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DesO'Neile · Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 9:56 am Post subject: How fast is too fast?

How fast is too fast?

It is my impression that manufactured puppy foods are in fact designed, in part, to ensure that the puppy doesn't grow too fast and risk problems in later life caused by too rapid growth. In this vein Roxy is left with only two pups and they are growing apace. They will be two weeks old on Thursday and by that time will have quadroupled their birth weight. In the three hours from 18:00 to 21:00 last night they put on 20 gms!!
I have always striven to pump grub into my bitches to protect their own condition after weaning and I intend to do just that but wondered what others' thoughts are.
There are other benefits to this small litter. I have never seen a whelping box kept so clean, or pups that clean either and if anything Roxy is putting on condition herself, a thing unheard of to date.

anniebrac · Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:41 pm Post subject:

Hi Des

I naturally feed my dogs. I know that when, and if, my Brac has a litter I will be increasing her food to as much as she can eat but obviously than depends on the size of the litter. My thinking around this is that the smaller the litter, the less this will have an effect on her body.

My whole ethos around feeding is not to worry too much. If the bitch looks good then that's fabulous. I always go by what my dogs looks like rather than what I'm supposed to be feeding them. If I went by the book my cocker would be unable to move!! Very Happy

As it is I have trouble keeping the weight off him. I suppose its just his metabolism.

I think things sound as if they are going great guns.

Good luck
Annie

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The more people I meet, the more I love my dogs!!!