fat 6 mo. GSP
 

my German Shorthaired Pointer is a fat dog and has thick skin all over her body and it is way loose. I want to know if someone can tell me if this is normal. i work her hard for and hr or so almost everyday she eats right. my buddy has a 4 mo. old and it is way smaller than my dog with way way way less loose skin. will my dog grow into that skin.

Harry:D

RE: fat 6 mo. GSP
 

How much and what do you feed it?

RE: fat 6 mo. GSP
 

i fed her Iams at first and just kept her food bowl full and just switched to Ol Roy puppy formula about a month ago i think it has Less Fat. She has been eating about 6 cups a day. I still leave her bowl full. but that is all she eats and on the package that is about right fer her size and weight.

Harry

RE: fat 6 mo. GSP
 

cavemanh, First I am not an O' roy fan. Dog don' t utalize enough of their feed. I feed Kasco or Diamond They are both really good. I have a 4 month old gsp pup. She is very active puppy. I feed her about 2 1/2 to 3 cups a day she cleans it up but doesn' t act like she is really hungry. I would also say that your pup might need a little more excirse. I use a 4wheeler. good luck

RE: fat 6 mo. GSP
 

2-3 cups a day max and use a quality brand of dog food. The Wal-Mart brand toothbrush or paper towel is fine for you but not for your puppies devolpment. Purina has a formula for large breed puppies which is a good low cost alternative. It' s what I fed my current GSP pup.

RE: fat 6 mo. GSP
 

well yall thanks fer the replies but i still need to know is this normal for this dog to have sooo much skin. She is a good pup a full blooded paper dog but i am wondering if she has any shar-pei in her i love the breed it is my first and oneday i would like to have a few of um. When this bag o dog food is gone i will get a different brand. I know it will maker her have stanky poo for a couple of weeks by switchin foods. I read on a site on here about dog food and i thought there were alot of ol roy fans but maybe not for gsp' s. thanks again.

Harry

RE: fat 6 mo. GSP
 

When you change foods do it gradually. Don' t wait till the bag is gone, instead mix the new brand with the old for at least a few days. This should help your dog a lot.

RE: fat 6 mo. GSP
 

It is probably normal, pointers can have a large amount of loose skin. There is a rare congenital defect called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which manifests itself in this way. This is a defect the dog is born with and affects the synthesis of collagen within the skin. Think of collagen as the glue that binds the skin together. If you are really concerned take the puppy to your veterinarian and have it looked at. It is hard to tell without seeing the dog if the loose skin is excessive.