Hi everyone. My ridgeback came home, and he's a sweetie, but he's a skinny boy!

I'm going to ease him off of the breeder's food (medi-cal), but he's eating 4 1/2 cups per day as of now, and he's still all skin and bones. I might just be used to chunkier dogs (a golden mix and a British style manchester terrier), so here's a picture.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t183/heawill/00001.jpg

Is he too skinny, or is that what he should look like?

Heather, Ridgies *are* supposed to have a bit more flesh on them. They are African hunting dogs, so they should be lean, but a bit more solid than your boy is at the moment.

I'm sure you'll have great fun bulking him up! Once his diet gets adjusted, he'll be needing a LOT of exercise. I mean, a lot a lot! They are a wonderful breed, and you certainly are going to have a blast with him.

Luck!
-Jim

IMO, looks too thin in that photo.

I will add that pups grow in such amazing stages, one day the pup may look/feel thin, next day kind of chunky. Constant spurts.

Hi Heather:

Our male RR is 6 months old now and still looks like he hasn't eaten in weeks. Every RR puppy i've seen has been "ribby" and lean looking, I wouldn't worry about it. I've fed him a combo of Canidae dry and canned his whole life, about 4 cups of dry and 1/3 of a can per day and he's growing nice and slow. I met some of his siblings and they're growing, in my opinion anyway, at too quick a rate. One of them was overweight at 6 months and the other were already at 80 pounds at that age. Just to give you an idea, his dad is about 105 pounds and mom is 85 pounds. He was the second largest pup in the litter so we're expecting him to be close to his dad. He was weighed last week at the vet at 60 pounds and he's a very happy puppy that is full of energy. He's tall and lean and you can see his ribs but he looks very healthy, not emaciated.

Also, RR's are the hungriest dogs that I have ever owned. They sniff the air for food like maniacs and pretend like a morsel of food or fuzz or pocket lint or anything for that matter on the ground is the finest filet mignon. :-)