Cane Corso, Bullmastiff, Labrador mix--growing too fast?

[heysharon]

Hi everyone. I have a rescue puppy that according to DNA results is 50% lab, 50% cane corso mixed with most likely bullmastiff. I'm seeking information and advice from your forum because although most people assume my dog is all lab (his head looks lab and he looks black when he's not in the sun), his body looks like the CC pups I've seen online (with intact tail), and he definitely acts more CC than lab (wary, aloof to strangers although tolerant, velcro). My primary question is concerning his growth. He was neutered by the rescue at 5 months old, weighing 46 lbs at that time. I adopted him two months later, at a skinny 51 lbs. I've had him for 6 weeks, and he's gained 34 lbs, making him 85 lbs at 8 months of age. I can still see the last couple of ribs when I look at him standing from above. He still does not appear to have grown into his massive paws. I feed him a raw diet consisting of a variety of ground meats and bone (rabbit, beef, duck, chicken with some blended veggies). He gained 9 pounds this past week, which seems to be an alarmingly fast rate of growth, at least for a lab. Should I cut down his meals? He will NOT be pleased, lol. He hasn't had any problems with limping.

Sharon
Decker, 8 month old lab/cane corso mix
Josie, 7 year old Brittany

 

[musicdeb]

Are you feeding him 2-3% of his expected adult weight? Do you follow the 80/10/10 standard for feeding raw? If you are feeding him 2-3% of his expected adult weight and follow the 80/10/10 standard, then you should be ok. I'm sure others will respond to your post about his growth.

 

[heysharon]

I've been feeding my healthy and long-lived dogs raw for 13+ years (my older rescues have all passed). Back then I only knew of a few other people doing it (and vets gave me constant crap about it), but I just heard this 80/10/10 business today on this forum. A few years back, I found a butcher who supplies ground meat for dogs in various mixes. Some days they get ground chicken with 28% bone, 10% organs, 7% veg/fruit, some days duck or turkey with similar ratios, some days beef with 20% tripe, 10% heart/liver and no bone, some days whole ground rabbit, no intestines. I also feed egs periodically. Decker is a rescued mix. No one knows how big his parents were, and I don't know what his adult weight will be. He's been eating 3-4 lbs a day, divided in 2 or 3 meals. He was fairly underweight when I got him, but he looks good now. I just didn't expect such rapid growth. I take him in for a weight check every few weeks, expecting maybe 3 or 4 pounds, and find out 10?! I think I will cut back to 3 lbs a day, under the assumption that he'll top out at around 110.

 

[CowboyBebop]

9 pounds in one week is a lot. My BM typically put on 3 to 4 in a week on commercial kibble. He is intact and large for the breed standard, 150lbs at 14 months. The most he ever gained in one week was 5 pounds. I was weighed him every week as the vet is only about 4 blocks from my home. A very reputable breeder/shower of DDBs said 3 or less a week would be desirable. I hope that may be of some help.

 

[heysharon]

Yes, that is very helpful Cowboy! Thanks for your reply.

 

[CowboyBebop]

That's what were here for!

 

[heysharon]

Thank you too Deb, didn't mean to leave you out!

 

[heysharon]

Hello again friends. Here is Decker a couple weeks ago. He's now about 9 months old and 90 lbs. and still very fit. I did cut back on his food a bit (3 lbs daily), so he's gained a more reasonable 5 pounds in about 3 weeks. He's such a good puppy.

 

[CowboyBebop]

Very nice! The head might be Lab, but those legs scream mastiff stock.

 

[Duke]

holy cow! he's bigger than my lab at 7 years old! lol

 

[musicdeb]

Decker is a handsome boy!