Pup needs more fat!!! - Page 2

Hey everyone thanks for the replies! I'll try to get u a picture soon (days off are coming up :) ).... Again, I appreciate the advice!

I use Satin Balls often enough, kneville, and highly recommend them (original recipe).  I'm about to start them with a youngster I have here.  He's overall healthy no worms, no EPI, no SIBO, but he is too skinny for my tastes.  You can see his hip bones, even though he's eating 6 cups of food a day.  SUPER active animal, well muscled, good coat.  It's really frustrating isn't it? lol

Doesn't help that just about anything we feed makes him terribly gassy.

For fat you can try some milk products, also meat and chicken. meat is good for building fats.

Lol, since this was my first time posting pictures, I couldn't resist, I had to post a few!!! I love that silly dog ... I'm definitely NOT a photographer, so I apologize, but hopefully that first picture shows that you can see her ribs more so than I would like... Idk though, she's my first Mal, so what do you guys think? I'm going to try the satin balls at the very least, because I know just from looking at the recipe that she'd love them and that way it won't be a dramatic change to her diet. Hopefully that helps. She just loves going everywhere with us, including hunting now! (She's pictured with my friend...) I'm so proud of her because she went from freaking out at the sound of me stepping on a sewer grate while we ran to being able to tolerate the sound of a shotgun! I'm not planning on her being a hunting dog, but she's just so dang smart that after she went and found a few doves with me she picked up on the game and soon started finding them by herself... I'd just be happier if she had some more fat on to protect her from the cold, because I do live in a state that gets snow.

Again, thanks for all of the advice everyone, and I look forward to your opinions on whether or not she's just typical for a Mal or if I need to really push getting more weight on her...

She is a beautiful girl, have to agree with you for my preference she is too thin.  I would also try the satin balls as a supplement to her regular feed.  Make one change at a time,  add satin balls to current kibble don't change that for now;  then when you feel like she is getting along with the satin balls I would look to change her kibble and lower her protein say maybe down to 30% with 20% fat still adding satin balls to her diet.  I also am trying the satin balls on my youngster added to his regular pre-mixed raw, can't seem to get this boy filled up and also is pretty lean which I want but not too lean.  He is very muscular and you want muscle as it does weigh heavier than fat so strive for muscle while changing her diet.  Good luck with her, she's just gorgeous.  Nan

Thanks Nan! That sounds like very good advice :)

No expert on Malis, but on a general 'thin dog' scale, I'd say yes she is just
a tad ribby at present.  A little more so than I go for with Shepherds,  many people
tell me I like them too thin !   But I also think what I said above still applies, now
we've seen pix:  she is young, she is kept busy, she is probably just burning off
her calories very quickly.  I think it won't be too long before she matures and her
hormones settle, then as she gets more adult you'll see a difference.  But if you
really want to do something about it in the meantime, I think Nan has the right
idea.  Aim for muscle weight, not flab;  and do it gradually so as not to upset her
digestion.  Best of luck.

Animal protein builds a deep chest and muscle while animal fat is a purer energy source than plant fats.  High animal protein with high animal fat for energy is what dogs were designed to eat.  I believe this is what is referred to as a species appropriate diet and while some dogs can exist on a plant based diet they do not thrive on it.

I know you mentioned in your first post that you are  feeding a "cheaper brand of dog food"... what are you feeding?

I do agree that the Satin Balls are a GREAT idea!!

So does not seem anyone has addressed your question about raw feeding.  Unless you have a good meat source, butchers, hunters, grocery outlet sales, just good sales in general for meats it probably will not be any cheaper than feeding a premium kibble, in fact, could be more.   I have used beef usually ground as that is cheaper than say a roast;  pork both chops, ground and pork neck bones;  Turkey which I think bones are too hard, you can buy and debone though during this time of year Turkey is cheap;  tripe which comes pre-packaged from Green Tripe.com;  all organ meats, chicken which is the best buy and you can find sales and you can cut in half whole chickens which is usually cheaper than chicken parts;  I use all parts of chicken including any innards or organ meats.  All of the above is fresh or frozen.  In fact I usually bring home and freeze for a while before I use.  If you are looking for the cheapest route to raw feeding it would probably be chicken quarters.  Wal Mart has them in 10 lb. bags for about $7.00.  Or did have them for that price, I have not used quarters lately so have not checked.  Those are fresh at Wally;  other stores usually can get the 10lb. bags for about the same price but come frozen.  Both are OK, need to be sure there are no additives in different brand names.  Costco also has some OK prices on some meats;  you can also find day old type meats, still OK to use particularly if you freeze first for a while.

I use Flint River Ranch baked original dog food kibble for training treats and in my formula for Satin Balls instead of cereal mentioned.  (FRR .com) should get you there with approximately 477 calories/K/cal cup.  So the calories are pretty good.  Not particularly budget friendly though I think about $2.00/lb shipping included. 

Just some info for you to digest...  Good luck Nan