# Zoey not gaining weight



## chelsea (Oct 28, 2013)

Hi all, Zoey went for her 16 wk check up yesterday & weighed in at 3.9lbs. She was 3.5lbs at 13wks! Vet said she was thin & to up her food but otherwise completely healthy & too adorable.
So how much do u all feed your pups? Am feeding 3 x a day 1/3 cup of taste of the Wild food & she gobbles it down. She poops 4-5 x a day. She's definitely a little taller & longer, is active & happy but 5oz in 3 weeks seems awfully little. 
Oh & I also give her treats when training but mostly of her kibble. 
Is one cup way too little for 3.9lb pup? 

I wish I had her problem!! No one's ever accused me of being too thin!


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## chelsea (Oct 28, 2013)

How do I get a photo of Zoey to show up where my name is?


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

Near the top of the page click on UserCp then in the left column click on Edit Avatar. You can add the picture from that screen.


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## tra_po (Aug 14, 2013)

Ludo is almost 6 months and 5 pounds. Maybe we just have bitty ones...? Ludo's mom and dad were under 15 pounds. Do you know how big Zoey's were? Even when Ludo "grows" from being fed I just feel it in his little round belly. 

And I wish I had their problem, too!


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## chelsea (Oct 28, 2013)

Thanks misstray. That worked. And thanks tra_po. Maybe we just have tiny ones. Btw how big was Ludo when he could go down the stairs. Zoey goes up just fine & down a couple with treat lure but still a bit steep for her. Will continue to carry her as last time she tried she did a handstand & would have gone right over if I hadn't been there to catch her! Baby steps!


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## tra_po (Aug 14, 2013)

Ludo was the same way - could go up but not down until very recently (within last two weeks). And he is still tenuous going down the stairs. Luckily we have a landing on our stairs or I don't think he would try the whole staircase. I carry him a lot anyway just to help him!  

*(She's SUPER cute!!!)


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## MarinaGirl (Mar 25, 2012)

Emmie was about 4 lbs at 4 months and 6 lbs at 6 months. She's now almost 2 years old and weighs between 8 to 8.5 lbs. So Zoey and Ludo may stay on the smaller side too. They're both very cute!  -Jeanne-


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

chelsea said:


> Hi all, Zoey went for her 16 wk check up yesterday & weighed in at 3.9lbs. She was 3.5lbs at 13wks! Vet said she was thin & to up her food but otherwise completely healthy & too adorable.
> So how much do u all feed your pups? Am feeding 3 x a day 1/3 cup of taste of the Wild food & she gobbles it down. She poops 4-5 x a day. She's definitely a little taller & longer, is active & happy but 5oz in 3 weeks seems awfully little.
> Oh & I also give her treats when training but mostly of her kibble.
> Is one cup way too little for 3.9lb pup?
> ...


 If she is gobbling her food down try to add a small amount more maybe that would give her just enough to gain a bit more. I cant remember how much mine ate. I did add extra chicken on top and they loved it.


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## SJ1998 (Feb 4, 2013)

My boy was small when we brought him home. He turned one in November and weighs about ten pounds last month. I cant remember his weight progressions exactly but I do think around the same marks at that age. He seemed to grow more around 8-9 months. 

Be careful with the vaccinations etc. I dont have complete confidence that all vets understand this breed! I followed Jean Dodds and my breeder's advice. 

There are some negative reviews on Taste of the Wild. I dont know what the exact issues are but you might want to check into it. I know you love your little doggie!


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## Lucy419 (Jun 10, 2013)

Your puppy is so cute! 

Mine was about 4 lbs at 4 months. She's over 7 months now and just only 5.5 lbs. I think we just have small babies. I knew she would be this small though. If she is eating, drinking, peeing, and pooping normally I wouldn't be too concerned! Lucy also eats about a cup or less of food a day. 

You mentioned about going up and down the stairs. Lucy started consistently going up and down the stairs at around 4.5 months.


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## RitaandRiley (Feb 27, 2012)

For Taste of the Wild, It's manufactured by Diamond, so google "Diamond recalls" for info.


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## chelsea (Oct 28, 2013)

Thanks for tips. Will check into the food issue. Boy I hope it's not a prob. It was recommended by breeder & she certainly loves it. Which brands do you all recommend if I were to change it up?


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Look into Acanna I think it a good food.


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## chelsea (Oct 28, 2013)

By the way, all your pups are too adorable! Has Ludo kept his choc coloring? Zoey has milky coffee new hair coming thru on her spine. She has a pale thin stripe down her back so in the dark she looks like a skunk. So funny. But still choc coming thru on her head. Her dad is a solid choc & her mum a b/w parti so who knows what colors she'll be down the road & who cares. She has the greatest personality!


