Skinny dog

aujopimur

We have a 5yo yorkie cross, he eats well but he is very skinny and you can feel every bone in his body.
Has anyone a few tips to put a bit of meat on him.

DBB

If he's genuinely not putting on weight despite plenty of food, and is not exercising hard, it would do no harm at all to get the vet to do blood tests, just to make sure there's nothing going on that you need to know about.

jsabina

the vet checked him I suppose?
Have you tried high protein food maybe?

boomerang

What do you feed him?

CleoD

Has he been wormed recently? This could be an issue, but failing that I would bring him/her to the vet just to check its not an underlying problem.

If vet comes back with no problems, then maybe switch to a high protein food, as poster above advised. My boxer is extremely energetic when we're out, she will run the park for two hours straight without getting tired, but is not a big eater, resulting in her being muscly but skinny at the same time. I've moved her onto Orijen dog food, packed with protein and her weight is gradually increasing...

DogsFirst

aujopimur wrote: »

We have a 5yo yorkie cross, he eats well but he is very skinny and you can feel every bone in his body.
Has anyone a few tips to put a bit of meat on him.

Cut out wheat completely from the diet (use a dry food that is rice or potatoe based). This alone helps the vast majority of skinny cases. Add in lots of fresh meat protein (chicken, beef mince, whatever). He'll pack on lean muscle mass this way, the right way of bulking your dog.

x Purple Pawprints x

If he's not putting on weight despite lots of food and a healthy appetite you should probably take him to your vet and have some bloods done to make sure there's nothing underlying. If they're all clear it might be a good idea to switch to a high protein food like the other users have suggested.

portgirl123

my neighbour has the same problem. she has a 3 yr old yorkie who is the same. she eats everything and anything, great app, has had all checks at vet. vet says she is a lovely healthy dog. he thinks it cos she never sits down. out on walks, she has come with me before, and she would run and run all day. vet thinks thats her problem. he says while she is happy and heathly not to worry.

DogsFirst

The vet is very likely right. Dogs are supposed to be lean creatures, maybe the Yorkie is just one of those dogs! Still though, if it's muscle you're neighbour's after, tell them to remove wheat based foods and bang the fresh meat in.

mymo

If she is otherwise healthy (do check with vet there are few problems that can cause the dog to not put on weight) and her poop is solid so you know food not running through her, and she's eating well, wormed, etc,
I would try a good puppy food, mix some in with regular food, or you can try the recipe my vet gave me to put weight on my fella, get some chicken thighs or legs/ meaty bones and scraps/ mince or whatever, put in casserole dish with some brown rice and water and cook like a casserole, add some veg if you like, mine love carrots, green beans, turnip, broccoli and sweet potato (infact mine go nuts for sweet potato roasted in oven too), when cooked remove bones and feed with some of regular food.

What are you feeding?

My friend has a yorkie that has issues with any commercial food so she just cooks extra and gives her human food or the casserole above, dog is still thin but not skinny as she was and hair looks great and has more energy too.