Chow Chow weight

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kevindd992002
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Chow Chow weight

Post by kevindd992002 »

Walter is at 9 months and he just weighs 14Kg. He has been at 14Kg for a few months now. When he was 3 months and growing up to around 7 months, he increases weight very fast (around 2Kg every 2 weeks) but now it seems to have stopped. At around 7 months, he started not liking his kibble so I switched to TOTW which he seemed to like now although he's always not overly excited about eating. He eats regularly except when I travel him to another house and that is expected.

So is that weight pretty much still in the norm? Or do I have to worry about it?
Mother Moose
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Re: Chow Chow weight

Post by Mother Moose »

I had similar concerns about Moose's weight. He is on the smaller side, 36lbs at 8 months old. I asked the vet to check his weight and he taught me (along with others in this forum), to check the dogs ribs. You should be able to feel them slightly through the fur, if they are really boney and too easy to feel, he is likely under weight. Whereas, if you can't really feel them, the dog is overweight. If you aren't sure, just pop in to the vet and ask him to check if your pups weight is appropriate. From looking through this forum, I realized there can be quite a large weight differential between chows. The other thing I have learned from a much more experienced member of this forum is to look at the parents weight. I was looking at Moose's dad (65lbs) instead of his mom (45lbs). I was worried that my little guy was not going to make his projected target of 65lbs because I assumed he would take after his dad. But this member pointed out that he often sees that chows take after the mom both weight and temperament wise, which is definitely true for Moose.

The one difference is Moose loves to eat. He inhales his food and I've actually had to do the heimlach on him twice already, and find creative ways to slow down his eating. Is Walter finishing his food? Different brands have different amounts recommended based on current weight of the pup and expected weight. I'm sure you have already done this, but check how much you should be feeding Walter from TOTW. And if he isn't finishing the food, then maybe trying changing brands or flavours to find one he might like better. Another thing is checking in with the vet to ensure that there isn't any health issue that might be affecting his appetite or metabolism.
kevindd992002
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Re: Chow Chow weight

Post by kevindd992002 »

That makes sense. My last visit with the vet was around 2 months ago and he said that Walter's not underweight but yes he is on the smaller side of the scale. I do feel his ribs but I think he's not too boney (I'm just not sure how to determine this). I haven't seen Walter's parents when I bought him but we'll try to setup an appointment with the breeder one day.

Oh ok. Well, I'm feeding him TOTW High Prairie (non-puppy variant) and based on his weight he needs 2 cups a day. The puppy variant says he needs around 3-4 cups a day, I believe. We don't have the puppy variant here locally, but I'm giving him 2 cups per meal, twice a day. Most days now, he finishes his food but sometimes he only eats 1 cup per meal which sums up to 2 cups a day especially when he is stressed. So I think he's eating enough, right? Oh I did check him for health issues already and he doesn't seem to have any. When I was feeding him his old food, the vet tried to give him Pet Tabs to stimulate his appetite but it didn't work as he really didn't want that food. And like I said, when we changed food to TOTW he started eating regularly and we eventually got rid of the Pet Tabs. But the only thing I noticed is Walter really isn't excited about his food. Is that normal for other dogs? He loves liver treats though and that's the food I use to train him as he craves for it.
Rory's Dad
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Re: Chow Chow weight

Post by Rory's Dad »

This is a tough concept to get a hold of because there are so many variables. So many people look at just he weight of their dog and wonder if its appropriate.

1st off, understand that their is a wide range of acceptable weights for chows. Adult males can range anywhere from 45-70 lbs and be considered within the norm. For females, 40-60 is acceptable. Below those ranges are probably an issue, but Chows are becoming larger through selective breeding, so it may not be all that rare to see some above.

Weight should not be a singular indicator. Look at your chows overall bone structure and size. Their is a huge difference between a heavily boned 50 pound dog when compared with a more athletic 50 pound dog. A similar difference should be made when viewing females that may be considered 'petite' vs. those that are taller. Head set should also be taken into consideration. I have a very petite female who has a smaller head. She weighs 45 lbs. She is a rough coated red. I also have an 11 month old smooth male. He is big boned, has large paws, and a good head. He is tall on his legs, so he carries weight well and looks on the thinner side, but he is actually closer to 60 lbs. He is pure muscle and carries no extra weight. It's all in his bones and skull. Because he is a smooth, I have an easier time assessing his rib cage. But, if you just looked at them side by side, you would guess they were about the same weight. On the flip side, my 4 year old rough male has a medium build, and a very mid-head stock. He is very solid, but it is hidden under the fur. He has a very long trail on fur behind his legs and a full butt of fur. Just looking at him, you would guess he is the biggest of my Chows, but he weighs in at a very healthy 50 lbs.

They all eat well. No issues with pickiness or leaving food behind. Great energy, bright eyes, and good coats.

TOTW is a good quality food. If the dog is under 12 months, then I would like to see a puppy variety, and I even promote that up to 18 months in Chows. Chows growth pattern is slower than other breeds. The growth plates and adult fur production can take place well after the 1 year mark. But if not available, a good quality food with a reasonable level of proteins should do just fine.

