Kingdom of Pets

Posted by rishijv13
Jul 10, 2009

Hi!
My 14 months St. Bernard is not showing much of a growth past 5 months. He is 29 inches at shoulders and is stuck.

Is it final or it is temporary. i am feeding him on Royal Canin Junior for Gaint Breed. Is the food Okay.

Till what age does St. Bernard keep growing?

regards,
Jay Vardhan Rishi

Posted by kjd
Jul 11, 2009

Hi, Jay,

How big were his parents?

If I were worried about my dog's growth, the first thing I'd do is take him to his vet. You seem to be concerned only about his height, so I assume he is not overly thin.

I don't know exactly when a dog stops growing in height, but 29 inches is pretty big for a St. Bernard -- take a look at [url=http://www.akc.org/breeds/saint_bernard/index.cfm]American Kennel Club - Saint Bernard[/url] for the AKC breed standard.

kjd

Posted by rishijv13
Jul 25, 2009

Hi!
Thanx for reply.
I am in India. In my last visit of KCI Dogshow held in India. I happen to see lot of St.Bernard Dogs. Averagly they were 30 to 33 inches in hieghts also quite bulky.
My Vet always insist on having a light weight St. Bernard as he says that it will be easier for hi to handle his weight as he groes older.
I wish to see my dog growing less bulky but good in hieght.
I try feeding him as much as possible good food for him.
in his intiall months till 1 months he was growing rapidly but now i see his growth quite slow.
So what more can I do for him to grow as wanted?
regards,

Posted by kjd
Jul 25, 2009

Namaste, Jay!

I'm afraid that his height depends upon his genes. By underfeeding him, you can stunt his growth, but I know of no way to make him grow taller than his genes allow. (How would you make yourself grow taller? I wouldn't mind being a couple of inches taller!)

Actually, if he is still growing taller, but more slowly, this is a good sign. Large dogs are often overfed into fast growth -- then their bones don't mature correctly.

Your vet is absolutely correct about keeping him on the light side. Too much weight can cripple him.

You sound as if you have a good vet. I would listen to him.

Good luck with your Saint.

kjd

Posted by rishijv13
Jul 27, 2009

hmmmm.....

Thanks for your advice. It was really nice of you to find time and help me.

regards,

St. Bernard Not Showing Growth