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My dog is skinny. What dog food helps him gain healthy weight?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | neutered | 5 years and 6 months old | 60 lbs

Hi, we rescued a dog a little while ago and named him blue. We took him to the vet and they said that he is about 4-5 years old. Its been going great except he hasnt gained much weight and is skinny! Any tips on what to feed him to help him gain wieght?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Karly Macon, DVM, MS, CVA Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Veterinarian

Published on June 25th, 2017

First off, I would check with your vet to make sure that he actually does need to gain weight. I often see dogs that are a very healthy weight but the owners think that their dog needs to gain weight because they are used to seeing overweight dogs. A good rule of thumb is that in short-haired dogs you should be able to actually see the last rib in the rib cage, not just be able to feel ribs. If your vet does indeed think Blue is too thin, he/she may be able to recommend a good high quality prescription diet like Royal Canin High Energy that is designed to provide increased calories without causing digestive problems.

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Congrats on your new dog! I personally recommend high quality brand dog food such as Royal Canin, Hill's Science diet, Purina ProPlan, and Iams. One of these brands will help Blue gain weight in a safe and timely manner. I would feed him according to the package instruction. Make sure he is given a deworming treatment every three months, as intestinal worms can cause a dog to be skinny.

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