Do you all supplement?

[Tanya]

I haven't been doing much in the way of treats unless we're training (and I just use lamb lung, typically).

I might add more meat (chicken or beef) to her food when she gets older, but only then reducing her kibble, and frankly right now I don't want to mess with that until she's closer to full grown. The stuff I've been adding (carrots, blueberries, some apple) doesn't add much in the way of calories. I am hesitant adding anything that will mess with the protein / fat balance of the kibble I'm feeding while she's a pup. (I'm not implying that others are "messing" with such a balance—only that while H is still a pup and growing so rapidly—and gorgeously—I don't want to mix things up.)

I have a friend who began giving his (older NLR) dog chicken feet. As much as I find that personally a bit repulsive (I don't really eat meat, myself—fish now and then, but that's about it), I do understand it is good for dogs.

that was my thinking when i read you post. adding a bit of bonus is good but you have to ensure you do'nt overfeed (meaning she woudl gain weight faster) and you wouldn't want to reduce the kibble by much to compensate as that's balanced for what she needs. Take too much away and replace with "toppers" one risks compromising the balance in their nutrition.

I use dehydrated feet. it's more a treat as it's a bit hard to use as a reward. they get "freebie treats" like that before bed each night (each gets a cookie, this started for training reasons when I had a crated dog at night and just stuck as a freebie treat forever). Some evenings they will get a chicken foot, or bone or etta's says chew or something. It's not every week though.

[shellbell]

Mine are all on raw, and I do share a lot of the food that I eat myself with them. And it's not always fresh food, they love cheese Doritos and usually get a small piece if I am eating them. For training treats, I use string cheese or hot dogs. Sometimes Braunshweiger (not sure how to spell it). My husband splits a banana between the three of them before he goes to work.

[barry581]

I give mine:

1. A plop of non-fat yogurt every morning.
2. An egg yolk every third day or so.
3. A tablespoon of organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar every other day.
4. Raw fresh salmon scraps (4 oz) that I get from work, one per day.
5. I cook up chicken scraps I get from work and use them as treats. They are like doggie crack.
6. They get fruit and veggies, bananas are their favorite by far.

[Abulafia]

that was my thinking when i read you post. adding a bit of bonus is good but you have to ensure you do'nt overfeed (meaning she woudl gain weight faster) and you wouldn't want to reduce the kibble by much to compensate as that's balanced for what she needs. Take too much away and replace with "toppers" one risks compromising the balance in their nutrition..

Precisely. She's been gaining at a very steady 3 lbs / week since we brought her home at 7.5 weeks. It's the rate predicted by the breeder, and it's been remarkably steady. She's getting her 4th shot today, so I'll see if she's still on the same trajectory. Whatever we've been doing has worked—her Vet says she's in perfect form—so I don't want to mess with it. I am especially aware of the dangers of fast or erratic weight gain in these young dogs. Although she's solid and not fat (I can feel ribs and muscle; see a waist), that's a lot of body even for her sturdy and muscled legs.

Good to hear what folks do with older dogs though, as something to keep in mind for down the road.

[Abulafia]

Hm. No, she's not on the same trajectory. She's slowed down. (Yes: at six cups a day, her weight gain has slowed.)

She's slowed down to only about 2 lbs a week weight gain for the past three weeks. She's just over 42.5 lbs, which is about 3 lbs lighter than I'd have predicted (based, that is, on her trajectory since 7.5 weeks).

Nevertheless, the Vet is not concerned—they said she looks terrific, picture of health and fitness, etc. etc. Her dam weighed around / just over over 80 lbs, so she looks pretty set to be about the same, which is great. If she's holding steady at a 2 lb / week gain at 6 cups a day, then that is probably a good thing to hold to.

Again, much appreciation to all of the feedback here.

[Annette47]

Hm. No, she's not on the same trajectory. She's slowed down. (Yes: at six cups a day, her weight gain has slowed.)

She's slowed down to only about 2 lbs a week weight gain for the past three weeks. She's just over 42.5 lbs, which is about 3 lbs lighter than I'd have predicted (based, that is, on her trajectory since 7.5 weeks).

