Height and food...Confused! - Page 1

I have my first ever GSD - long coat, male (desexed) - who is absolutely the love of my life.  I got him at nearly 8 weeks and he turns 9 months in a few days time.  His breeder suggested that after three months on puppy-specific food I should convert over to a nutritionally bland brand.  I wasn't sure why this was suggested at the time....As he grew older he remained very ribby and thin so I kept increasing his puppy food until he was on around 700grams/25oz a day - he literally wouldn't eat any more.  When I took him to the vet for his 'operation' the vet mentioned he was underweight - argh - so I tried another type of expensive dog food and got in touch with the breeder for suggestions. 

Needless to say I was told that he was now way to heavy and being overweight/tall would lead to hip displasia etc.  I took him to their recommended GSD vet who told me that yes, he was very tall and I needed to cut back on his puppy food and feed him the nutritionally bland brand to stop him from growing too fast (the vet also commented that he was a beautiful boy and I was doing a great job with him).  That was in late October.  At the time he was 6 months and 35kg/77lb.  Despite best efforts and a lot of frisbee chasing he's now around 38kg/83.6lb and measures 75cm - and still ribby.  I've noticed on other posts that fast growth "has a slight chance" of causing hip problems and that it's better to feed him nutrionally good food....So now I'm confused.  I want my boy to be healthy and live a long and happy life - what should I do?

males neutered before they are finished growing will always be taller - period. 

current research does suggest that large breed dogs receive large breed puppy food until the dog is 1 year of age.

The "good food" for a puppy means that the Calcium / Phosporus and other trace minerals are correctly proportioned for bone growth.  We can feed adult dogs a slightly different balance and still be safe.   Recent research also suggests that calorie content may need to be less for large fast growing dogs and that is mostly in the catagory of carbohydrates.  Exercise for a growing dog is great!  You sound like you are going a great job on this.  A "little rib" is not a bad thing and you can surely ask you vet if your dog is too thin.  Dog food for quality does not need to be what you see expensively as top of the line.  There are some great mid priced foods out too. 

and - not to start any backlash here  - but I recommend against raw unless you choose to measure in detail your vitamins and minerals, fat and protein

I hope this is helpful.

Nancy Rhynard
www.westwoodkennels.com

Thanks Nancy, that's very helpful.

The only raw food my pups get (I have two other non GSD as well) are marrow bones for their teeth.  The rest is pretty much all dry food, with the rare treat of mince that the cats decide isn't good enough!  Beau gets plenty of exercise - I'm on a property with horses and he runs and runs....and runs...The first thing he does when one of his humans goes outside is shoot off to get his frisbee for play time, and then it's tug of war and frisbee chasing.  GSDs are such a beautiful, intelligent breed, I'm definitely hooked for life.

Neutering will not make a dog grow taller.
Puppy food is fine for puppies if you believe puppy food is any different that adult food.
No wonder your confused.
A little common sense goes a long way.

Neutering will not make a dog grow taller? 

Dogs can grow obviously taller when neutered young because hormones close growth plates. If the hormones are missing, the growth plates grow past their "natural" stopping point. If neutering doesn't make animals grow taller, explain to me the vets who geld their own horses very young so they grow as tall as possible? And why they suggested gelding my Friesian to make him taller? (As if...obviously they don't know me well, lol)

Poor animals.

Yes, poor animals indeed. 

What on Earth would make you doubt that early neutering can screw up body proportions? 

Quote:

Research published in 2000 in the Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism may explain why dogs sterilized before puberty are inclined to grow abnormally:

At puberty, estrogen promotes skeletal maturation and the gradual, progressive closure of the epiphyseal growth plate, possibly as a consequence of both estrogen-induced vascular and osteoblastic invasion and the termination of chondrogenesis.

In addition, during puberty and into the third decade, estrogen has an anabolic effect on the osteoblast and an apoptotic effect on the osteoclast, increasing bone mineral acquisition in axial and appendicular bone.

It appears the removal of estrogen-producing organs in immature dogs, female and male, can cause growth plates to remain open. These animals continue to grow and wind up with abnormal growth patterns and bone structure. This results in irregular body proportions.

According to Chris Zink, DVM:

"For example, if the femur has achieved its genetically determined normal length at 8 months when a dog gets spayed or neutered, but the tibia, which normally stops growing at 12 to 14 months of age continues to grow, then an abnormal angle may develop at the stifle. In addition, with the extra growth, the lower leg below the stifle likely becomes heavier (because it is longer), and may cause increased stresses on the cranial cruciate ligament."

We agree partially,
Spay/neuter can change body proportions of a maturing animal, so can diet to a small degree.
Where and how much we probably disagree on.


MezandBeau,
Feed a quality food and allow good exercise, the rest will all fall into place all on it's own, no magic.

Moons.

So then why would you say early neutering (her dog was neutered far before physical maturity) won't make him taller?