[Okie-dobie]

If anyone else's dobergirl gained weight after the heat cycle. I just changed her food to a lower calorie one because it's like all of a sudden she is starting to pack it on! I think she is starting to mature more and getting more curves but I just weighed her and was a little surprised.:eek2: Is this normal? She was 8 months on the 6th of March.

 

[Dobesanddragons]

No need to go low-cal.
Puppies need a lot of food when they are growing, more than an adult. Something to remember is as they grow- they will require less food to keep them at that perfect weight and you might have to adjust it accordingly by how they look month to month. Activity also plays a MAJOR part. Spring and summer usually bring more activity. Sometimes dogs require more food in the winter to keep warm as well. Just varies

 

[Murreydobe]

If anyone else's dobergirl gained weight after the heat cycle. I just changed her food to a lower calorie one because it's like all of a sudden she is starting to pack it on! I think she is starting to mature more and getting more curves but I just weighed her and was a little surprised.:eek2: Is this normal? She was 8 months on the 6th of March.

Is she getting more body or just getting fat? That first heat can cause some major growing up and beefing up (including more weight), but the dog shouldn't be looking fat.

If she's starting to look fat, could be a false pregnancy. Or it could be due to the fact she didn't get as much exercise as usual while she was in season.

I always cut Razzle's food back slightly when she goes into season, knowing she won't get those play dates at the park for the next 3 weeks or so..I also put her on senior dog food once she goes into heat, and keep her on it for a couple of months to try to avoid falsies..so far, that's worked well.

 

[sorthund]

I also put her on senior dog food once she goes into heat, and keep her on it for a couple of months to try to avoid falsies..so far, that's worked well.

MD, how does the senior food help avoid that? It's lower in??? How would you apply that when raw feeding?

 

[Murreydobe]

MD, how does the senior food help avoid that? It's lower in??? How would you apply that when raw feeding?

I don't know exactly why/how that would help to avoid false pregnancies, it's just something a lot of long term breeders recommend-I'd think maybe it was because senior dog food is lower protein and lower fat.

I'm not a raw feeder, so I don't have the slightest idea how you'd handle that..I also give Razzle a tablespoon of parsley (a natural diuretic) in her food twice a day for a couple of months after she goes into season-that would be something you could do.

Keep in mind that all bitches have false pregnancies-it's just that some are more noticeable and extreme than others. Other than the aggravation value of a bitch suddenly making her toys her babies, it's not that big of an issue if you're not showing your dog. You just don't want to walk into the ring with a saggy baggy bitch.

 

[PeeWeesMama]

I have always had mine spayed before thier heat, so sorry I can't help

 

[Okie-dobie]

No need to go low-cal.
Puppies need a lot of food when they are growing, more than an adult. Something to remember is as they grow- they will require less food to keep them at that perfect weight and you might have to adjust it accordingly by how they look month to month. Activity also plays a MAJOR part. Spring and summer usually bring more activity. Sometimes dogs require more food in the winter to keep warm as well. Just varies

No it is not low cal food that I am swiching to. I feed Go Natural and it has 650 cals. per cup. I just bought a bag of Fromm Gold Adult, I think it is about 350-400 cals. a cup. I think I will go back and forth between the two foods.

 

[waiting]

Heh Oakie,
******* is probably putting on weight, because we use Prong Collars remember we are so L - A - z - y and sit on the couch all day eating bon-bons.

lol sorry couldn't help myself

I let both my girls have a heat before spaying them. I found they looked a little fuller / mature. I relate it to young adolescents coming into puberty, blossoming.
She could also be in false heat, my vet never recommended I change the diet at that point in her life, your gal is getting bigger yes, but remember she is still a pup and is going to fill out and grow more. Wait till her chest gets deeper and broader, and her hips and rear, ******* is far from finished. She is a beauty now wait and see how much better she is going to look when she is two, with all her womanly ways.

 

[Okie-dobie]

Heh Oakie,
******* is probably putting on weight, because we use Prong Collars remember we are so L - A - z - y and sit on the couch all day eating bon-bons.

lol sorry couldn't help myself

I let both my girls have a heat before spaying them. I found they looked a little fuller / mature. I relate it to young adolescents coming into puberty, blossoming.
She could also be in false heat, my vet never recommended I change the diet at that point in her life, your gal is getting bigger yes, but remember she is still a pup and is going to fill out and grow more. Wait till her chest gets deeper and broader, and her hips and rear, ******* is far from finished. She is a beauty now wait and see how much better she is going to look when she is two, with all her womanly ways.

Haha...oh yea I forgot we are lazy!!!!

