We have 2 Chocolate Labs 1 10 month old called Bertie and the other 12 weeks old Baxter. They come from the same parents. They get on really well as Bertie is very layed back and a easy going do. I have had dogs all my life and found Labs very easy and so loving. We have 2 houses one in the city and one in the country where the dogs love to run and have fun as we have 7 1/2 acres. We have been having a problem with the youngest dog not putting enough weight on and been told by the vet to increase his food in take. Just wondering as the other dog is still a puppy also if the playing is to much for the younger dog and we should perhaps try and stop some of it.
Hi and welcome to the forum Do the dogs stop and rest during play times? Does it look as though they're both participating in a willing and happy way, without getting irritated? Do they both sleep most of the night (aside from toilet trips)? If so, I wouldn't worry too much about how much they are playing. If the vet has said to feed him more then I'd generally follow that advice, since the vet has seen him in person. It is better to be on the lean side rather than the plump side though, even for a puppy. If we could see a pic of your pup that'd be great and would mean we could comment on his weight, if you like. Hope you enjoy being a part of the forum!
Hello Thanks so much for the reply they play very well together and we have not had any naughtiness. I will try and post a photo later. Thanks
Hello and welcome to the forum from me and my two. Shadow, my yellow boy, was rather skinny when he came to us at 14 weeks, and throughout his growing phase, any food we gave him seemed to go into growing upwards rather than outwards. We'd get him to a decent coverage over his ribs and he'd then have a growth spurt and get ribby again. He doesn't put on weight easily and even at 15 months, we were still fighting to get him well enough covered. Not that he doesn't eat well - he'd scoff anything you gave him, like a typical Lab - but if he was over-fed it would give him diarrhoea. Over time, we increased his food intake very, very slowly and now, at 20 months, he is looking really good. You can still see his ribs at time, when he eats, when he twists, when he rolls around like a fool on his back, but that's a good thing. Take your vet's advice, but if he's anything like Shadow, you'll need to take it slowly with the increase to get any real benefit from it. You could try some treats of more calorie-dense foods, such as the occasional tin of sardines, too. Play is basically exercise, so a dog that's exercising more will need more food than one that sits around all day. It doesn't necessarily mean you should stop the play, if it's balanced and friendly, with plenty of rest breaks.
Welcome. I have got to know a lady in Wellington through the fact that we both had German Pointers at the time, Margaret still has, but I have changed to Labs. If I evern had to live in another country, NZ would be the one I would choose.
