Cuthbert's weight

[Gaelle]

I am now confused about whether to increase his food to bulk him up. When I was at Ingliston last week I met up with someone who has shown Clumbers for many years and has Cuthbert's uncle, who, when she saw him said that he was a bit light (by about 3-4 kgs) for his age and to try to bulk him up a bit for his health. Admittedly I have never had a Clumber pup before but I don't think he is especially underweight and he is quite healthy. He has had digestive problems ( which are being successfully treated) and he loves to be active. I know a lot of show Clumbers are big but I just want a healthy happy boy and am reluctant to bulk out his meals with pasta as was suggested. Do I increase his food intake more than I would normally as he grows? My vet thinks he is fine with no excess fat and looks well.!
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Happiness is watching my dog chase leaves dancing in the breeze.

[Enid]

[marcella]

Enid is right Gaelle, no dog is healthy carrying excess weight.
Cuthbert looks a picture of health, I wouldn't change anything.

[jackdeb]

Gaelle.

I agree with Enid.

What I would ask is. This chap that is showing the breed, is he saying that Cuthbert would need to be heavier to show or
is he saying that he does not look well.

jack
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springers rule!!! our house

[John Thomson]

I agree with Enid on this..........I dislike seeing an overweight dog..........to purposely do this to achieve 'a breed standard' is absurd.
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John Thomson
www.cumbernaulddogtraining.co.uk

[Ashley]

Gaelle,

I think Cuthbert looks fine!! I think feeding is all relative to how active they are... how many walks, how long the walks are, how physical are they etc. Holly eats less on days she has not been as active!

I think Murphy is carrying a wee bit of excess weight at the moment but having switched him to raw and going out long walks will soon get him in to shape!

Everyone else is right though... theres no need to adjust his food!
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Ashley with Holly & Murphy.
I hope to one day be as great as my dog thinks I am right now!!

[Patricia]

I think Cuthbert is in a fantastic condition. He's been bouncy and full of life every time we went for a walk. I just can't imagine him being bigger... How will he be able to keep up with his wee pal Jaws is he puts on too much weight? I think he looks just fine the way he is.
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x

Patricia

[Gaelle]

[Suzanne H]

Show dogs are kept bulkier to fulfil the "ideal" I believe.

Otto's brother is heavier than him - at one point he was getting 200g a day more - but he is fed more to bulk him up for showing and also isn't exercised as much to make sure they don't go "lean and leggy" or get injured.

Cuthbert will be like Otto, not underweight, just fitter.

[John Thomson]

Just a thought Gaelle.......did you take Cuthbert to the show? I thought that dogs not being shown were not allowed?
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John Thomson
www.cumbernaulddogtraining.co.uk

[Magz]

Gaelle When I was at the show i was amazed at how for want of a better word MEATY some of the collies were, I was chatting too lynne about it at the time too, but at the end of the day we are not actually starving our dogs, the get the right amount of food and they are all fit and healthy.
I always look at kiera and think she is a skinny bag of bones but she is one very active dog perhaps one day in the far distant future she may put on more weight but as of now she is still very young and full of beans and I have been told by the vet she is fine so I am happy with that.

[Gaelle]

[Suzanne H]

Better to be a lean mean running machine than a podgy poser - that's what we tell Otto.

[Enid]

[shirley c]

And getting dirty and their coats all tangley thats fun for them

Thats why im not doing any showing with Jazz this year, tho a lot of horse groups are trying to stop the fat showing look, must just be the same with dogs, bulk them up for showing
I would have to rug up Jazz who is a british native pony, which means he grows a long shaggy winter coat also feed him up to the nines and tie his head in to bulk up the muscle on his neck.

Apart from being to lazy to do all that work, im letting him grow and mature naturally...also ponies who get too fat sometimes get a problem called laminitis which can be very dangerous

So no I would keep Cuthbert as he is fit and healthy and happy rolling about and running about
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lurchers Pixel and Zev and whippet, Fen
3 cats, Greebo, Yu and Lexx - 2 ferrets and Dales pony Jazz and adopted pony, April