pooping ? If so, then don't worry and I certainly wouldn't be adding much cheese or scrambled eggs to her diet , tiny bits of cheese as treats is fine though ! If your vet is happy with Daisy May , then don't worry , better to be on the slim side than on the fatter side !
Hi Kate... many thanks .. yes, she is actually a very happy puppy and her coat is lovely and shiny too, but I doubted myself as I am a first time lab owner and after each meal she is still searching for more but that might just be typical for a lab. She does get a little cheese as a higher value treat for training anyway, so I think that’s enough for her on top of the other stuff I use for treats and her chews.
Unless she's overly skinny I wouldn't be wanting to "fatten her up". I have litter mates, one of which was a small, skinny boy. He grew a lot more slowly than his sister, but now he's a strapping lad of three years and sits around the 27kg mark, which is just perfect for his build.
