Been wondering about this for a long time & seeing a few posts lately bout diarrhea doing the rounds & some people mentioning lean/fat pups,it seemed a good idea to post a topic on it & discuss whether it`s best to keep pups on the lean side or keep them chunky. I think it`s best for pups to be kept on the fat side because if anything happens health wise, they have reserves to fall back on. It doesn`t take long for a pup to lose it they if they should get ill, they can go downhill very quickly. On the other hand, I do believe it`s better for them bones/structural wise, to be kept on the leaner side, especially in the larger fast growing breeds. What do others think?
Christine, Spain.

I agree it's very easy for a pup to dramatically lose condition if it gets a off-colour for a day or two, so I like to keep mine fairly well-covered. They tend to get lean and leggy at about 4 months anyway, and I find the weight seems to right itself about then. I have seen 8 week old pups who were definitely lean, if not positively thin, and they didn't look at all healthy :(

Christine,
I'm so glad you asked this . My pup is looking lovely and "meaty" . :) He's not overly fat but he's not what I would call thin either .
At what age should they start to lose their "puppy fat" ?
I've recently changed his food to Hills Science Plan - puppy and he looks really well on it .I just dont want him to look TOO meaty though - so like yourself I was asking the very same question.
Lel

Hi Christine

Good subject :) Why is it we tend to think of fat puppies as healthy and thin as having something wrong with them?

Like you I have always liked to see well covered pups for the same reason, if they do get the runs for a few days then they won't fade away too quickly. However I am now beginning to feel that pups should be well covered until they are around 6 weeks and really starting to get around and explore their surroundings. After this I think they should slim down so that they are not carrying excess weight whilst they are going though their major growth spurts.

Kerioak

Think it depends to a certain extent on the breed. It took me quite a long time to realise that flatcoat pups can't take as much food as our labs used too, and if you try to make them look 'roly-poly' they just get the squits - sometimes very dramatically, then they look worse than if you'd moderated their intake in the first place.

Jo and the Casblaidd Flatcoats

I was told by my vet that it's best to keep a dog lean from the beginning because putting a dog on a diet is something you would never want to do! Of course, I have a lab, so it would always be easier for him to "chunk up" if needed, rather than making him abstain. Also, labs are also prone to diabetes and hip displaysia from being overweight -- another reason for keeping them lean. My vet told me a horrid story of a woman who wanted to keep her dog overweight because she thought it made him look "cuter," and the dog is now on several medications because he has diabetes.

Hi all, only just got back on lost my connection all day! Difficult one this isn`t it??? I`m mostly talking about pups, say 7/8wks onwards & people do ask me & I don`t know what to say to them anymore. Adult dogs you can regulate the diet without them coming to any harm but it`s different with the pups. I used to be of the opinion to keep them chunky but with all I`ve read now I do think there is a lot to say for keeping them on the leaner side, but as we know if they get ill they can lose all their wieght in no time! So whats the answer?? Keeping them chunky till say 4/6mths. I don`t know, just I think about it quite often & don`t know the answer. The skinny ones don`t look right & the first thing I think is Oh if they get ill, & then I wonder whats happening to the bones of the chunky ones!! Must be a balance & seeing my thoughts in black in white makes me think not too much fat nor too thin! But everyone has their own idea of whats too much either way.
Christine, Spain.