# Putting weight on a whippet



## EllaMay23 (Oct 10, 2017)

Hi everyone,

I have 2 handsome pedigree whippets Clouseau and Cato! They are coming up to 12 months old now and are still both on the skinny side! Prominent ribs and spines! I feed them harringtons twice a day they get a bowl of veg 2/3 times a week get a bone each from the butchers on a friday and the odd tin of oily fish too! I thought i was feeding them a pretty healthy diet but now i'm getting worried as they dont seem to filling out? They have so much energy seem healthy, nice coats, wet noses! They were from the same litter both parents very slender 18" KC reg working whips.. Clouseaus 17" and 8kg Catos 18# and weighs 8.4kg??? The vet doesnt seem concerned but i starting to worry! How can i bulk them up? 

Thanks!


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## ShibaPup (Mar 22, 2017)

Any pictures of them standing?

If they look fine, full of energy and otherwise well - I really wouldn't worry, nicer and healthier to have a lean, fit dog than a fat one!


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## EllaMay23 (Oct 10, 2017)

I dont really have any clear ones just this one of cato from this morn.. I guess you are right better to be fit than fat but i do sometimes think people must must i dont feed the poor sods haha! What age do whippets reach maturity?


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## lullabydream (Jun 25, 2013)

Will tag @BlueJay as am new to sighthounds but a whippet to me shouldn't have too much spine showing...there is thin, then too thin in any breed.

It could be just a bad picture to be honest..my dogs are kept thin, certain angles you can see bones poking out.

How's the vet assessed them? I am sure physically all is fine but ideally it should be on looks and feel rather than weight.
Like in humans, you can get dogs of same size and breed and they weigh differently and both have the same body condition.

If you want to add weight..best way is adding an extra meal. So you don't over feed...and cause problems.

I think whippets never grow up!


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## EllaMay23 (Oct 10, 2017)

The vet checked them over said they healthy and that basically it can take up to 18 months for them to stop growing so theres time yet for them to fill out and find there muscles... I currently only walk them about 5/6 times a week as i have a newborn baby so their excersice has dropped in recent weeks but should hopefully be getting back out more soon.. i always leave my kitchen door open to let them run round the garden together.. They get fed twice a day aswell as other treats and snacks so i was just wondering if there was anything other sighthound owners would recommend adding to there dry food to help them pack on the pounds? I did try a raw diet for a while but if anything they lost weight and seemed to poo non stop!


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## BlueJay (Sep 20, 2013)

Not the best photos, especially with his colouring, but Cato looks pretty roached, which would make the spine more prominent in any breed.
Whippets though, as I'm sure you know, are supposed to be nice and lean anyways. Seeing ribs or even hip points in sighthounds isn't really a big deal, providing they are otherwise healthy and have nice muscle coverage.
Besides, they are still relatively young. You can probably expect maybe another 4 - 6 months of "bulking up" and filling out 

As @lullabydream says, an extra meal is likely your best bet for adding a little extra weight without upsetting delicate tums

Side note: from that picture, looks like he could do with a nail clip


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## EllaMay23 (Oct 10, 2017)

Thank you for responding, god i know he needs em doing badly its on my list for this week bless him, i feel awful at the moment as my 2 fur babies have had to take a back seat whilst i try look after the new addition and try get my own health back on track but things are slowly getting back to normality for them and i am really proud of them as they have taken so well to all these changes although i do feel like a bad whippet mummy think thats why i'm panicing about there weights now like i'm neglecting the poor things! Hormones I've just got back home now and tried to take better pics of them both.. I know sighthounds are skinny things nature but only ever been around lurchers and longdogs who have always had a bit more meat on their bones! so i just want to make sure my boys arnt too skinny! I'll add a mid aft meal into the routine and see if that helps them bulk a little. Thank you! P.s. i havent heard of roached before? Would you mind explaining this to me? Thanks for your patience.


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## Siskin (Nov 13, 2012)

I presume both pups are up to date with worming? 
In your second pictures they do look rather on the skinny side tbh, but then I'm used to fluffy Goldens who hide any signs of being underweight with a generous coat
A neighbour of mine has whippets, one about 10 years old and a new pup. The older dog does look really thin to me and is very roach backed, roach meaning an exaggerated curve to the back. The puppy looks a lot better, but is very young still


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## BlueJay (Sep 20, 2013)

A roached back is basically curved spine, rather than straight.
This isn't whippets so ignore where it says correct etc, but just to show the difference;









Your pups do look pretty skinny in the new photos though. Shoulder bones in particular are looking very prominent. I assume they are up to date on worming and vet hasn't any concerns that would require blood tests or anything?
Add an extra meal and see how they go


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## EllaMay23 (Oct 10, 2017)

Yes they are both up to date with flea and worm treatment and the vet didnt feel the need to take any bloods or investigate any further and warned me not to over feed!! He actually made me feel a bit silly for taking them in!! I deffo think they need weight on them! A man on my estate has greyhounds and said to feed them plain porridge, rice and pasta but once again i am at a loss as to if this would help or hinder them with having delicate tums as i have never owned sighthounds before!? Will just up their feeds and start getting back out more. Hopefully they'll bulk up over the summer!


