I'm writing to get some advice regarding my Cocker Spaniel's weight. He'll be 4 months old tomorrow and I don't think he's very big... I'm wondering if this is normal or if there's something wrong. At his last weigh-in, he was around 11 to 11.5 lbs.
I feed him a home-cooked diet (rice, veg and meat) because he didn't get on well with dry food, and also out of personal choice.
Until a week ago, he was having 2 meals a day, so I've added a third meal at lunchtime, but I can't see much of a difference... He looks very slim to me.
Could you let me know how much your 4-month-old puppies weigh?
Thanks in advance for your help,
Sophie
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📌 I adopted mine in July at 3 months old (he was 10 lbs/4.6kg), and by October he was 17.5 lbs (8kg), December 22 lbs (10kg)... At 5 years old, our boy is about 31-33 lbs (14-15kg). In my experience, home-cooked meals are very effective for healthy growth.
📌 I switched to one meal a day in the morning around December that same year. It suited my work schedule better. I was home by 5pm for his toilet break. At less than a year old, they are very regular with that sort of thing! 😎😎😎
I have two male King Charles Spaniels, aged 5 and 3. They’re like brothers and get on so well, it’s hilarious.
ℹ️ Since I’ve been feeding them home-cooked meals since they were 4 months old, I have a set routine:
I write everything down in a dedicated notebook (what we did, exactly what they ate, any incidents, and the quality and frequency of poos, wees and walks). It really helped me understand things like diarrhoea that comes out of nowhere, fevers, etc. It’s like a journal.
https://amzn.eu/d/0f7Jhi28
I have a weight-tracking chart (which is why I can give you such specific numbers) + all the necessary indicators for my tracking (measurements, behavioural and house-training notes, periods of illness...) + poo quality.
I also keep a cost spreadsheet. It was nearly £3,400 for the first year.
⚠️ I’ll just add a bit from my own experience. With home cooking, what doesn't work for us ❌:
rice, small pasta shapes like macaroni, semolina. I make them vegetable bakes with coconut cream, lentils...
all kinds of meat from the butcher. This week we had duck and rabbit. We even had ostrich at Christmas.
I cook for the whole family and then separate the dogs' portions because they can't have salt, for example. It means I don't have to cook twice.
https://amzn.eu/d/0iiFzKV9
Our vet is a specialist in phytotherapy, so they understand us and support what we’re doing. I went through 11 different vets before finding them. We travel about 300 miles to see them. We have another more local vet for everyday things.
Finally, I get a blood test done every 3 years, just to make sure my method isn't causing any deficiencies.
A puppy’s weight can vary depending on their bloodline, sex and build, so it is difficult to compare them with other Cockers of the same age. The most important thing is to assess their body condition and growth. A home-cooked diet for a growing puppy must be perfectly balanced to meet all their needs. I would suggest discussing this with your vet to check their growth chart and body condition, and to ensure their diet is properly tailored.
My puppy is three and a half months old and weighs 12.5 lbs – her brothers and sisters already weighed over 13 lbs at just 3 months old. The breeder felt I wasn't feeding her enough, and I’ve seen a dog trainer who advised me to increase her to 150g of dry food a day. I think you have to be careful and check their weight regularly to make sure the puppy has the right diet for their growth.
Mine weighed roughly 6 and a half lbs at 2 months old, so that's not far off at all. As for their poo, a puppy should really go after every meal—if you feed them three times a day, they should be doing three poos. So that’s not a huge amount really.
Three or four poos a day is fine, it’s not that many. Puppies put on about 2 to 4 lbs a month, but if you’re really worried about his weight, the best thing to do is see a vet. Or a pet nutritionist.
He weighed 5.5 lbs at two months old when we first got him... so exactly two months later, he’s weighing in at 11 lbs...
Hi, it’s best to see a vet, and is their worming up to date? If there’s nothing wrong health-wise, maybe they aren't eating enough for their daily activity levels.
"How old is your dog now?"
He’s nearly 18 months old (in August). He must weigh around 30 lbs at the moment, maybe 31... Regarding yours, the size vs weight ratio does seem a bit off. Does the vet think it’s okay? I’m quite surprised. What weight proportions of rice / vegetables / meat are you giving him? 3 or 4 poos a day also seems like a lot to me. Mine has only ever done one, unless he’s had a bit of an upset tummy.
I haven’t been to see the vet about this issue yet, I’ve actually got an appointment tomorrow morning... I think I’m over the recommended amounts: 150g meat, 180g veg, 300g rice PER DAY OVER 3 MEALS.
Hi there. It’s best to see a vet, and is his worming up to date? If there’s nothing wrong health-wise, it could be that he isn’t eating enough for his daily activity levels.
How old is your dog now?
He’s nearly 18 months old (in August). He must weigh around 30 lbs at the moment, maybe 31...
As for yours, the height-to-weight ratio does seem abnormal.
Does the vet think that’s okay? I’m quite surprised.
What are the proportions of rice / veg / meat by weight that you’re giving him?
3 or 4 poos a day also seems like quite a lot to me. Mine has only ever done one, unless he has an upset stomach.
3 or 4 poos a day is fine, it’s not that many. Puppies usually put on about 2 to 4 lbs a month, but if you’re really worried about their weight, the best thing to do is see a vet. Or a pet nutritionist.
