# Too skinny?



## jamesjenn (Jul 3, 2012)

Iggy just turned 1 last week, and he still isn't at the 5 pound mark. The heaviest I've weighed him was 4.8 pounds, but he usually sits around the 4.4-4.5 mark. His waist is about 8" around, and his chest/ribs are right around 11.75". 

When he was a pup he was a chubby little thing, but he grew up (in what seemed liked overnight), and he hasn't put on any weight. He eats Royal Canin chihuahua food and seems to enjoy it. Although some days he'll eat as much as a cup, but sometimes he'll only eat like 1/3 of a cup in a day. :?

Any tips to make him continue to eat, or do you think he is healthy? He goes on long walks, he plays fetch inside, and the vet doesn't say he's underweight either. I'm just so used to owning big dogs (german shepherd, husky, king shepherd, bull mastiff, etc) that I'm not used to the size of Iggy yet.


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## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

Hard to tell from that pic, he does look lean but it could just be the angle. Can you see his ribs? He weighs and measures similar to my Bambi, but she is only 8 inches tall, so quite a stocky little thing.
My male Chi was also skinny on kibble, he just wouldn't eat enough to put any weight on. I feed raw now, and he always cleans his plate. I can also feed tripe and fattier cuts such as heart and lamb to keep the weight on him.
Royal Canin is not the best food, check out dog food advisor for higher quality kibbles.


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## Chihuahuasloveme (Jan 8, 2010)

He looks long and lean if you can't see his ribs then he should be fine beau barley eats he just hit 3.4 lbs @ 1.5 years old he's tall and scrony


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## proudpeyotemama (Feb 20, 2012)

Ote is only about 3 lbs. and she will be a year in a month. He looks long and lean, but not "too skinny." It's really all about the build with these little dogs. There are short, stocky pups and long, lean pups who can weigh the same amount but look totally different. I'd suggest a different, higher quality and more nutritious food, though.


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## OzChi (Oct 26, 2011)

He looks a little on the thin side to me. As Wicked Pixie said Royal Canin is not a great food, it has a lot of fillers so most of what you're paying for is going straight through him. I feed ZiwiPeak which is a very nutritionally dense food, others on the forum also recommend Arcana, Blue Buffalo and Wellness. I also feed a raw meal in the evening. Fatty cuts such as chicken thighs with all the skin and fat left on or fatty ground beef would put weight on him quickly. Good luck.


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## Audreybabypup (Sep 14, 2010)

If you can get a photo of Iggy just standing, it would be easier to tell. But honestly he looks ok to me. Audrey is very thin and has big back leg muscles. That's kind of how Iggy looks to me. Does he have good energy? A malnurished dog will move slower and less. Are his eyes bright and alert? Is his skin and coat good or dull and flaky? Those things show a lot about nutrition. Audrey is almost 2 and she s thin bouncy little thing. I have her on high fat high protein but she burns it as fast as she eats it. So your dog's activity level has a lot to do with it and just his natural body build.


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## Missygal (May 19, 2011)

I agree that food isn't the best! Bailey was really thin until she was one year old then she filled in a bit. As long as pup is eating I'm sure he's ok! Bailey somedays barely eats at all and others she eats like a lil Piggy!


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## Audreybabypup (Sep 14, 2010)

I missed the part about what he eats, I am not a royal canin fan. I really like Ziwipeak, Fromm, Acana, Earthborn Holistics, and Blue Buffalo wilderness or freedom varieties. You might be shocked at the difference a higher quality food would make for him


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

I must be the only one that thinks that dog looks practically emaciated! I would cut down on his activity level until you can get some weight on him. I would run blood panels as well and worm him. That is not a normal body shape for a healthy dog from what I can see from that picture!


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## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

Lol you are not the only one, but he is (I hope!) stretching in that picture, making him look worse than he actually is.


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## svdreamer (Feb 20, 2010)

Good, I thought it was just me that thought, my goodness, feed that poor dog. lol It worries me that so may thought it looks like an acceptable weight.


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## just cindy (Aug 30, 2010)

By the look in the pic I'd say he is too thin,,,my opinion


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## Blondie87 (Jan 10, 2011)

My eyes kinda bugged out of my head when I saw his pic too, but they I thought that if Izzie stretched out like that, I don't think she'd look much different. I agree that more pics of him would be better. One from the side with him standing normal, and one from the top with him standing normal.


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## Nancy (Feb 4, 2009)

Looks thin to me as well in that pic....


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## 20887 (Mar 16, 2011)

To me he looks too thin.. It probably wouldn't hurt him if you increased his food


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## 23083 (Sep 22, 2011)

He looks a little skinny. Is his thyroid okay? Might want a vet check esp. If hes eating that much. My 8.8 lb mix is well muscled and slim and eats almost 1/2 cup of wellness core kibble a day...


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## AussieLass (Mar 1, 2012)

Way too thin in my opinion!!! Have you wormed him at all? If I had a dog with a physique like that I'd worm monthly for 3 consecutive months and then regularly from there.

As Sarah said, ZiwiPeak & Raw will get the weight and condition on him.


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## missydawn (May 29, 2012)

He looks skinny to me as well,I'd increase his food intake,and get him on a #5 rated food


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## Angel1210 (Mar 14, 2011)

My chi would eat all day if I let him!!

Definitely too skinny! How much do you feed him and how many times per day?


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