# Fat vs muscle mass question



## Mazzapoo (Jul 28, 2013)

Poppy has been poorly for a bit with colitis after eating something vile and unidentifiable from a river bank on the Bank Holiday grrrr. She's not had it for ages, mostly due to the power of ball obsession but we weren't fast enough that time. 

Anyway, she had a 48 hr fast and then 3 tiny tablespoons of white fish and brown rice 4 times a day for over a week before the blood cleared up and now she's back on reduced portions of Naturediet and her poos are normal again, phew  

Before she was ill she weighed 13.8kg which the vet said was the top end for her but still fine - you can just about feel ribs and she has a slight waist from above. Well we weighed her again last night expecting her to be 12 something and she was still 13.5kg  I can't believe that after such a massive reduction in food for two weeks she hasn't lost more than 300g. It makes me think that her weight is more muscle related than fat based....and I'm thinking she's more like one of those chunky little muscly cockers rather than the wiry sleek ones (she does run everywhere like a greased whippet and has huge ham hock back legs). Or am I deluding myself?! We feed her to 12kg according to the feeding guide but they do say it varies massively from dog to dog which I totally get.

So what do you guys think about fat weight vs muscle mass?

Meanwhile here's a pic from today's walk in the barley fields to feed your insatiable poo appetites


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Glad she is feeling better now and lovely picture as ever 

I suspect that along with the food reduction she had a big decrease in exercise so was also burning less calories? If she was feeling rough she was probably doing less around the house too?

To be honest I go far more on feel than weight and just tend to weigh now and then as a reference point so are her ribs more "feelable" now? I like to keep my dogs lean so just adjust slightly if they seem to be gaining or losing weight.

Erm - I am not quite sure if any of that answers what you were asking


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Poppy is gorgeous 
Kiki is fed considerably less than Dot, she is slightly less active - but she is always the porkiest... I think that the amount of rabbit poop she consumes is a massive supplement to her calorie intake - and then there are all the other 'treats' she discovers when out for walkies...
Is Poppy due another haircut soon? That always has a very slimming effect on Kiki!


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## Peanut (Dec 1, 2013)

I totally believe that you are right in thinking that Poppy is built like this and she is a larger dog by frame.

Peanut is exactly the same. She has been on a diet since February and trust me, she is not eating more than half of what she should, exercises crazily every day , and she struggles to lose weight. She was 10.5 kgs and now down to 9.9 kgs but not easy, let me tell you. I want her back to 9.4, but she is not a poodle girl by any means. Coconut is much slimmer framed than she is.

If you are happy with her weight, that's all that matters.


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## Mazzapoo (Jul 28, 2013)

Peanut said:


> I totally believe that you are right in thinking that Poppy is built like this and she is a larger dog by frame.
> 
> Peanut is exactly the same. She has been on a diet since February and trust me, she is not eating more than half of what she should, exercises crazily every day , and she struggles to lose weight. She was 10.5 kgs and now down to 9.9 kgs but not easy, let me tell you. I want her back to 9.4, but she is not a poodle girl by any means. Coconut is much slimmer framed than she is.
> 
> If you are happy with her weight, that's all that matters.


Thank you, we need some more nut pictures btw, they are sadly lacking! A lot of the poos we meet are very thin and slinky and I just don't think Poppy is one of those (maybe Peanut isn't either!) 



2ndhandgal said:


> Glad she is feeling better now and lovely picture as ever
> 
> I suspect that along with the food reduction she had a big decrease in exercise so was also burning less calories? If she was feeling rough she was probably doing less around the house too?
> 
> ...


Ha ha! I'm not sure what question I asked!  But it's nice to get some opinions. Yes you're right she exercised less for a bit and though I'm not sure about her ribs I _can_ feel them, and her spine. A lot of poos seem quite deep chested with a very high tummy but Poppy is less defined in that way and I have seen cockers like that too. I reckon we'll stick to a slightly reduced daily portion and see what happens


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## Mazzapoo (Jul 28, 2013)

Marzi said:


> Poppy is gorgeous
> Kiki is fed considerably less than Dot, she is slightly less active - but she is always the porkiest... I think that the amount of rabbit poop she consumes is a massive supplement to her calorie intake - and then there are all the other 'treats' she discovers when out for walkies...
> Is Poppy due another haircut soon? That always has a very slimming effect on Kiki!


Sorry Marzi, your little quote marks didn't work  Yes she's getting cut at the end of the month and that'll be 8 weeks, which is longer than usual so that might help us see more


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

Lexi, Poppy, and Peanut should start a support group. 

Lexi and Beemer are completely different body shapes. He has that lean poodle look and she's got that cocker barrel going on. She also puts on weight at a drop of a hat. An extra ounce a day (feed raw) for him does nothing. For her, she plumps up in a few days. He is 3lbs less than she is and has always weighed less. I finally gave up trying to get her weighing the same as he does or even looking like he does. I make sure I can feel the ribs, her tummy tucks in a bit, and I can see her waist from the top down. Increasing exercise doesn't slim her down but does slim him down. Also my vet just said they looked good. He doesn't go by weight but be feel and look. He said you can't always trust scales because they may get off calibration from one weigh in to the next. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Mazzapoo (Jul 28, 2013)

Interesting for you to see the difference so obviously, having two, and to be able to compare things in real detail. I think exercise just builds Poppy up too but also I wonder if there's anything in the post-spay weight gain idea going on here. Mind you that was ages ago. I'm going to scrutinise all the cockers we meet from now on and check their tummy tucking 

Support group.....hmmm Poos Looking Obese Please Support (PLOPS)?


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Poor old Podgy - don't give her a body image crisis


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