Put weight on your dog with "satin balls"

 by shangrilarcadia
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One of the best ways to put weight on a dog is with something called "satin balls". You can find the recipe on many sites on the internet. Some people use it to put weight on their dogs before dog shows, but it's especially good for emaciated dogs and dogs who won't eat. It's high in fat so it puts on weight quickly, but it's also got other ingredients to make it a total diet so it can be fed alone or as a supplement.

My puppy hasn't been eating much and underneath all her fuzz she's skin and bones so I decided to mix up a batch to bring her up to a healthy weight
 
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Step 1: Gather indgredients

This is the original recipe:
10 pounds hamburger meat (the cheapest kind)
1 lg. box of Total cereal
1 lg. box oatmeal
1 jar of wheat germ
1 1/4 cup veg oil
1 1/4 cup of unsulphured molasses
10 raw eggs AND shells
10 envelopes of unflavored gelatin
pinch of salt


However, if you just want to try them out or have a small dog, I recipe this scaled down version (1/10th or the original).

1 pound cheap hamburger (for high fat %)
1 1/3 cups Total cereal
1 1/2 cups uncooked oatmeal
1 raw egg
6 tablespoons wheat germ
1 package Knox unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons unsulphured molasses
Pinch of salt

The only thing I suggest you change is the oil; vegtable oil has no health benefit, so substitute it with an oil that does (like flax seed oil which is high in healthy omega 3s).

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tgiles2 says: May 27, 2013. 9:43 PM
I just rescued two Pitt bulls one 7 months and one 3 months they are both under weight. What would you recommend as far as feeding them satin balls?
roxy slater says: Apr 27, 2013. 11:12 AM
do i use egg shell and how ?
benthekahn says: Nov 22, 2008. 8:03 PM
Any idea on how to do the opposite? My dog is quite the chub-chub.
jwilson69 in reply to benthekahnOct 24, 2012. 11:09 PM
cook brown rice(more vid.'s),cooked extra lean ground chicken or turkey and cooked veggies(such as carrots green beans peas)worked for my chihuahua that was very over weight.. no dog food or dog treats .. if u want to treat your dog give it a carrot on the upside it will also help with cleaning its teeth dog treats are all carbs which put weigh on them .. we never feed our dogs dog food raw diet they never had dog food in the olden days and these companies that make it u never know what they put in it flax seed oil is a good source of omega 3 can be added to the meal depending on the size u can refrigerate or freeze it in meals
jemery kuch in reply to benthekahnApr 25, 2012. 10:17 AM
Some ideas: Daily exercise, you can switch to a raw or dehydrated diet, set up play dates, dog park, only give protein based treats with no carbs.
dergdoom says: Aug 23, 2012. 2:04 PM
i have a 4 months old husky and cant get a food to agree with him he has diarrhea all the time any ideas
saosport in reply to dergdoomOct 16, 2012. 12:43 PM
My dog had the same issue and when I first got him as a rescue and have been gradually trying different foods until I found one that worked for him. The one thing that helped when I was switching him over from one food to another was giving him cooked rice. Not a lot about a half cup to 1 cup when he was 50lbs. If your dog does not want to eat it you can add a little peanut butter or a cooked egg. I would add just enough peanut butter to hold it togeather and put it into one of his bones or kongs. It would help.
Midnightandfatta says: May 2, 2012. 3:33 PM
I have a black lab mixed with saluki and she is a little over a year n a half and I am looking for ways to help her gain a little weight I have tried almost every thing the vet says that she is at a weight that is good could be a little better but a good weight the type of breed she is only suppose to reach a weight of 50 to 60 pounds her weight is 48 pounds
Midnightandfatta in reply to MidnightandfattaMay 2, 2012. 3:35 PM
I need a little help on getting her to gain the two pounds would this be a good thing to feed her?
Laras219 says: Jul 20, 2008. 8:47 AM
hi there! I'm really interested in feeding this to my dog, he's such a picky eater and so he's really really skinny now.. But i cant find total cereal here in Indonesia, can i use other brand? Do you have any suggestion? Thank u!
jemery kuch in reply to Laras219Apr 25, 2012. 10:17 AM
You can also leave the total cereal out if you like. I do for my wheat sensitive dogs.
shangrilarcadia (author) in reply to Laras219Jul 22, 2008. 9:11 AM
I don't know what brands they sell in Indonesia, but I am sure you can find another brand to substitute if they don't sell total there. Look for a wheat ceral with vitamins & calcium in it that doesn't have much sugar.
bulldogs4u says: Jan 3, 2011. 7:58 AM
How much would you feed a 18 pound French Bulldog? Once a day or more. How much per serving? Can you make it ahead and freeze it? Thank You
jemery kuch in reply to bulldogs4uApr 25, 2012. 10:13 AM
I would feed 1/2 to 1 satin ball a day to a frenchie, they gain weight fast. You can make the whole batch and freeze it. I recommend only putting 3 or 4 in a baggie and freeze in servings so you don't have to thaw and refreeze the batch.
jgritsch says: May 12, 2011. 3:06 PM
My dog is 14 years and 7 months old, and he just doesn't want to eat anything. He is skin and bones.

