Dog food recommendations for high energy spaniel

[BonosToupee]

I have a 2 year old WCS, who is extremely high energy and in very good condition, but I can’t keep weight on him and his ribs are like a toast rack at the moment.
He’s been fed Millie’s Wolfheart all his life which he loves, but the only one he keeps weight on with is the highest fat variety.
I’ve spoken to customer service a couple of times and they don’t recommend keeping him on that one permanently, or over feeding him which I’m doing by about 20%.
I’m feeding him on the variety they advised, at the correct portion size and weight is dropping off him again.
He has been vet checked and is in perfect health, the vet said he is on the slim side but very well muscled.
I haven’t had such a high energy breed before and could do with some advice if anyone can help please?

IME of my skinny one, as pp say adding to whatever you're feeding makes a difference. We can sometimes get bargain-basement sardines in tomato sauce, for example, and they love those.

Skinner's Working30 is their most calorific food, but has a very high % of protein which your dog might not need.

I've never had an issue with my dogs' health when switching between foods, other than one we had who had an allergy, which showed up as itchy skin. We never found out what to, and found a food that worked and stuck with it. Dogs are scavengers as well as hunters, and most of them should be able to handle a variety of foods without a problem.

A 2 year old wcs willl be skinny - they shoud be skinny. I would be worried if they are not.

Skinners maintenance food I usually keep dog food views to myself but it is shit food. It is very very very high in maize and wheat over 80% carbs very little meat only meat meal and poultry fat.

Having said that if you are on Millies high meat diet I would get back to them and ask them about increasing the car mix a bit See what they recommend on the 60 40 diets. Active wcs mayy put on weight if you change the ratio from meat just a small amount.

I have wcs (that do work operational scent dogs) They are thin, they are healthy but do need a bit more carbs than the working collies.

What Millies are you on at the moment?

The average dog in the street is overweight - do not compare your dog with them.

What do they weigh?

Thin side and very well muscled sounds perfect to me. They would not be well muscled if under nourished!

Hi @dennydan thanks for your reply, it’s good to hear that from someone who obviously knows their stuff.
He was on a 65/35 mix and holding his weight, but the last month or so he’s been on 50/50 and it’s dropping off him again.
At the moment he’s 13.3kg, but I think he’s better just under 14kg.
I use a coat king to get rid of his dead fur and he seems to boney to use it on his flanks at the moment.

Picture for reference

I don't think he is too skinny. He is very handsome

I think he looks fine in that photo, but the fluff could be deceiving.

They say with cockers you should be able to feel their ribs, but not see them.

This is my girl when she dropped weight. You could have used her ribs as a xylophone.

@SpanielsGalore he’s not quite so slim, but not far off. His fluff does a good job of covering his ribs. It’s when he’s laid on his side and I’m stroking him I realise. That and trying to brush him.
Cute dog @Lomonald I love the bobbed ears!

Thank you he is showing off his new haircut !

Do speak to Millies again. You can fed 50-50 long term. I have fed some dogs on it for years.

Peak Performance is the highest calorie food from Millies and 63-35 and I think of any dog food but some active dogs do need more carbs to keep on the weight.

He looks great. If he has energy and is well muscled I really would not worry.

Thanks @dennydan appreciated.

We give ours between 150-200ml of full fat goats milk before bed to get some extra calories in him. He LOVES it and it’s good for their gut and digestion. He also gets a rabbits ear and ducks neck a day and often a pizzle. His breakfast is kibble (from a local pet shop - if you’re in Lancashire I can tell you which) and then tea is kibble, half a tray (or a full tray if he’s had a big walk like yesterday) of Lily’s kitchen and 4 different vegetables. We up his kibble if he’s looking a bit skinny and/or chuck some grated cheese in. DH fed him a fillet of mackerel yesterday morning before the 14km walk they went on. We are always stunned at how much we feed him compared to the terrier we used to have!

I have 2 WCS, 1 is a bitch and 6 years old, the other is a male and 5 months. The 6 year old is very muscular but never puts on weight, maintains at 13.5kg. The puppy is 10kg but already bigger than the older one already. He is also all legs, his hip bones are always in show.

I have them on Iams and the puppy is meant to have 150g a day. He is on 4 times that because he is so bloody high energy. Our vet isnt too worried, but has increasing his food but spreading it out through the day, we have also added a pouch of wet food to every meal. So he gets 1 pouch and about 300g of iams per meal.

Ignore are the food company. Speak to your vet. They will have far better advice.

Skinners Working Dog?