Expert: Delores Beck - 7/24/2010

Question
Hello

I have a 61/2 month old cocker spaniel male (pure bloodlines, no crosses or mixes DNA checked) and he is vet verified 38 pounds and growing. He is already three inches taller than his full grown father and almost four inches longer. Father is of normal height and weight (32 pounds) and mom was a small frame at 24 pounds. (parents are onsite)

Puppy has feet that fit in the palm of my hand. Vet declares him healthy with low body fat perfect coat and in perfect health.

His daily diet consist of a warm/cooked whole grain serving in the morning occasionally with an egg that was simmered in water.
Could be teff, amaranth, buckwheat, quiona, etc...

Around ten am he gets a bowl of chopped whole veggies, usually a salad blend with cucumbers, carrots, and zucchini. Dressing free of course!

The rest of the day he get's dry kibble from Taste of the Wild, which is grain free and low allergies. He averages a cup and a half to two cups.

Occasionally in the summer months he eats watermelon, cantaloup and oranges for treats.

His night time treat is a high quality dog biscuit dipped in organic oily peanut butter for a shiny coat.

Daily exercise includes a two mile walk in the am and

Three nights a week an hour or two at the dog park, on alternating nights he walks/runs along side his humans as we bike in the evenings.

Recently we have begun agility training on the weekends.

Twice a month he goes to a holistic vet for a massage, and a spa bath.

Any ideas on how to keep managing his weight? He is still technically growing!

Answer
Well..Taste Of The Wild is good "for a kibble".  And I think you're feeding far too many carbs.
But if your vet says he's good - why the question on managing his weight?  He's still in a massive growth spurt and that's no time to cut down.  In the next few months he's going to gain more weight and that's what should happen.  He's not just "technically growing" - he's really growing.  He is huge for a cocker but some are!

What I'd like to see is a switch to one of the new raw, dehydrated foods that WILL keep him fit and lean while giving him what he needs in the way of protein & "good" fat.

If you're open to suggestion, I'd be happy to chat about diet.  It's key.  You're giving him loads of exercise, which is fabulous.  But the diet you're feeding isn't one I'm very happy with.
Dogs need protein & fat.  They don't need a ton of carbs and you're overdoing it...a lot!

And any vegs you do feed need either to be cooked or pulped to death in your food processor.
Dogs cannot digest "chunks" of raw veggies.
Delores

Watch the amount of carrot - it's loaded with sugar.