Durk

Hey everybody,

My name is Nick... my 5 month old basset's name is Hank. I've never had a basset, and I had a question that I was hoping the more experienced owners here could help me out with. When I got Hank from the breeder, he was obviously the biggest pup in the litter. So, naturally I thought he would be a bigger guy growing up.

Well, I just went to the vet last week and he is almost 5 months and already 40 pounds. The doc has concerns about his weight, but I am not sure I agree. He is not overfed (including NO people food), and I exercise him on a daily basis. He doesn't look fat, in fact he looks quite healthy. I just think he is a big guy and cutting his meals down to less than three times a day seems unhealthy for a growing puppy.

I was hoping anyone here could give their opinion of my situation and whether it might be a good idea to put him on a diet as suggested by the vet. I appreciate everyones help and look forward to talking quite a bit on here.

Here are some pictures of Hank:

José

Well I've got to say, Hank is adorable. I don't know which picture I like the best! The great dane is adorable... but then nothing can beat the basset pup belly up sleeping pose.

Your little guy looks perfect now. Maybe your vet doesn't understand bassets as well, they are pretty stocky dogs.

I can't remember when I cut José down from 3 meals a day, to 2, to eventually one. I think it was somewhere around 5 months he went from 3 to 2, so maybe you could try that. I wouldn't say he should lose any weight, I would just be careful since he is pretty sturdy now, that his waistline doesn't grow faster than his bones.

Lisa
José 2001-2007

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Lisa
Remembering José 2001-2007

Durk

Thanks for the reply! Yeah, I don't know what the vet is thinking... she said he should ideally be 30 pounds. I can't imagine him being 10 pounds lighter than he is right now. He's all bone, muscle, and of course lots of skin!

AmyB

Hank is one handsome guy!

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Amy, mom to
Sadie (ATB, 6/9/06) & Spencer (ATB, 8/19/10) - always in my heart
and Clifford (gotcha date 7/2/11).

Beverly Anne

What a great looking basset! Absolutely the cutest face. Welcome to the forum and I'd say that if you're feeding him the right amount of food and getting Hank to exercise a LOT then you should have no problem.

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Francis's Bevy

clarejon

hay Hank - you're a cute little guy! I love the belly picture!

i'd say 40lb is too heavy for a five month old. my two year old is 23kg which is guess is 47/48 lbs and she is much longer than Hank and she is on a diet to get down to 21kg by the vet.

you know you say you are feeding him the right amount. how do you know that? are you going by food packaging lable? this could be too much? my dog doesnt eat 1/3 of what the packet says and she's overweight acording to the vets anyway.

i'd still keep him on three meals a day (but possibly half the mount in each meal) until about 9/10 months then down to two. also are you still feeding him puppy food or have you switched to adult? puppy his what he should be on until one year old.

hope this helps

Clare

faysie

Oh that picture of him sleeping is PRICELESS!! That is one VERY relaxed Basset!

murraysmom

What a great puppy!!!! I can't wait to see more pictures! !

Soundtrack

Really, what is the "correct" weight for a basset at any given age will depend on his build, his bloodlines, his muscle tone (muscle weighs more than fat), and his growth rate. There is a LOT of variation in the size of adult bassets, from under 40 pounds up to 100 or more.

If you got him from a good breeder, I would consult with them as to what is normal for their pups. A good breeder will often be more knowlegable about basset-specific issues than a vet will.

When my Kermit was six months old, he was already 50 pounds. He finished out at around 65-70.

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shallhb

I can't judge his weight in a picture--I'd second the suggestion to talk to the breeder. But! Oh, is he cute!!!

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