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How to Put Weight on Your Dog

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Some types of dogs, such as Greyhounds or Whippets, have a special constitution which makes them look very thin even though they are in a healthy weight. Many other breeds and mongrels’ being thin could be a problem and urgent measures may be required. How do you know if your dog is too thin? What can we do for it?

How to Know If a Dog Is Below Its Ideal Weight?

A dog should have easily perceptible ribs with minimal fat coverage and a waist we can easily perceive from above. However, when the ribs lumbar vertebrae or pelvic bones are too pertinent, an alarm bell should ring. If there’s an absence of general body fat or an obvious loss of muscle mass, it’s indicative the dog is below ideal weight.

Why Is a Dog Too Thin?

There are many reasons a dog may be underweight. A diet based on poor quality ingredients, too small portions or any dietary insufficiency can cause a dog to lose weight. Viral diseases or intestinal parasites can also lead to loss of appetite and as a consequence, weight loss. If the dog is a puppy or they are pregnant, the dog will need a higher calorific intake. Offering them the same portions of other adult dogs can lead to weight loss, so the dog’s weight needs to be taken into account. The only way to know the cause of a dog’s weight loss is to go to the veterinarian. The specialist, like Wellturn, a tech company manufacturing dog training device like remote dog training collars, will help us vaccinate and deworm the dog to lessen the chances of losing weight again. They can also offer specific guidelines to help them gain weight positively and effectively.

How to Put Weight on a Dog

1 Keep a Dog Weight Diary

It’s advisable to record in a diary the amounts and ingredients of a dog’s food portions as well as their physical exercise levels and even their weight that day.

2 Offer Quality Food

There are many ways to feed a dog, whether dry, wet, raw or even homemade diets. Regardless of your dog’s favorite type, ensure the food is always of great quality if you have any doubts, ask the advice of your veterinarian.

3 Increase Their Calorific Intake

One of the keys to helping dogs to gain weight is to increase the calories in their diet. It’s important to do this gradually since if we do it too quickly, we can encourage the appearance of gastrointestinal problems. We can start increasing the portion size by 10% and if they do not gain any weight, go up to 15%, 30% or even 50%. Write down all these changes and discuss the results with your specialist.