Is my puppy growing normally

[KRISSIE]

hi , I have been feeding both of my rotties Canidae for a few months now and they are both doing very well on it...they're coats look great :D however, I do have a question about my puppy's weight and build.

My puppy Maximus is 7 months old and he is 24" in height, 36" in lenght and 71 lbs....he does not seem to be filling out in the chest or getting muscular, is this normal?

I do have another Rott who's father was a german rott and mother american, she as a puppy was very thick & muscular, she is the shorter and stockier type, typical german rott just like her dad. Maximus is not filling out like she did and I don't know why. He is also German/american but much taller than she was at his age? i know that rotties normally grow up the first year and out the second but he is not filling out at all, he is very lean. When I was at the dog run last week there was another rott there, same age as Max and he was the same in height and lenght but much thicker...so I started to wonder why Max isn't filling out like that?? Could it be the food , do you think I need to give him vitamin supplements, I feed him 4 cups of Canidae a day, which is a cup more than the required amount? also, he was recently at the Vet and they said he is in great health but I think he looks a little underweight. is this normal? Is he ever gonna get muscular? or am I just a nut who's obsessed with my dog...:D . What do you guys think?

[Goniella]

Size is all in the genes. Male rottweilers arent fully mature until between 2-3 years old. Some male rotties stay lean their entire lives just as some stay small. My boy bear was the height of a small female and only about 75-80 lbs at 4 years old.

[Judy Chrusch]

Hi Krissie, there's nothing wrong with that weight and you can't really compare any 2 dogs bc their genetics are different and bone structure. With some dogs no matter what you do you can't build them up it's just not in the genes, some are small boned, some are large. Unless you can see ribs sticking out or he looks extremely thin then don't worry. It's much better to be alittle lean rather then too heavy. It's much easier to put on weight then take it off. As far as him filling out, you won't see that yet, he has till he's 3 to gain weight and mature. At 7 months they can look awkward anyway. I have a friend who has a male rottie alittle younger then mine, about 17 months and he doesn't compare to mine as far as muscle and bone structure but that's o.k. his genetics are different. She too was worried bc he looked very thin compared to mine but hers was taller and my pup is more compact and also has a big head. A year from now you'll see a big difference, give it time and he'll get as big as he's gonna get by 2 and 1/2 or so. So as long as he's healthy, eating good and active don't worry and maybe his metabolism is fast. Keep an eye on him and of course if he starts losing then perhaps you may want to consult your vet. It's also possible that he isn't gaining on Canidae but I'd give it some more time and if your vet says he looks good then why worry. Stop worrying and enjoy your boys:D. I know all about worrying too much and now that my kids are grown I am even worse ;). I know if a hair is out of place on Czar :D. Just have fun and try not to worry.

Judy

[KRISSIE]

Thanks......:D :D , I know I sound crazy but I can't help it...I am a worrier, my mother is a worrier too so I've been cursed with that same trait as her...lol , Max's ribs are not sticking out, in fact, the only way I can feel them is if I put pressure on my fingers and run it along his rib cage. He is just very lean and you are right he does look a bit ackward right now, his head and ears are changing shape agian. I was just wondering if it was normal for him not to be filling out yet because my other one did, but the genetic thing does make sense. The reason I asked about the food is because Canidae has very natural ingredients and I was thinking maybe he wasn't getting enough carbohydrates in his diet, I know that like babies, puppies need more carbs than adults. But Overall he is gaining consistently 7-8 lbs per month, he is very energetic and his coat looks incredible...(shinny black),
so I know he is healthy but I just wanted to ask your opinion on the filling out thing and the food...I just want to be sure that I am giving him nutrionally everything he needs to grow into a beautiful, healthy adult...
;)
Thanks....

[TrishB]

Judy is right (again! :)). He'll fill out to his potential in his own time.

Your boy is probably very active right now. He's at a very interesting age. ;) The food you're giving him isn't only going into his energy levels, but also into fueling his growth spurts! If your vet is happy with his current health, you should be too! :D

Some pups are growthy, some are stocky, some are gangly and never seem to be 'in sync'. One day you'll turn around and look at him and say "Where'd my puppy go? Where did this adult dog come from?" Give him time - enjoy the puppy you have. He'll be an adult soon enough. ;)

[Judy Chrusch]

Krissie it sure sounds like you have a normal happy 7 month old, enjoy him and don't worry so much:D. You'll also see during growth spirts they'll look kinda goofy. Now Czar never went through any of that awkward stage but all my others did so go figure ;). As far as the food, if he's burning it up fast and he continues to be active then maybe you'll want to try adding another 1/2 cup bc as they are growing and going through their growth spirts they sometimes require more food then when they slow down you can cut back, does that make sense? Anyway, you sound like a really good mom so enjoy and relax my friend.

Judy

[DixieGrl113]

Some, including myself, call this the "steamroller" stage. Beau is 13 months and is still a 2 dimensional! :D He is starting to fill out. Roxanne never went through this stage though. She looked proportional the whole time. Beau is now 26" and weighs 76lbs (?somewhere around there). Just watch his overall body condition, you want to be able to easily feel ribs but not see them so if he looks a little thin, he's probably going through a spurt and you would want to increase the amount of food. I would go with + 1/2 cup like Judy said.