Like Us
Follow @dogster
Google +1 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Contact Us
German Shepherd » German Shepherd Forum
GO!

Is she underweight?

This is a forum for bonding with your fellow Dogsters about the traits, quirks and idiosyncrasies of your favorite breed. Please remember that there are absolutely no animal sales or requests for studding or breeding allowed on our sites. All posts and interactions should be in the spirit of Dogster's Community Guidelines and should be fun, friendly and informational. Enjoy!

  
Pandora

1273773		 
 
Barked: Wed Oct 31, '12 8:50am PST 
My German Shepherd is a very nervous and anxious dog. She is too busy to eat. I have to lock her in her kennel with her food to make her eat it or she will go until she passes out without food.

She is one year, seven months old. She weights 67 lbs. She looks skinny and I can feel her ribs under the skin. I can't see them but she feels skinny to me.

What can I do to make her want to eat more.

I have tried all kinds of food, wet and dry. Gravy sprays, real gravy, chicken, beef, pork mixed into foods. She is not interested unless I lock her up. Then she eats about a cup and quits.
my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals
 [notify]
UCH Onyx TT

Do you even- lift?
 
 
Barked: Wed Oct 31, '12 11:32am PST 
Sounds like she's in perfect condition to me. Ribs should be easily felt on a dog. Most dogs are overweight or obese, so a dog at a healthy weight will look skinny to most people. Carrying around extra weight is really hard on joints, especially for a breed like a German Shepherd. It's much healthier to keep her lean.

Sounds like she's self regulating perfectly, but I'd keep crating her while she eats, and try to keep the area around the crate quite and free of traffic while she's eating so she feels more secure.
my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals
 [notify]
Pandora

1273773		 
 
Barked: Fri Nov 2, '12 8:17am PST 
Thanks. It's comforting to get a second opinion. Sometimes I worry that she will starve herself to death.
my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals
 [notify]

Raju

On it, Boss!		 
 
Barked: Sun Nov 4, '12 3:49pm PST 
Very rarely will a dog starve itself (excluding medical conditions.) Personally I like my dogs skinny! My current dog burns calories standing still so weight is never an issue. If she starts looking like skele-dog, obviously feed her more, but IMO I wouldn't stress about it.

Feeding in the crate is an excellent suggestion.
my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals
 [notify]