The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Dogs => Topic started by: Sandy on June 29, 2010, 09:02:22 am
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I have had Labradors for well over 30 years and I still am unsure when they finish growing and are their full adult size, I know we got Ben at 9 mths and all he has done is muscled up!!! I suppose like humans, they stop growing when they come into season or are ready for breading!!!
I have looked on the internet and get conflickting information, as I do with feeding, so when should they be just on adult food? Some articles say large dog breeds need puppy food until 18mts and others say stop at 6 mths.
So, advice please!!!
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I suppose like humans, they stop growing when they come into season or are ready for breading!!!
Sounds like he's just about ready...but 'breading'!...I prefer mine in batter. :D ;D ;D
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It early and my glasses are greased up from cooking fry up's!!! I mean my 6 mth old pups!!!! I am sure they are going to get taller but someone told me 6 mths and thats that!!!!
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Mmmm...fry ups...wish I was there.
Seriously, I think a labrador of six months old will have a fair bit of growing yet to do. I don't think they should necessarily be on puppy food, but they will need a good diet which will allow for growth. Some of the working dog mixes are very good. Perhaps you should be thinking in terms of protein...a higher level of protein will help a young dog reach its potential, whereas a lower level is more for maintenance.
A lot will depend on their level of activity/exercise, too, as the burn off must be lower than the input to keep them growing. Feeding by eye is a good maxim. If a dog looks filled out into a healthy skin, doesn't run to fat, and has energy, you've got it about right.
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Umm, I thought they had a lot of growing yet, little Rhum (chocolate Labrador is getting a little tubby as she dose not venture so far and wide as the others and stays by my side a lot of the time, however ROhan, the Yellow Lab (both 6 mths) runs a hell but still getting a bit porky, I hope they have a growth spurt again soon as I am going to cut down thier portions.....like I have done mine ;)
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They don't stop growing until about 18mths, although growth does slow down during the latter stages and they start to fill out and 'grow into their skin' :D. Although they could breed from 6mths, they don't actually reach maturity 'til about 2yrs. They're in the teenage stage at the mo. I agree with feeding by eye, guidelines are just that... guidelines. Every dog is different. If they're fed on commercial food you may want to stick to puppy food for a bit longer, then move on to adult but perhaps add a touch of meat, 'cos most commercial food is decidedly lacking in protein.
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Thanks, thats what I thought, someone we met last night said they were fully grown so I just had to check, funny how you forget!! We feed our older 2 Labradors on a Working dog dry food and they love it, the pups love it too but I keep them on puppy dry mix, mixed with a little tripe, hopefully to straighten their bones!! I am also confused as to why our Yellow Lab is jumpy and barks? she is from our own bitch who is very quiet and calm and the sire was also a calm, intelligent dog, she has been very well socialized meeting different people all the time due to the B&B and obviously is still in the place where she was born with her mum and "step dad ;)" yet, Rhum, the Chocolate lab was born in a perpose built kennel/shed, taken from mum at 6 weeks with no more contact and little contact with strangers, yet she is wonderful, very placid and a little sweetie, so, WHY?
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They will grow to about the same height as Islay both being bitches. Rhum may be a little smaller, she looks more chunky and shorter in the leg. Her upper forearm is shorter. Have a look at their knuckle bone on the front legs and you will see there is still a bit of a lump there. When it is fairly flat they have more or less stopped growing. Spaying and neutering quite often stops growth if done too early. But I don't know if Ben was neutered just before you got him or before that? I start putting my pups onto adult food at about 6 months, but ensuring that they have more than a normal adult, and giving them extra non fattening treats - apples, fruit, veg etc.
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Found and read all the books about development now, they continue to grow until 18mth to 24 mths depending on genetics, I am going to continue puppy food for one feed and the other feed adult food. Rhums mummy was a big bigger than Islay so you never know, she dose appear chunky and shorter but we will waite and see!!!!! Not off for walkies tonight far tooo tiered for once!!!
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People in general have a great desire to get puppies on to adult food as soon as they can. I don't know why but they do??!!??
Puppy food is higher in protein than adult food and protein is what puppies need to feed their growing bodies. Protein is the building block for the body. Typically, puppy food is 29% protein. (Royal Canin is higher but they have their own ideas). Puppies should have puppy food until they are approximately 12 months old depending on breed. (Small dogs like Yorkies who are active can have pup food for all their active life). Then you can move on to Junior food which is typically 25% protein and fed until the age of 2 (ish). Adult food is about 22% protein and can be fed til age 7/8 ish. Senior or light food is about 18% protein and is fed to older dogs. This is the feeding pettern.
The advice to use the feeding guide on the bag as a guide only is spot on. The rib cage should just be visible on short coated breeds and just about be felt on long coated breeds.
Most importantly......read the ingredients on the bag 'cos all of the cheaper foods and a lot of the more expensive foods use animal or vegetable derivatives (This is the stuff that no one else wants) and in my humble opinion is sub standard food. The meat source should be meat meal and preferrably gluten free to prevent the dogs developing an allergy to wheat.
Bakers food is nothing short of an abomination and the only good thing about it is that the ingredients are not put straight in to landfill - in my opinion!!! If my dogs hadn't eaten for a week, I wouldn't feed Bakers! I don't even like writing the name and from now on will not type the whole name >:(
Excuse me, I must lie down :)
There is another option and that is to feed a raw diet. This is more natural and probably healthier but that is a whole other topic.
Sorry to have gone on but this is a subject that is VERY close to my heart as we spend every day trying to get this message across in our shop. Rant over.
Hope this helps,
Ian
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What is it that makes your yellow lab jumpy? People? other dogs? noises? Is she always tense/stressed - or does she relax most of the time?
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Sandy you will know if your dog has reached the height hes going to be if his elbows are level with his chest, his chest has to drop as we call it. Look at the dog sideways to see.
Feed puppy food only untill the dog is 12 months or you will get a hyper dog from too much protein.
What you dont want is much fat on the dogs as this puts pressure on their hips
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http://www.facebook.com/SandyMaaryDavison (ftp://http://www.facebook.com/SandyMaaryDavison)
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Whoops it dose not work!!! I was going to post a pic of the pups in our pond but it dose not work!!!
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It's a video - try this
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/SandyMaaryDavison?ref=sgm (http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/SandyMaaryDavison?ref=sgm)
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http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu232/pryde/devillaforestwednesdaynight031.jpg[/img]](http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu232/pryde/devillaforestwednesdaynight031.jpg) (ftp://[IMG)
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(http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu232/pryde/devilforestjuly8th008-1.jpg)
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They are beautiful Sandy, you must have your hands full. :)
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Wish I could get mine to sit all at the same time! One sits, another stands up, that one sits and another sits, then they all stand up, then they all sit - for 2 seconds, then they are all off like bullets ::) ::) ::) ::)
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Up to now they are very good!! just took my paint brush off Rhum and found Rohan munching on adult dog food I just had delivered and not put away ::)
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So hard to tell Rhum ti tum off, she looks at you with those lovely eyes and is so cuddly but she has just chewed up my camera case and some hair culers!!!!
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;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Aw but she is just so sweet. I just love how she looks at you. That one, I know, I've said it before, would make a great worker. I might just borrow her come shooting season.
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Oh dear...everyone now can look at my facebook ::)
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How come? ???