Dogs 4-6 months is the skeletal growth period, so you need to give your dog calcium and a lot of nutrition at this stage so that they grow big - this phrase I believe we have heard, right? But this phrase is misunderstood by many pet owners, into the dog is 6 months on the adult, if not grown, you do not need to supplement calcium and strengthen nutrition, because it is no longer useful, and eating is also a waste.

Pet doctor today to give you a rumor, this is completely wrong, 6 months of the dog is not adult at all, and by supplementing nutrition, the dog still has a lot of room to grow.

A netizen asked the pet doctor, it has a Labrador, now 6 months, not very big, ask a lot of dog breeders, said no calcium, no need to increase nutrition, the dog this body type is so set, and then grow is to fat growth, want to ask if the dog really will not grow?

The vet gave the following plan

Take calcium supplements
Maintain adequate daily nutrition
The dog's exercise will be strengthened.
This way to maintain 2 months, that is, the dog is about 8 months.

Why is there a rumor that dogs become adults in 6 months?
When it comes to the dog 6 months of adulthood or 6 months after the body is not growing, then it must be mentioned that the different stages of the dog's growth rate and parts.

Dogs from birth to adulthood, each period of its growth rate and growth parts are completely different, we probably divided this period into 3 stages.

The first stage: is the milk fat development period (just born - about 2 months)

Just born puppies, this time they grow at a rate that is mainly some of the organs and functions that are not developed when inside the dog's mother's belly began to develop, such as the eyes, such as the strength of the bones, ear hearing, digestive capacity of the intestines, etc., this period of the dog, because of milk and exercise less, they also grow meat, and the rate of accumulation of meat is not bad, which is why we see them meat The dog's skeletal growth is very slow in this period.

The main supplement: milk protein, as well as some good digestion and absorption of nutrients (such as egg yolk, such as milk cake, and goat milk powder)

The second stage: rapid skeletal development period (about 4 - 6 months)
This period for dogs is a rapid growth period for the bones, but also one of the ugliest periods for dogs, (many people call this period for dogs embarrassing) because the body's intake of nutrition in addition to maintaining the normal work of the body, almost all used to grow bones, the growth rate of its bones, is visible to the naked eye in the speed of high, long (chang) growth.

So we need to give our dog calcium supplements during this time because he is growing so fast that the amount of calcium contained in his food is not enough to meet the growth rate of his bones, especially in medium and large dogs.

Need to supplement the nutrition: calcium, high-quality protein

The third stage: slow bone and meat growth period
After 6 months of age, the dog's skeletal development begins to slow down, but the slowdown does not stop the development but is slower compared to the previous development stage, this period in addition to the slow development of the skeleton, it also began to the bones and under the skin began to accumulate more muscle, and fat.

Recall, have you found in the dog 4-6 months, the skin is particularly loose, especially some medium and large dogs, their skin is looser, and when the dog to 10 months or more, then its skin is loose, as it gets fatter become very compact, such changes is a dog's growth process.

Need to supplement the nutrition: richer nutrition, high-quality protein, calcium

Summary analysis.
The reason why many pet owners believe that after 6 months, the dog does not grow bones, is because the second stage of the rapid growth period of the skeleton and the third stage of the slow growth period, this fall is too big, the rapid growth period of the dog's skeleton, the growth rate visible to the naked eye, the owner sees the dog is a day a look, but to the third stage of the slow growth period of the skeleton, the owner who keeps it every day, almost Can not see its growth changes.
We said the third stage is the growth of meat, many owners especially like the dog fat look, see the dog from the second stage of the lean period, gradually growing meat, very happy, think their feeding methods or buy dog food is particularly correct, so increase such feeding efforts, continue to increase the dog's intake, so the dog will become fatter and fatter, the dog is fat, will affect the dog's bone development. And after the dog is fat, visually will give the owner a feeling that the dog just grows meat, not bones.
Dogs 6 months to adulthood, the body shape, and no longer grow? The time of maturity is 12 months
So how many months is a dog adult?

The criteria for a dog to reach adulthood.

Dog sexual maturity is in about 8 months, physical maturity is in about 13 months, but now the breeding of pet dogs, because the breeding conditions become better, food nutrition intake is more adequate, so this standard is no longer accurate, many dogs sexual maturity advance to about 6 months, physical maturity in about 11 months, so dogs reach adulthood, at least in about 12 months. Then dogs 6 months, even in pet dogs, at best, only reached the stage of sexual maturity and not full adulthood.

What is the intuitive difference between an adult dog and a non-adult dog? (The difference between physically mature and physically immature)

I'm sure you've heard the saying, "Don't let bitches in the heat for the first time have puppies, but wait until they are in heat for the second time before letting them have puppies.

The original meaning of the phrase is the difference between a mature body and an immature body, because the first heat of the bitch, they are only sexually mature, but not physically mature, not fully prepared to carry a puppy, even after carrying a puppy, they give birth to puppies will be deformed or low survival rate, and wait until the dog's second heat, it is sexually mature at this time, but also physically mature, so this If you let them have puppies at this time, they will give birth to more puppies with fewer deformities and a high survival rate.

So how can we make the dog miss the 4-6 months of the rapid skeletal growth period, and continue to better skeletal growth?

First of all, we also need to continue to increase the food containing high calcium, such as puppy dog food, eggs, and milk powder for pets, as well as some higher calcium content of meat (meat must be boiled in plain water) Here it is important to note that you can not use bones to supplement calcium because the bone calcium dose is too small and for their intestines and stomach damage.
Calcium tablets veterinary surgeon recommended is to continue to eat following the amount of health care, especially in large dogs, about calcium, the veterinary surgeon told you a misconception, calcium is not the more you eat, the better the calcium effect, but the appropriate dose is good, because the calcium supplement after it affects the calcium-phosphorus ratio, if this ratio is out of whack, then the more calcium, the more calcium deficient dogs.
Increase exercise, exercise for the dog's bone growth is second only to calcium, so we in the dog after vaccination, that is, after 4 months, according to the size of the dog, to increase its dog walking time and exercise, so for dogs over 6 months, but also want them to better bone growth, then exercise is essential, but also very important means.
The most important one is to supplement the nutrition at the same time, not to let the dog over-nutrition, not to let the dog eat too fat, such as giving the dog to eat a lot of human leftovers and offal, more dog food and homemade meat food. (At this time, we said above to increase exercise, but also can play a very good auxiliary role)
Dogs become adults at 6 months, the body type is fixed, and no longer grows? Its body maturity time is 12 months
Dogs 6 months are not adults, their skeletal growth, at least can be maintained at about 8-10 months, so we should know more about the basics of pets when raising dogs so that they can be raised more healthy. Through this disinformation, what the vet wants everyone to learn is not how to make dogs grow bones after 6 months, but by understanding the different growth periods of dogs, supplementing different nutrition, so that we can feed them more scientifically and make them healthier.