Why is my active German Shepherd skinny and not gaining weight?

As a breed, German Shepherd‘s tend to be thin dogs and some lines are more thin than others. Continue feeding him a high-quality, high protein diet. I recommend the brand Royal Canin. Be careful with exercise and make sure to follow your veterinarian’s recommendations. Lastly, Colt is not done growing yet. The first year of life is devoted to upward growth and the second year of life is when pets fill out so he is still developing. I hope this helps. You may speak with your veterinarian about sending off a blood sample for analysis to find out if the platelet count is truly abnormal or if any blood parasites or seen. Best of luck.

Hi. I'm not sure how old she is, but yes, I recommend getting her seen for basic exam and lab work. She could still have worms even if you don't see them with the naked eye. So a fecal test to the lab would be the first step. Basic lab work to make sure liver and kidneys and electrolytes are all normal will need to be to be checkee as well. A common condition in German shepherds is exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. This is a condition in which the body isn't able to digest or absorb nutrients properly. The pets eat well and act hungry, but don't gain weight. There is a test for this condition as well. Your veterinarian will help guide the diagnostics once the exam and symptoms are reviewed. Good luck.

Yes, some dogs are just thin! It is good you noted her stool is normal and that she is eating well. Before I chalk it up to being naturally thin, there are a few things I would want to make sure of including parasites, disease and nutrition. It is always a good idea to rule out parasites with a stool sample to the lab since they can be microscopic. GSD are also prone to a disease that can make it very hard for them to gain weight but typically these dogs have 'greasy' looking stools. There are tests to rule this out. I would also make sure she is on a high protein food- your vet may recommend a prescription working dog food if she is thin to the point of concern. But if all this checks out and she is naturally thin- then I would be glad to have a dog that watches her weight:) I hope this helps!

German Shepherds are lanky dogs, especially when they are puppies. Make sure you are feeding him enough and that he is dewormed regularly. If Boe is still abnormaly thin as an adult, then I would worry about something else going on. I would recommend to feed the Royal Canin German Shepherd Puppy Formula. This is a nice diet with the right calories for a growing puppy. Please post again if you have any further questions!

Dodo's weight is well within the range of normal weights for male GSDs. They should be between 30-40kg, and are typically a lean dog. Unless the vet specifically says that he needs to gain weight, I would not advise trying to put weight onto him. If he's too heavy, that can lead to many health problems, including joint issues and diabetes.

She may need something labeled for "active" dogs to help her gain a little weight. I feed all of my dogs Purina ProPlan. This is a great food to try: Purina Pro Plan Sport All Life Stages Performance 30/20 Salmon

Dogs can vary quite a bit in size, even if they are the same breed - so it's more important to look at your dog's body condition to determine if he is under (or over) his ideal weight rather than comparing to averages for the breed. Ideally, you should be able to feel his ribs easily with your hands when you run them down his sides, and he should have a visible "waistline" or abdominal tuck just behind the ribcage. The ribs and hipbones should not be visibly jutting out of his fur, as this would be a sign that he is too thin. If his body condition is normal, I would not recommend increasing his food or trying to make him gain weight, as it's not good for growing dogs to be overweight at this age - it's very hard on their joints and can predispose them to orthopedic problems such as hip dysplasia later in life. If you're unsure if he is the correct weight for his size, you're welcome to request a consultation with one of us and share some photos of him - we would be glad to try and help :)