My Bullmastiff bitch is now 9mnths old, she weighs 45.5kgs a couple of people said she is a bit tubby. But the breeder was happy and said is still a little puppy fat on her. You can see a waist on her and she tucks up slightly underneath. She is very solid apparently her dad was, also there were only 3 pups in the litter so they were all quite big. Does anyone have experience of this or similiar breed and can tell me how their pups grew. She is not a big eater and is quite active so can't really see where I could cut down if I needed to but would try. In my eyes she seems to be growing lovely but I also think because my other dogs are 2 x Greyhounds and a Springer x she does look chunky next to them!

With big dogs it is such a fine balance with feeding, Too much can cause damage with the strain on the joint, And too little and they may not be getting all the nutrients that they need to support the rapid growth they have. My advise would be to listen to the breeder, if he or she thinks that all is well, I would be happy with that. They are the experts and nobody will know their dogs better than they do.  I always like to see a little "Puppy Fat" until they are at least 12 months old. (My Mum used to say that about me, but now Im 37 I cant use that excuse anymore!! ;)  )  Just my opinion though.

Maybe you could send a link to a picture of her for all to see?
If the breeder is knowledgeable I too would listen to them but saying that I would not expect my dogs breeder to say my young giant breed pup has puppy fat on them it is ok.
It really isn't good for them to have extra weight at this age (or any age really)the body will build up over the next few years or so.
I personally am a believer of having them quite light at this age rather than chubby.
Saying that my latest pup did have a little extra coverage at one point (she was looked after by my mum) and the breeder quickly pointed out she could do with losing some weight when she saw her!
I think the first sentence when she got her hands on my pup was she has been home at feeding times :)...
By no means was she fat but had a little too much coverage on her ribs she did not need...
She too is very active but to bring her weight down a little we added boiled and mashed veg to her food(carrot, peas etc)

If you feel your girls ribs is can you feel them fine or is there fat between your fingers and the ribs?
Obviously you need a little layer but many dogs have more than that!
It might also be  that the people telling you she is a bit tubby are used to not so heavy build dogs and your girl is just fine!

can you post a pic as noora suggests? of course hands are the best way to tell.

i'm a bully person to (hello!) and you must be carefull not to have them heavy as additional joint strain is the last thing you need, though i'm sure you know that and thats probably why your asking. your description of a waist and a tuck up sounds perfect- if you run your hands down her ribs how obvious (or not) do they feel? you should be able to feel them being there, not in stark detail, without pushing. there should not be a thick layer of fat, you shouldn't need to digging to find them.

this is terribly hard to put in writing!

by 9 months she should be starting to look slightly great dane cross like (other large and giant breed people, does this sound mad or do you understand it to?)- a bit lanky looking. basically the height comes before the bulk. that being said if she's from a particularly chunky line she might not be so bad for this. our youngest is from a real big boy of a stud and she didn't go terribly gangly.

if you do decide to cut down can i ask what your feeding her? if for example you mix meat with her food what kind? lamb, for example, is fatty where tripe is less calorific.

who said she's a bit heavy? was it your vet- do they have experience of big breeds?

> by 9 months she should be starting to look slightly great dane cross like (other large and giant breed people, does this sound mad or do you understand it to?)-

Not confusing :) They go through a 'leggy stage', where they do look more like a dane than the breed they are!

>who said she's a bit heavy? was it your vet- do they have experience of big breeds?

Whenever I get Buster weighed, I get the vet to tell me weather he is a good weight before he goes on the scales, that way they get to judge on body condition alone and don't get shocked by the figures on the scales :)

> they get to judge on body condition alone and don't get shocked by the figures on the scales

sensible with a mastiff as there isn't an upper limit so nothing is 'to heavy' unless they are overweight (if that makes sense lol)

thanks for your replys, I havent got a clue how to send a picture!! LOL. But I will find out or get OH to do it! I am feeding her Arden Grange Large breed puppy/Arden Grange Large breed adult in equal measures. She has a little Arden Grange canned food with it, but only approx quarter of tin. Roughly 4 cups of dry. Tripe sticks as treat. She definately isnt gangly at the moment she seems to be broadening before going up! Can feel her ribs but there is a thin fat layer. It was my vet (where I work) who said she was tubby and 'yes' I do agree they do not have the best knowledge of different breeds, and they always see her with my Greyhounds!

> 'yes' I do agree they do not have the best knowledge of different breeds, and they always see her with my Greyhounds

there in lies the rub. general practitioners be they animal or human are not the best judges. how many bullys do they see? i'd think your breeder knows better.

you can put a little picture as your avatar (look in the corner of my post you'll see my girl Kismet and my now gone mastiff Odin). you can upload a pic in your Options. it'll be tiny but it might give an idea.

not so up on the calories etc of the different feeds-mastifflovers your girl for that- but maybe replace the tinned food with some tripe? (of course you'd really have to love your girly for that lol!! dunno if you've smelled fresh tripe?)

i'm going to pm you something ok? just click where it says you have a message from me :)

Hopefully you will see a picture of Ruby

thanks for the link, I dont think she is too bad. Sorry still can't do picture!

please tell me how to put a picture on! Have managed on the avatar but would like to send big pic

> but maybe replace the tinned food with some tripe?

That sounds good (wont smell good though, LOL).

I'm not sure if Bullmastiffs are the same as Mastiffs, in the slowing of growth rate at 9 months? I cut Busters food down slightly when he reached about 9 months or he would have turned into a porker, aswell as that, he was allready off puppy food.

Has the breeder advised when to phase out the puppy food?

> please tell me how to put a picture on! Have managed on the avatar but would like to send big pic

We can't put pics in the forum, or links to our own pics. But, in your profile (under options where you did the avator) you can put a link up to photobucket (or whichever picture hosting site you use) in the bit that says 'website'. That way anyone can click on your username, then click on the link to see your pics :)

Lots of good advice above and not really got anything too exciting to add but - I LOVE MY BULLY!!!!!

Weight really hard to control at the 9month stage, my bitch was about the same weight as original post, at 9 months, got a bit heavier (too many training treats the bad kind), changed treats to carrots etc and wieght is great now.  I knew she was a bit plump when she trotted, had a kind of 'roll'.

Good Luck.

Dawn

Thanks for all the great advice. Ruby has'nt really got to lanky stage she just looks like a mini adult! Will watch what she has as treats and try the tripe with her Arden Grange. Does anyone know if dried tripe sticks are high in fat? Do they grow alot taller from 9 months? I know it obviously varies dog to dog but just wondering, as her mother was quite tall. Sorry about all the questions!

> I'm not sure if Bullmastiffs are the same as Mastiffs, in the slowing of growth rate at 9 months? I cut Busters food down slightly when he reached about 9 months or he would have turned into a porker, aswell as that, he was allready off puppy food.
>

pretty much but then they start growing again soon to. i'd also day its a bit different as bitch and dogs grow a bit differently.

I cook for my dog almost everyday so she does eat just once or max twice a day (not including crackers) and i know what she eats.
She could never become really fat ...
You could try it maybe just everyother day but though.

from your avatar she doesn't look tubby (but its hard to tell lol)

try different snacks as well, for example by boy loves a carrot :)