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## BlueJay (Sep 20, 2013)

Here's a photo of my pod at a similar age; obviously different breed so there's structural differences etc.
He was very poorly; note prominent shoulder bones as well as ribs. Very little muscle. I mixed a bit of lactol in with his dinners to help him out a little.

If it is literally just a weight issue, another meal should sort them out just fine  I personally wouldnt bother with pasta or porridge etc, just more of what they are used to - providing they are doing well on it (healthy poops & coat, no rancid farts etc). Or, if you do want to add extras, something like tripe would be better than pasta or other filler type stuff; usually easy to digest, packed full of goodness and irresistible!


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## Dogmatize (Oct 23, 2017)

Hello. What lovely boys you have. I have lived with many whippets over the last 30 years and would like to say that between the age of 6 and 12 months we would be feeding 3 times a day , only dropping to twice a day at 12 months and only then if the condition of the dog was good enough.
I currently have a dog of 18 months who is still on 3 meals and gets 20% more than his sister. 
I am having success feeding “Markus Muhle”. The boy also gets a supper of an egg with a handful of cooked rice.
I would expect boys of 17&18 inches to be around 10kg unless being kept to thin on purpose for racing.


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## EllaMay23 (Oct 10, 2017)

Hi Dogmatize! Really is this where i have gone wrong? I dropped the feeds to twice a day at around 9 months but upped the portion size thinking it would be enough but obviously i am mistaken! I have been to local farm and whole salers today got my hands on some tripe and also changed their food to chudleys puppy/junior... I've fed them 3 times today! Breakfast: Dry food boiled roil and tripe... Lunch: Dry food boiled rice and Dinner: dry food boiled rice and veg.. Does this sound like a better feeding schedule going forward? I have never given them tripe before til today and oh my did they go crazy for it! The smell sent them wild haha! I shall give eggs a try too! Thank you for your advice it is much appreciated!


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## Teddy-dog (Nov 2, 2017)

I'm not an expert but they do look slightly on the skinny side on your second pictures. As has been said, make sure they'd up to date with worming and perhaps feed a little more. Is there any reason you're feeding dry food over wet? My parents whippets are fed on Natures menu (raw nuggets) with a bit of kibble and do very well on it.

Having said that, our whippet when he was a pup, did look skinny at around the same age (ribs and spine showing). He ate tons but just didn't put the weight on. But between the ages of 1-2 he started to fill out and now looks completely normal. I'll try find some pics of him at that age!


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## Teddy-dog (Nov 2, 2017)

Not the best photo to show it but the only one I can find. You could see all his ribs etc. But I'm not sure he was as small as yours.

I would up the food and see how you go


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## EllaMay23 (Oct 10, 2017)

Hi Teddy-dog! Yes i wormed and flea'd them at the end of march.. I am unsure as to why i havent considered wet food, I've never heard of raw nuggets will look into this! I've tried them with an egg each this morn! Cato loved it, clouseau not so much had to mush it up and mix in a bit of kibble for him to eat it and still he was looking at me like i'm not daft mum! Haha! What a beautiful boy you have he looks very majestic! Great pic! I think they've stopped growing upwards now ao hopefully with these changes in their diet they will start to fill out! Thank you!


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## Teddy-dog (Nov 2, 2017)

EllaMay23 said:


> Hi Teddy-dog! Yes i wormed and flea'd them at the end of march.. I am unsure as to why i havent considered wet food, I've never heard of raw nuggets will look into this! I've tried them with an egg each this morn! Cato loved it, clouseau not so much had to mush it up and mix in a bit of kibble for him to eat it and still he was looking at me like i'm not daft mum! Haha! What a beautiful boy you have he looks very majestic! Great pic! I think they've stopped growing upwards now ao hopefully with these changes in their diet they will start to fill out! Thank you!


If they're doing well on the dry then you could carry on with that. I just know that our whippets love the raw and they both look really good on it. Haha thank you, he is a lovely boy.

Yes, I think that photo is around about when he stopped growing upwards, and then started growing outwards.

If you're vet isn't too worried then I'd carry on with the extra food and just see how they do


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

one of my miniature poodles is now 7 and in the last year has filled out a bit. Her coat covers it but she was ribby with projecting hip bones but fit and muscled and in great condition. The vet thought she was in perfect condition. I think a shiny muscled ribby dog is very different to one with a dull coat and no muscle. It is hard to tell from your photos as they are doing the hunched up and miserable omg you are taking my photo stance. Can you get some of them standing more normally.


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## EllaMay23 (Oct 10, 2017)

Hi blitz thanks for your response! I have changed there diet and they have improved dramatically in just a week! I should never of dropped there feeds to twice a day it was too soon and i feel terrible about it but we are back on track now! Lots of extra long zoomies and cuddles on the couch to make up for it! Update pics below! Thank you to everyone for your advice!


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