Best thing to feed busy collie to put weight on

kizmund

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My 4 year old collie is prone to being a bit poor weight wise. She looks in great condition (bright eyes, fab coat etc) but ATM when I run my hand down her back I can feel her spine in certain places.

I've tried feeding her more and more often but nothing seems get her putting weight on.

Is there any feed you could recommend for adding weight, particularly to this busy breed that would be great. Our other dog is a bit of a fatty so having the opposite problem!
 

kizmund

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Well this has been going on for about a year: she was originally on IAMs but started to slowly drop weight, upped the quantity but then her skin became a bit flakey, spoke to vet who recommended that I change to a low carb food.
Then went on to Canagan (sp?) which is very natural and has a high protein content. Her skin went back to normal but she dropped even more weight, assumed the weight loss was due to less carbs so started adding rice/pasta to her meals.
She's put on a bit but not much and this is what I'm doing ATM. Thinking of switching to James Welbelove lamb and rice because it is still more natural but has a higher carb content.

Sometimes I think she looks ok but others she looks skinny and it is becoming a bit of a worry. So any help gratefully received.
 

s4sugar

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A bit pointless paying extra for a grain free food and then adding rice or Pasta. Iams is not good food but there are lots of alternatives. Grain free only beomes an issue if your dog has intolerances and usual grain issues are from wheat or maize.

Is she a keen eater?

I would try Skinners field & trial duck & rice (better than JWB & half the price) and adding tinned Butchers tripe.
 

PolarSkye

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A bit pointless paying extra for a grain free food and then adding rice or Pasta. Iams is not good food but there are lots of alternatives. Grain free only beomes an issue if your dog has intolerances and usual grain issues are from wheat or maize.

Is she a keen eater?

I would try Skinners field & trial duck & rice (better than JWB & half the price) and adding tinned Butchers tripe.

Skinners Field and Trial gives both of my collie crosses a beautiful coat, healthy skin (Daisy can be itchy on feeds high in "additives") and a good covering.

P
 

kizmund

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Thank you. Will have a look at that food. I thought the same ehen adding carbs to that food but did it because Then i was alble to monitor how much and could be sure it had no extras. She's quite a keen eater, nothing like our springer who eats his in 2 secs flat, but she does always eat it all.
 

ludlow

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I use Wagg worker for my lab and its really helped with her condition, energy etc. She runs miles every day and was really struggling before. If she's still super hungry then she gets some weetabix soaked in milk before bed...does the trick!
 

Cinnamontoast

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I use Wagg worker for my lab and its really helped with her condition, energy etc. She runs miles every day and was really struggling before. If she's still super hungry then she gets some weetabix soaked in milk before bed...does the trick!

Wagg contains carcinogenic material and is possibly the lowest quality feed you can give a dog. Don't be fooled by the working dog of the front, it is CRAP. She'll have energy on it cos it's full of sugar to make dogs want to eat it.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=1630&cat=all

Better quality food will cost you the same because you don't need to feed as much and she'll feel full longer.


To add weight, raw food is excellent, a chicken carcass or minced lamb (from a raw dog food supplier or you'll go bankrupt!!)
 

galaxy

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If you want to stay away from grains try a fish based food like fish4dogs for Fishmongers (from PetsatHome). My GSP can be a skinny boy and the above foods really put condition on him.
 

SadKen

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I've watched this thread with interest. My 1.5yr old gsd is in the same boat, I tried the fishmongers and he loved it but it didn't put weight on. Gave him some pasta and he went nuts, and didn't put weight on. Might try skinners next. He's eating LOADS of wainwrights big dog at the mo, with very little effect. Same as the op, he looks great, shiny coat loads of go etc, but skinny ribs and spine!
 

