How to help a giant puppy gain weight, fix smelly beard & skin issues?

Thanks for using a Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is not possible to know this without an examination and cytologic examination. I highly recommend you consider having him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. It may be best to switch him to a diet of a different protein and carbohydrate such as duck and potato for example in case he is having allergies to his current diet. Good luck and have a great day!

I would talk to your veterinarian about trying a prescription diet. There are hypoallergenic foods that you can get so their body doesn't recognize the proteins. Bear would have to be on it for a full 2 months to see if it is going to work. If it works then he has food allergies. If it doesn't work then he has environmental allergies. I would try this first prior to switching to something else. I would also recommend making sure he is on a flea and tick prevention that is a pill since they also can be used to treat mites. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

In general, using a high quality brand is the best way to assure that Bear Bear's coat is healthy. Brands that I typically recommend include Science Diet, Purina ProPlan and Royal Canin because these companies conduct extensive clinical studies and analyses regarding their foods and source ingredients appropriately. Continue feeding Bear Bear puppy food until he is 1 year old, then gradually transition to an adult dog food. Anytime you make a diet change, be sure to do so by gradually mixing old and new foods together over 5-7 days. Bathing every 2-4 weeks in a gentle oatmeal based dog shampoo can also be beneficial. If he seems to have dry skin, an omega 3 fatty acid supplement (such as Welactin) can be beneficial. Also, make sure that he is receiving a high quality flea and tick preventative (such as Nexgard, Bravecto or Advantix) regularly.

Hi there. Yes, stress could be the cause of Bear's eating behavior. I would try feeding him away from the other dog, somewhere where he doesn't feel challenged because this could be an issue. You can also try high calorie food like Royal Canin GI high energy to help make sure he's getting plenty of calories. There is also the canine phermone collar called DAP which can help settle their nerves and this may be worth a try. I hope that helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! In terms of the weight loss, if he is doing well otherwise, this may be related to the diet fed which sometimes is not the appropriate for one specific dog. If he is a very active dog he may require a diet specific for active dogs such as Purina Pro Plan sports performance. Also, it may the amount of food that is being fed. Have your veterinarian calculate the amount of food he needs based on his most current weight, neuter status and also activity level. This is easily calculated based on the resting energy requirements which is an easy calculation. The ear issue is likely due to an ear infection. I recommend that you have Sparky evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Your veterinarian would be able to check what type of infection is present and treat accordingly. Usually this resolves with topical therapy. Good luck and have a good day!

It looks like his weight and body condition are good, though its difficult to evaluate that without being able to put my hands on him. (the hair can be deceiving) . When you run your hands over his chest you should be able to feel his ribs easily but they should not be prominent. When you run your hands along the sides of the abdomen back to the hips, you should be able to appreciate a "waist," but the bones of his hips should not be prominent. His spine (backbones) over his lower back should not be easy to feel. Without a walk-on scale like your vet has in his office, the best way to weigh him is by picking him up and weighing yourself on a bathroom scale. Then subtract your weight. (please be careful!! I don't want you to injure your back picking him up!) I hope that information is helpful for you. If you are continuing to feed a home cooked diet, consider checking out the site www.balanceit.com. This website will help you ensure that you have a balanced home cooked diet for Bear. Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Bear! Medications can mess with an already sensitive stomach. So if his decrease in appetite matches when you started medications for his skin that is likely the reason. See if adding warm water to the dry food helps or a tablespoon of canned food with in the same brand will get him to eat. Hopefully when his skin is cleared up and the medication is over he will resume eating normally. I wish you the best