Nevertheless, the Vet is not concerned—they said she looks terrific, picture of health and fitness, etc. etc. Her dam weighed around / just over over 80 lbs, so she looks pretty set to be about the same, which is great. If she's holding steady at a 2 lb / week gain at 6 cups a day, then that is probably a good thing to hold to.

Again, much appreciation to all of the feedback here.

My pups (18 weeks today) have been on a 2lb a week trajectory so far, and according to the vet they look “perfect”. I’m not sure how much the father weighs (guessing in the 75-80 lb range but I never asked the owner), but their mom (Chloe) only weighs about 63 lbs, and I suspect that Sassy will end up right around there, and Cookie might be a little bigger, but I still wouldn’t expect her to end up over 70.

They eat 1.5 cups 2x a day plus a few training treats and tastes of what we are having (wouldn’t add up to much though). They were chunky before they weaned completely, but now they look good. Unless their growth increases dramatically, I don’t anticipate having to increase their food any.

[Abulafia]

My pups (18 weeks today) have been on a 2lb a week trajectory so far, and according to the vet they look “perfect”. I’m not sure how much the father weighs (guessing in the 75-80 lb range but I never asked the owner), but their mom (Chloe) only weighs about 63 lbs, and I suspect that Sassy will end up right around there, and Cookie might be a little bigger, but I still wouldn’t expect her to end up over 70.

They eat 1.5 cups 2x a day plus a few training treats and tastes of what we are having (wouldn’t add up to much though). They were chunky before they weaned completely, but now they look good. Unless their growth increases dramatically, I don’t anticipate having to increase their food any.

Yes, your girls were born four days before mine. They are very close in age—and it's fun watching them grow as she does! They are beautiful! Do you know how much they weigh now?

I believe that my girl's sire was in the 100 lb range, and the dam somewhere in the upper 80s or so. I expect that H will probably end up about the size of the dam.

It's interesting to me to see how widely lab metabolism ranges. Your girls have been gaining at 2 lbs a week on 3 cups / day, mine had been gaining at 3 lbs a week on double that. But over the past three weeks or so, on the same amount of food, she's shifted to 2 lbs / week. While I'd reckon that my lab's line has food needs on the high end of things, there are also labs that gain just as well (and healthily) eating rather less than 3 cups / day.

I think this is why I stand by what I had been told from the beginning—by my breeder, and by other lab owners: trust the breeder for the diet. Had I followed any of the recommendations on the dog food package, I'd have been starving my pup. I followed the breeder's advice—which is, and I know this, that we feed much more than twice recommended on the package—and she's growing perfectly.

And I must admit that your two girls make me want a yellow. I just found out that our breeder has a yellow litter due later this Fall... I know it's too soon, but I'm awfully tempted.

Next year.

[Meeps83]

We don't do supplements like you mention, but I do add grizzly salmon oil, vitamin e, and coconut oil for his coat. I don't really recall what Maverick gained per month, but I know right around the 5 month mark he slowed down dramatically and gained very little. When he was about 14 months he gained over 10 pounds in that month.

I do do know that many people give green beans and yogurt. I do give meat when we have unseasoned pieces and fruits and veggies, but not with regularity. There are many human foods that are very good for dogs as well without adding too many calories.

Maybe be I missed it, but what are you feeding your baby? I'm just curious

[Abulafia]

Her regular kibble is Purina ProPlan 26/16 chicken and rice. 3 cups / 2x a day.

To this (and this was the original question, which due to my poor wording became a bit side tracked) I add some fresh fruit / veg in the morning (chopped fresh red bell pepper, blue berries, carrot, whatever is fresh), occasionally a small fish oil / Vit E capsule. At night, I may add a bit of boiled chicken w/ cooked veg—tonight was some baked yam. The "supplemented" foods are on the order of a few tablespoonfuls, and don't take her over the 6 cups a day. No salt or seasoning or extra fat, etc. Occasionally I'll add a scant T of plain yoghurt. Nothing fancy.

[Meeps83]

Lol, I think she eats better than I do!