Mince Pie

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I also use Skinners (maintenance) - my lad is always on the go (think collie on speed :D) and he is maintaining his weight nicely on this although he will always be a lean dog. I also get a 'bag of bits' from the butchers once a week, which is free, and add bits to his food every night along with table scraps.
 

satinbaze

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My friends with agility collies swear by CSJ they do a varity of different foods.
I use fresh tripe for my FCR to keep weight on her without feeding large volumes. I realise raw is not everyone's cup of tea
 

ladyearl

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My collie was very skinny when I got her and didn't start to put condition on until I fed her with fish4dogs. I saw a difference within a couple of weeks.
 

SaharaS

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Thank you for posting this OP..my skinny mini busy body is doing the same. He worries/stresses & gallops his weight off. I'm feeding homecooked natural &everything from scratch organic where possible and when can afford it and have just started getting him introduced to raw. I was going to post today asking for which raw meats are best weight gainers as he is always on the lean side but currently is having a ribby phase. I give him a mix of meat & offal, Dorwest Herbs Keepers Mix, he loves his dairy so gets organic cottage cheese, milk, eggs & yeo bio yoghurt. For calcium i save, wash & dry the shells from his eggs & pulverise them & jar the powder & give 3 tsp a day.I feed brown rice or brown pasta & fruit & veg. He LOVES coconut oil & ricebran oil too which help & is ALWAYs in the horses linseed/ricebran.Never a problem getting anything down him...just keeping the weight on.Sweet potatoes are meant to be good. I just don't think I'm getting the ratios or meat types right particularly according to the weather(changes seem to affect him)he's ideally 34/35kg but dropped to 30.4 recently-got him back up to 32.He has 3 meals a day to get the quantities down him in small enough portions. I tell you its worse than having to calculate for children!I heard oats soaked in milk were good-he's a milky weetabix lover too..then stupidly I started reading on the feed from floor or raised angle & panicked myself about lots of feed types that i have been feeding/(inc too liquid/too dry-he loves soups & stews)that can cause bloat in prone breeds..this has made me worry loads about everything I'm feeding.:eek:Very interested to read & hear everyones pointers:)
 

Dexter

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RAW is the only thing that ut wieght on my whippet. I thought for a little while I was going to lose him as he was thin as a puppy. Now hes raw fed at probably double the amount of pet dogs, but thats becuase he walks 50miles + a week and races etc. Hes fit, incredibly muscular and bursting out o his skin with health. I wont feed dogs anything else now :)

I know its not for everyone, but give it a go and see for yourself the difference it makes :)
 

Dexter

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He was fed Fish4dogs before and even on that had a really scurfy coat. Thats pretty much gone away on raw food, and his temperament is much better. he has tons of energy, but I can channel it better now
 

moonlightride12

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I would recommend pasta mixed with a good quality dog food, such as James Wellbeloved or Hills. Smaller, frequent meals are better. Dry food is generally better because too much wet food can lead to teeth problems. I used to work at kennels and we would get a lot of underweight, welfare cases in and they used to thrive on pasta and good quality food. Plus, if your collie is as fussy as mine, the pasta will go down a treat!
 

s4sugar

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I would recommend pasta mixed with a good quality dog food, such as James Wellbeloved or Hills. Smaller, frequent meals are better. Dry food is generally better because too much wet food can lead to teeth problems. I used to work at kennels and we would get a lot of underweight, welfare cases in and they used to thrive on pasta and good quality food. Plus, if your collie is as fussy as mine, the pasta will go down a treat!

This is very poor advice. Pasta is not good but is used by rescues as it is cheap and if the dog is not gluten intorerant it is easy on the stomach. Hills is not good quality food JWB is better but you are paying a premium for it not to contain wheat so mixing with pasta defeats the point.
teeth don't need dry food, they need something that acts as as dental floss - bones are best or a chunk of raw meat but a dipped cotton ragger works well too.

The suggestion I made of Skinners plus Butchers tripe is tried & tested on lots of skinny dogs - rescues, rehabs & racers. Raw is good but doesn't fit with everyone or suit every dog.
 

Inthemud

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I feed raw and have a "well exercised" sighthound. I feed lots of lamb, green tripe and fish oil to keep weight on her. Good luck!
 
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