Setter pup still so skinny

[TerraNotSoFirma]

Been wormed recently, vet not concerned about his weight but I am :(
Fed 3 times a day, coat glossy, eyes clear and bright.
Seems happy and healthy enough other than being very small across the waist.
He is almost 10 months old, fed on royal canin large breed puppy and tinned tripe.
Any experience or suggestions?

[SpanielFace]

I'm a vet, and in my experience so many people worry about this when they really shouldn't! Most pups are skinny at this age - they tend to fill out a little between 1 and 2 years, depending on the breed. If he eats well, has plenty of energy, a glossy coat, no digestive issues, and is in generally good health, then I wouldn't worry about it at all. Think of him as a teenage boy - long and lanky!

[TerraNotSoFirma]

He is certainly lanky :)
Just getting a bit fed up of the 'ooh isn't he thin' comments.
One of the trainers at puppy classes was a vet and she did tell me they grow up the way rather than out the way and she had irish setters herself :)

[TerraNotSoFirma]

Sorry spaniel, forgot my manners...thank you.

[Slavetothechild]

Which setter is he ? We have breed and shown irish and gordons for 20 years . The irish can be quite rangy is youngsters real tripe is good to fill them out. To much free running can lengthen the bones . Some lines are thinner than others as well ! Do you have a photo from above ? Maturity will probably fill him out though .

[TerraNotSoFirma]

He's an irish setter, I have a pic on profile I think but not from above.
I'll take one and put it on profile.
I've been giving him tinned tripe, his coat is loving it but no weight gain.
I'll see our local butcher for real tripe.

[TerraNotSoFirma]

Have added the shot from above, best I could get...he wouldn't stay still :)

I seem to have replaced all my photos with this one, very odd.

[cathpip]

My 18 month old working cocker is very slim, I do worry a little but vet says he is in superb condition and he will fill out a bit more, eventually:)

[daisydotandgertie]

I think that for a ten month old pup, he's looking pretty perfect. He still needs to build muscle, but that will come with time and an increase in exercise now he's older.

Setters are naturally well shaped - can you see his ribs when he is standing?

[TerraNotSoFirma]

Thank you for that.
You can see his ribs very very faintly. Is that bad?

[toboldlygo]

He looks spot on. We are so used to seeing fat dogs that normal dogs now look thin, IYSWIM. They are meant to have a waist and a couple of ribs. :)

Royal Canin has a lot of rice and maize and not the best protein sources so if you were very concerned you could think about switching to something else, as above getting him on some real tripe or adding in elements of the raw diet.

[TerraNotSoFirma]

Thank you .am feeling a bit better, I suppose looking at him next to an eight year old long haired GSD doesn't help either.
Is the tripe from the butchers good or does it have to be green tripe from an abattoir?

[SingingSands]

Looks perfect to me! Great condition and superb coat. Irish setters shouldnt look "filled out" at all. We are a big setter family, bonkers about Irish setters, its lovely to see one as they are becoming less common nowadays.

[ouryve]

Setters often stay really gangly and look a bit like Bambi until they're a couple of years old.

[TerraNotSoFirma]

Thanks singing, his coat is the shiniest thing I've ever seen, ouryve, Bambi is exactly what I call him when he's running through the woods. :)
Feeling so much better now. It helps having 'dog' people having a look at him.

[SingingSands]

What do you call him? Our 3 were Rory, Corrie and Sean. Beautiful boys, all sadly departed now, but wonderful memories. DH knows I'll get another when we eventually move to a larger house and the kids are older.

[TerraNotSoFirma]

He is Barney, 3yo DD named him and it so suits him.
I wanted Rafferty :)

[TerraNotSoFirma]

We're yours pedigrees singing? Did you ever breed from them?
Not that I'm planning to, it would just be funny if I had a descendant of one of your boys :)

[TerraNotSoFirma]

Were not we're, bloomin' iPad thinks it knows better than me.

[Slavetothechild]

Hi no he looks good . Real tripe from a pet shop is fine green or white. My oldest boy is Rafferty he's from our old fashioned lines :) it means wealth and good fortune ! As an adult he should weigh about 29-34 kg approximately depending on his build . He will build up muscle and fill in as he matures. They are fully matured at about 3 well in body the mind takes so much longer. He looks great be proud and don't worry :) I sold a puppy to a Scottish lady who was like this for about the first 2 years and people used to comment they have no idea that some breeds are built diffenently from say Labradors . He's now 6 and the image of his dad

[Slavetothechild]

Oh and name checking the ones now are Rafferty, Dizzi Dora, snoop dogg, Katie Thomas ( don't ask !) sharira and storm :) love doggy names

[IAmNotAMindReader]

Our Irish setter is called Bob.

[daisydotandgertie]

Not a bad thing, the ribs. Absolutely perfect.

He looks well, fit and lean. Couldn't be better for a growing setter, IMO. Gorgeous.

[TerraNotSoFirma]

Aww thank you everyone
Will put a proper picture on so you can see his bonny face :)

[SingingSands]

Sorry Terra, just charged phone! All 3 were pedigrees, but no, as family pets we did not breed them. Barney is a great name, I always think of it as a "friendly" name :)

I miss having a setter, best dogs ever.

[SingingSands]

Och, he's gorgeous! Just peeked at your photo! Is that the signature white tuft on his chest? That's a sign of good breeding. (I have no idea if this is actually true, its just become a favourite saying in our family!)