Puppy too skinny?

A

Armdnrdy

New Member
Owned by
1 cocker
I've recently noticed that the puppy I've received a week ago looks a tad skinny? She is three months old and when you put her on her back, she looks like she has a flat stomach. I feed her Purina Puppy Chow four times a day. You can't really feel her ribs when you first touch her, you have to press a little to feel them. Is this normal? Or is she not gaining enough weight? I think that she just may have been the runt of the litter, but she is a purebred American Cocker. When do Cockers get to their full size? :unsure:
 
Welcome. That sounds normal. You should weigh her from time to time and make sure she's putting on weight. A picture of her would help too. The expected weight of a 3 month female cocker is around 9.5pounds (see reference below). If she's eating Puppy Chow Complete, she needs about 1 1/3 cups a day based on her caloric requirements. The instructions on Purina's site recommend 1 1/4 - 3 2/3 cups per day based on her adult weight and actual age. She should weigh about 23 pounds as an adult. There's also a handy guide on purina's site showing you what a healthy weight puppy looks like. These numbers are just a guide. You should adjust her meals based on her weight and appearance. Cockers should be full size around 12 months--I'm a right?

Approximate Weights & Daily Energy Requirements of Cocker Spaniel Puppies
Dog Food Calculator

EDIT: Make sure and take your puppy to your vet for her regular checkups too.

*I'm assuming the current Puppy Chow Complete formula has 431kcal/cup.
 
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Welcome!
Sounds normal to me, but, I have never had a really young pup before, I'm sure some of the others will chime in and tell you. I would just say like Manuel says, taking your pup to the vet for regular check ups will also help.

Why don't you introduce yourself and tell us a little about your little pup. And, pictures please! :)

Also you can check out our albums. There are pictures of pups of all ages there.
 
This sounds right to me too. I have a three year old American Cocker and he weighed 9.5 at 3 months. I now have an 11 week old English Cocker and when I roll him on his back, his stomach is also flat. I had him to the vet on Monday for his second round of shots and he is 12.5 pounds, right on schedule according to the vet.

If you have any concerns, your vet will point you in the right direction. I always listen to mine and my two are happy and healthy.
 
Thank you all for the answers. I didn't know exactly how a Cocker should weigh at this age since it's my first so I was a bit worried she might be underweight. And I am going to buy a digital camera this weekend and would love to post pictures. ^_^
 
I wouldn't worry too much about the dog's actual weight at this point. How does the dog look? Are ribs clearly visible? If so, your puppy might be too thin. If you look at your puppy from above, can you see a definite waistline? If you run your hands along the dog's back and sides, is there a thin layer of fat? There should be - you should be able to feel the ribs without having to dig in, but you shouldn't be able to see them.

When puppies are young, up to about 6 months, I will generally feed them as much as they'll eat. I find that most puppies aren't total gluttons at that age yet, and will eat just as much as they need, and not too much more. Even if puppy seems a little bit fat at this age, I don't worry. If puppy still seems hungry at the end of a meal, offer more food and see if she takes it. If so, give her another 1/2 cup or whatever and let her eat it if she wants to.

Also, she should be eating at least twice a day . . . three times a day if you can manage it. Up until the age of 6 months, I try to feed my puppies three times a day, and then I go to twice daily feedings.

Can't wait to see some pictures!
 
KLADCkrs said:
I wouldn't worry too much about the dog's actual weight at this point. How does the dog look? Are ribs clearly visible? If so, your puppy might be too thin. If you look at your puppy from above, can you see a definite waistline? If you run your hands along the dog's back and sides, is there a thin layer of fat? There should be - you should be able to feel the ribs without having to dig in, but you shouldn't be able to see them.
Click to expand...

A thin layer of fat is there, and you can't see her ribs. I just thought she might've been too skinny since she looked like that on her back, I didn't know that some dogs look like and aren't that skinny standing or seen from above.
 
Hello Everyone. it's good to have social contacts while working very hard. This is a nice platform to have discussions. I have a puppy too and i have given him the name tommy.
 
Max has a flat tummy as well when you roll him is about 15 1/2 weeks weighing in at 11.2 pounds which is normal He has a really thick coat so he looks heavier then he is maybe she has a thinner coat so dose not look as plump as other puppy's? I think she is fine and your eye can tell more then the wight if your baby looks healthy nice coat no ribs or hips bright eyes I would say she is fine.
 
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