Again, the rib test is the best indicator to quickly determine whether the weight ratio is in the correct range. Other than that just a general inspection is appropriate. Check for an extended belly. If the ribs pass the touch test, and visually he doesn't look extended or drawn in, then he is likely ok.

You can't change genetics, so as long as he is well nourished, properly vaccinated, and excercised, he is going to be the size that nature intended.
kevindd992002
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Re: Chow Chow weight

Post by kevindd992002 »

I understand. I do feel that he is not underweight. He doesn't have any problems as he is very active as well.

I would've gotten the puppy variant of TOTW but it isn't really avaialble here. Based on their website, all of their food variants are for "all life stages" which defeats the purpose of producing a puppy and a non-puppy variant, right? Do puppy variants just have more nutrients in them even though they're packed in smaller-form pellets?

Are all your dogs excited when they're given food?
Rory's Dad
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Re: Chow Chow weight

Post by Rory's Dad »

Yes, the puppy variants have additional nutrients that are added in for growth. They will formulate them to encourage bone growth. They tend to be more protein compared with 'adult' formulas. Senior formulas reduce it even further and add maintenance type items. There are of course 'weight management' formulas, etc.

Of course any of these additives can be done separately by you, but I would only do so if you have a specific concern. I add glucosamine to all my Chows on occasion, just because I know they can be prone to joint issues. I will add a gelatin to my smooth pups food to encourage small bone growth since he had a flop ear as a pup. My female tends to be high strung so once in a while I will add a calming mix into her food.

All very minor add-ons, but I can adjust all their diets without buying 3 different specialty foods. And again, its not all the time, just here and there.

The dogs are all very excited to eat. Again, though, my dogs are on a variant of raw diet along with the kibble. Toby, the 11 month old smooth, is a gulper. He will wolf down his raw food before I can even get the kibble into the 2nd dish. And then he inhales that too. Rory, the 4 year old, will get all worked up for dinner time and then will take his time to finish up. He is also smart enough to eat around the add-ins if they aren't mixed in (I will also mix in heartworm pills when its that time). SO I have to keep an eye on his bowl. Amber, my 2 year old female, is always calm about dinner, but will head straight to her bowl and patiently wait. Lately she has decided she doesn't like Turkey, but will eat some and then move onto the dry food. The males love her even more for leaving some behind.
kevindd992002
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Re: Chow Chow weight

Post by kevindd992002 »

Ok. Is there any reason why Walter isn't excited about his kibble? Do I need to add raw food just like you do? When he was a 3-5 months, he was also a gulper. I'm not sure what happened to him why he's this way now. Like I said, I already changed his food and tried all sorts of things. At least, he's eating regularly now but I just want to bring back that energy he had when given a bowl of kibble. If he continues eating this way, will he reach his target weight?
kitten1426
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Re: Chow Chow weight

Post by kitten1426 »

Our Kodi grew slow...at one point we thought he was going to be smaller then what he turned out to be he now is 4 years old and over 100 lbs...so in his case he took a little longer then our other dogs....
Our dogs...Kodi Male chow..[Mia Female Chow RB :( :( ]...Bear Male Airedale...Shelby Male Collie...And Moose airedale, New girl chow Merida
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Rory's Dad
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Re: Chow Chow weight

Post by Rory's Dad »

Kevin, if he is eating his food, the I wouldn't worry about him being excited about it. I also wouldn't change food too frequently looking to get that interest. First off, chows can have sensitive stomachs. As long as they eat what is presented, then he likes it just fine. Remember, its about getting him nutrition. With the changes you risk loose stools and incomplete digestion.

I would look to get him excited about reward treats. As you know I have three chows with different temperments and different motivations. My males both show on a regular basis, and the female when needed to help build out a point show (she shows fairly well, but it isn't her favorite thing, so I don't push her into it unless necessary). They each have a different 'bait' that gets their attention. Rory is all about chicken. Amber only wants cheese sticks, and Toby is less particular, but likes hot dogs. It took some time to figure out what motivates each dog.

But that doesn't have to be every meal. Find those triggers to help in training Walter. To get his attention on a walk, or to get him to come back to you rather than chase a squirrel.

A raw food diet or additive is really a personal choice. I think it has benefits in that it limits grain, rice, and filler. But it also takes time to prepare and is more expensive than just feeding kibble. I also like that I know its 100% natural, with no preservatives, etc. Again, though, I am not feeding my dogs strictly a raw diet. I feel there is some benefit from having them have to chew a more solid, gritty food. There are also veggie products in the food that are good for them that they won't eat if offered alone.
Hooch
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Re: Chow Chow weight

Post by Hooch »

Mines gonna be 4 in February and he's mid 120ish, but he packs the pounds on in summer and refuses to go outside.

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Hooch
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Re: Chow Chow weight

Post by Hooch »

Different story in the winter, he refuses to go inside

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kitten1426
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Re: Chow Chow weight

Post by kitten1426 »

Where did you get him from? He looks like our Kodi...which is a very big boy..stands over 25 inches at the shoulders.last weight was 105 to 110 l ish lbs....he is 4.5 years old...
Our dogs...Kodi Male chow..[Mia Female Chow RB :( :( ]...Bear Male Airedale...Shelby Male Collie...And Moose airedale, New girl chow Merida
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