 

[Okie-dobie]

Is she getting more body or just getting fat? That first heat can cause some major growing up and beefing up (including more weight), but the dog shouldn't be looking fat.

If she's starting to look fat, could be a false pregnancy. Or it could be due to the fact she didn't get as much exercise as usual while she was in season.

I always cut Razzle's food back slightly when she goes into season, knowing she won't get those play dates at the park for the next 3 weeks or so..I also put her on senior dog food once she goes into heat, and keep her on it for a couple of months to try to avoid falsies..so far, that's worked well.

I'm not to sure if she is just getting more body or she is starting to put on a few extra pounds?? Here are a few pictures if this helps....

notice the little roll of chub around her left leg.

Do you find her nipples look inlarged? I'm not to sure if you can tell in any of the pictures.

 

[Murreydobe]

I'm not to sure if she is just getting more body or she is starting to put on a few extra pounds?? Here are a few pictures if this helps....

notice the little roll of chub around her left leg.

Do you find her nipples look inlarged? I'm not to sure if you can tell in any of the pictures.

I can't be 100% certain without being able to look down at her and see if she has any kind of a waistline..but it looks like she probably could stand to lose a few pounds. I think maybe the root cause of the problem is lack of exercise, not unusual when it's cold out..I think she could be harder bodied than she looks in those pics.

But again-even when you get her in ultimate condition, you may see her put on some weight due to the maturation process..Razzle gained about 6 lbs. all in muscle mass and body after her first season, and it happened pretty darned fast, too.

 

[Okie-dobie]

She finished her heat about 3 weeks ago...so I don't think it would be a false preg.???? She has always looked so lean and mean, I guess maybe she is just growing and maturing like waiting said. I can't wait to see what she looks like at 2 years old...hopefully she grows a little more and becomes a little more square....maybe not, doesnt really matter, I still love my teenager dobiegirl!!

 

[Okie-dobie]

I can't be 100% certain without being able to look down at her and see if she has any kind of a waistline..but it looks like she probably could stand to lose a few pounds. I think maybe the root cause of the problem is lack of exercise, not unusual when it's cold out..I think she could be harder bodied than she looks in those pics.

But again-even when you get her in ultimate condition, you may see her put on some weight due to the maturation process..Razzle gained about 6 lbs. all in muscle mass and body after her first season, and it happened pretty darned fast, too.

Yeah she has a waist line but not really super defined. It happened so fast!! And you are right, exercise has not been as intense as it usually has been. Starting tomorrow we are going to start a little exercise program, we both need it!!! Spring is coming and you know what that means...shorts and tank tops!! OMG.

 

[brumwolf]

She is beautiful any way i look at her,but the best way silly as it sound is to look down on her, and if she is straight sided she may need to lose a little weight,she should curve in at her sides a little, just before her hips,just like any woman.

 

[Wegs813]

Do you find her nipples look inlarged? I'm not to sure if you can tell in any of the pictures.

The nipples are normal. I had commented to Travis one day that Copper's nipples were looking rather large and about a week later we knew that she was in heat. I had never dealt with it before so I called the vet and asked.

 

[Okie-dobie]

She is beautiful any way i look at her,but the best way silly as it sound is to look down on her, and if she is straight sided she may need to lose a little weight,she should curve in at her sides a little, just before her hips,just like any woman.

Well sorry to disappoint you brum, your superstar girl has put on a few pounds!! It just kinda happened overnight!! Just like my waistline...

 

[Okie-dobie]

The nipples are normal. I had commented to Travis one day that Copper's nipples were looking rather large and about a week later we knew that she was in heat. I had never dealt with it before so I called the vet and asked.

Her nipples got larger but are still kinda big and it's been 3 weeks since her heat.

 

[Murreydobe]

Her nipples got larger but are still kinda big and it's been 3 weeks since her heat.

That's not unusual. They'll shrink back down to normal over time, only to enlarge again when she goes into season again.

 

[Patches Mom]

Sorry I have a boy but remember summer is around the corner with summer it usually is hot ( global warming and all ?) Most dogs will cut back on eating on their own you may not want her too loose too much. you may not be able to get her back up to a good weight till next fall.?
Patches Mom

 

[Okie-dobie]

Sorry I have a boy but remember summer is around the corner with summer it usually is hot ( global warming and all ?) Most dogs will cut back on eating on their own you may not want her too loose too much. you may not be able to get her back up to a good weight till next fall.?
Patches Mom

I will be careful P.M. and your right summer is coming which normally means more activity to. When I think about it we have been training alot lately and she has been getting more than her share in treats. Combine that with a fairly high calorie food and limited exercise I can see why she put on a few extra pounds. We need to tone up a little that's all, and I will go back to using her meals for training.