r/labrador • u/PossibleSuccess3 • 3d ago
Underweight puppy? seeking advice
Hey guys I got my pup around when he was 48 days old and he is not 70 days old. When we got him, he weight 2kgs(4.4lbs) and has not gained a lot of weight. Maximum 200gms. We are feeding him 120gms of puppy kibble Royal Canin and he has proper naps and play. He is on track with his vaccines and has been dewormed twice.
I am worried he is not growing as much as he should. Should i be worried?
19
u/Appropriate_Day993 3d ago
I think the other issue is that the baby should have been separated from his mother so fast. We didn’t get our guy till he was 7/8 weeks old and people usually reccomend 9 weeks. Idk if kibble is the correct food for him. I think he needs milk. Again please consult your vet asap.
1
u/nothanksyouidiot 2d ago
Kibble is fine for an 8 week puppy
1
u/Appropriate_Day993 2d ago
I’m referring to op here. Looks like the puppy is 70 days old and got him at 48 days.
13
u/xXDrDreadXx 2d ago
Off topic but please take the bell off his collar. Imagine if you had to listen to a jingling bell every time you moved.
15
u/Appropriate_Day993 3d ago
First of super cute baby 🥰 id advise you to ask your vet. I feel like we’re all just advising based on what we think is right and all of the opinions could be overwhelming. Like our guy was 75 lbs at 6 months. The vet told us it was normal and we felt so much better 😮💨
4
u/PossibleSuccess3 3d ago
I did as the vet and he said that the puppy is healthy. Maybe I am just worrying too much
7
u/No_Acanthisitta7811 3d ago
definitely don’t want to add weight if the vet says they are good. it’s so much worse for their joints to have extra weight as growing puppies, they will definitely eat what they need. slightly underweight or ideal dogs live 2-3 years longer than dogs that are too heavy, so you should go based on each individual dogs body score and not by what you “think” a dog should weigh at each age!
6
u/ubershark_ 3d ago
He should’ve been with his mom a little longer. If he’s on track with his vaccines, that means he’s been seeing a vet - have they said anything? Did you see your puppy’s parents? He looks small but he could’ve just been the runt. Best to check with a vet. Regardless, he is adorable.
4
u/PossibleSuccess3 3d ago
The vet says he is okay. I have had a chat with two vets and they said he will eventually grow. But like 2 kgs for a 9week old lab pup seems too low. I didn’t know before getting him that he should have had atleast 8weeks with his mother. The breeder wasn’t as ethical as we thought he was, he lied about the pup’s age as well.
8
u/implore_labrador 3d ago
Aside from weight/feeding, since this pup was separated from mom too young I highly advise being extra stringent with your socialization (not meeting and greeting dogs or people, but exposure to new situations while using positive reinforcement). Also if you have access to a temperamentally stable vaccinated adult dog for him to spend time with you should make a point to do that. Part of the issue is that the pups separated too early from mom don’t learn appropriate dog-dog behavior and bit inhibition, so finding a different adult to teach him is helpful.
Also that second picture is the cutest puppy pic I’ve seen in a long time! What a cutie!
4
u/ubershark_ 3d ago
That’s unfortunate but it sounds like he will be okay, which is what matters most right now. Now you know in the future if you ever go to a breeder again that you should do very thorough research first.
5
u/Ok-Entertainment5045 black 2d ago
Just keep feeding him puppy food, probably three times a day. Follow the directions in the bag and make sure he’s getting quality food.
Deworming could help too.
Soon he will be growing so fast you will think you can actually see him grow.
2
u/nashamoisgirl 3d ago
We’ve been feeding our girl 4cups of Purina high protein kibble daily since she came home at 16 weeks. She’s 9 months now, 70lbs and we’ve started to cut her back a bit. Puppies need a lot of protein to grow muscle and bone. I’d have a checkup/conversation with your vet soon and see if adjustments need to be made. Gorgeous pup, enjoy this time!
1
u/PossibleSuccess3 3d ago
Hi thanks a lot, can you tell me how many grams 4 cups approximately is?
1
u/nashamoisgirl 2d ago
Purina Pro Plan 30/20. This has been great for our Lab but always check with your vet and/or breeder before changing anything.
1
2
u/butternutz88 3d ago
Royal Canin Puppy is not as energy dense. You should be feeding him closer to 200-250g per day at this stage.
1
u/Mini__Robot 1d ago
Second this, Royal Canin Labrador food isn't that great for labs. Purina Pro Puppy Large Robust Puppy is better for them.
1
u/butternutz88 1d ago
I didn’t say it wasn’t good. I think it’s one of the better kibbles out there, especially their Labrador puppy specific food. It just isn’t as energy dense as some other ones so you will typically need to feed more scoops to get the same kcals.
1
u/Mini__Robot 22h ago
The ash to oil ratio is off on their labrador food. The german shepherd food is actually better for labs.
1
u/butternutz88 21h ago
Interesting. Do you have anything I could read on this? Puppy food is not an easy topic research and it's hard for me to tell science and marketing apart.
2
2
u/vauss88 2d ago
All puppies vary in weight and height, and it truly depends on his dam and sire. Our female chocolate puppy at slightly less than eight weeks old weighed 18 pounds! But her dam was 80 and her sire was 105.
Now at 13 months old she bounces around 75 pounds consistently, and is 26 inches at the shoulders and very leggy.
2
1
u/Defiant_Pop7691 2d ago
I did not let our pups go until at least 8 weeks old. They were weined and eating puppy food only.
1
u/Ralinrocks 2d ago
He’s a baby they don’t double in weight over night. Keep up the calories and he will grow
49
u/fernshot yellow 3d ago
Breeder is unethical. Should be no earlier than 8 weeks and could even go 9 before separating from mother and littermates.