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Dry:
Acana
Fromm
Raw:
Primal
Dehydrated:
Honest kitchen
Ziwipeak

These brands don't use ingredients from china.
I was also impressed with Earthborn canned but didn't do as much research on them as I did the above companies. They make their food in a human grade facility. Bella like it!


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## chelsea (Oct 28, 2013)

Gross question I know but do u think the food might be the reason she poops 5 times a day?


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Could be….My guys usually poops twice a day. I had a foster who was on bad food and he pooped 5 times before 3 pm!


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

I think if your vet thinks she should gain some weight that tells me her ribs are showing. Do you know how to tell if she is to thin?


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## chelsea (Oct 28, 2013)

Yes I know how to tell but am happy to report that upping the food to 1/3 cup 3 times a day has made a huge difference & she now feels much chunkier. Am thinking maybe that's a little too much food! 
How much were u feeding your little ones at 4 mths & when did u switch to 2x a day?
Thanks for all advice. Will look into the food brands you recommended.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Well Mine just have a bowl of food that I keep refilling. I tried to keep with what the puppy food said for weight. They go threw stages where they want more sometimes especially while their growing. Then less when their teething. Mine are three and a half now and eat about 3/4 cup a day each. They may have eaten more than that when they were little I cant remember. I can put the 3/4 cup out and it sits for hours they eat when their hungry and don't over eat. I might not be the right person to ask. I think if your puppy is gaining now with the little bit more that's good. They wiggle and run so much I bet Zoey will be fine. After she is spayed that's when females tend to gain weight. My way of feeding has worked for me but some think scheduled feeding is better for house training.


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## Alcibides (Feb 14, 2012)

chelsea said:


> Hi all, Zoey went for her 16 wk check up yesterday & weighed in at 3.9lbs. She was 3.5lbs at 13wks! Vet said she was thin & to up her food but otherwise completely healthy & too adorable.
> So how much do u all feed your pups? Am feeding 3 x a day 1/3 cup of taste of the Wild food & she gobbles it down. She poops 4-5 x a day. She's definitely a little taller & longer, is active & happy but 5oz in 3 weeks seems awfully little.
> Oh & I also give her treats when training but mostly of her kibble.
> Is one cup way too little for 3.9lb pup?
> ...


Wellness makes a canned puppy food that is high in calories and that Lucky still loves although now he infrequently gets it. Why not try adding a 3 oz can to the a.m. and p.m. meal (think it's equivalent to one third cup of dry) and see if it helps Zoey put on some poundage.Good luck in any case.


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## SJ1998 (Feb 4, 2013)

My holistic vet told me that it is better to let them grow slowly and keep them on the thin side (but not too thin). I used the amounts on the packages as a rough guide but went a lot by appearance and feel and also how much he wanted to eat. My guy was fussy for awhile, partly because his attention span I think. I agree with Suzi too I think it is stage and if they are teething. Someone on here told me to keep the food bowl down for a short time and then remove it and that was helpful to manage his eating habits also. I would definitely look into the Ziwipeak, I just started mixing that with the Primal raw and my dogs are doing really well on it. My hav prefers it, he will pick that out and eat it first. It is nice to have a non-raw option for traveling. I also feed vital essentials tripe from time to time.


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## chelsea (Oct 28, 2013)

Thanks for all advice. Am going to stick to dry food only for now. Will look at Fromms & Acanna as suggested.
Today she threw up undigested food twice. Not her whole meal - just a little. Definitely time for a change I guess. Just don't want to upset her more by changing. Will do it gradually & hope for best.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Bella who is my picky picky eater likes Fromm whitefish with their four star canned food mixed in as a teaser. So I add about a tablespoon of wet to her dry food.


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## Pucks104 (Aug 16, 2012)

Leo came home with us at 10.5 weeks. His breeder had him on Eukanuba Small Breed Puppy food. I transitioned him off that food to Fromm Grain-Free after he gad been with us about 2 weeks. He was still a very streaky eater. Would go a day or two without eating then eat quite a lot. I found that inconsistency very difficult as far as tracking what he was eating and measuring his weight accurately. I switched him to Ziwipeak Air-Dried in late August when he was 6.5 months old and haven't looked back. He eats 2x/day, morning and evening, and loves the Ziwipeak so much that I use part of his meal as training treats. The amount is small (2.5 oz/day for Leo who weighs 11lbs +/-) and you don't want to over feed as the food is very nutrient dense and will loosen stools. However, Leo is doing great on Ziwipeak, loves it and maintains a good weight. I no longer have worries about him eating or trying to figure out if he is getting enough or too much. Ziwipeak is working really well for Leo. I alternate between the lamb, venison and venison and fish. Leo goes between varieties seamlessly.


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