Is it safe to give an old dog this raw food?

The vet did not even want to vaccinate him anymore at his age as she didn't want him to have any reactions.

He gets up in his wheelchair cart a couple of times of day, and he enjoys his walks. So, he appears to be happy to be alive. He just doesn't have any interest in food.
jemery kuch in reply to jgritschApr 25, 2012. 10:11 AM
This food is safer than kibble. Your dog should be fine, but feed in small amounts until you know for sure that your dog doesn't have any sensitivities to it and maybe leave out the total cereal and wheat germ.
mwyland says: May 29, 2011. 9:22 AM
I have a pitt mix and he is an awesome dog. He is a picky eater. He does need to put on weight... can you tell me how much of this stuff to feed him? I thought maybe 1 ball a day until he puts on a few pounds. And should I continue giving him these once a week just for maintenance? One last question, do you give it to them raw? Thanks everyone for any help....
jemery kuch in reply to mwylandApr 25, 2012. 10:09 AM
Raw is preferred since cooked fat is bad for dogs. your idea sounds like a great plan.
canecorsomom says: Jun 10, 2009. 11:52 AM
I have so much to comment on here! LOL First let me preface by saying that i am a registered vet tech and a HUGE supporter of a WELL BALANCED raw food diet. I am also a breeder/handler of large breed dogs that are very active. This recipe is great for putting weight on a dog and worked miracles on our 3 year old male show dog who is a VERY picky eater. However, if you choose to feed this FULL TIME, you should add a raw food supplement (Dog Bloom makes one) and veggie matter such as kelp/alfalfa powder and/or raw veggies (pureed seem to be best accepted by dogs) you CAN use baby food if you are really lazy and dont mind that it is not RAW. I also make this with ground turkey (70/20) which is a fattier turkey and not as apt to cause stomach issues. I also make "treats" with ground lamb in this same fashion that they love. I have added peanut butter, shredded cheese, and pureed raw chicken liver to add a little variety to the treats. Most importantly this recipe has been approved by my vet as well as my dogs!
jhammarstrom in reply to canecorsomomAug 12, 2011. 7:15 PM
so it's ok to feed raw eggs???
jemery kuch in reply to jhammarstromApr 25, 2012. 10:08 AM
Yes, in this recipe it is. Dogs do not have the same digestive requirements as we do and are just fine with anything in a raw egg. You do not want to feed raw eggs too much alone though, as they have been known to deplete vitamin B over a period of time.
vtiddle in reply to canecorsomomApr 17, 2011. 11:51 AM
hey, i just rescued a corso male, and he's very under weight how much of this should i give him a day???my emai is victoriamiddleton18@yahoo.com if you can help..
kamden says: Jan 18, 2012. 6:57 PM
how much and how often do you feed them once daily and one or two,my yellow lab is skinny ribs showing she eats her food than most times throws it up if its the hard food.i hope this works couse i need her to get more weight.
jemery kuch in reply to kamdenApr 25, 2012. 10:06 AM
Kibble can be really hard on some dogs and because it is dog food, the ingredients may also be suspect. If your dog is showing signs of being ill, you might want to take her in for a vet check just to make sure it is not something more serious. You can use 2-3 satin balls per meal in addition to her food or feed about 6 golf ball sized portions a meal. You might want to look into a better quality (no grain) food for her as well.
whitney27259 says: Jan 27, 2012. 10:31 AM
I have a Great Dane that is under weight, i would like to know how much i need to feed him at a time and how offiten. thank you.
jemery kuch in reply to whitney27259Apr 25, 2012. 10:03 AM
I used to foster emaciated American Bulldogs. I used satin balls to increase weight, muscle development, and restart the digestive system. For a dog that is supposed to weigh 120lbs I would feed about 24 golf ball sized satin balls a day split into 3 feedings. This dog was over 60lbs under weight and gained all of the weight back in about 6 weeks. The question of how many a day is really up to you and how much weight you want to put on your dog. If feeding in addition to kibble, add two to three balls per meal. If in a week you do not see enough gain, add a few more. Be careful, these work really well!! You don't want a chubby pooch. A healthy dog should show the last two ribs but no spine or hip bones.
emarieneal says: Feb 25, 2012. 11:03 AM
More of a question, how many patties do you give them per day?
jemery kuch in reply to emarienealApr 25, 2012. 10:03 AM
I used to foster emaciated American Bulldogs. I used satin balls to increase weight, muscle development, and restart the digestive system. For a dog that is supposed to weigh 120lbs I would feed about 24 golf ball sized satin balls a day split into 3 feedings. This dog was over 60lbs under weight and gained all of the weight back in about 6 weeks. The question of how many a day is really up to you and how much weight you want to put on your dog. If feeding in addition to kibble, add two to three balls per meal. If in a week you do not see enough gain, add a few more. Be careful, these work really well!! You don't want a chubby pooch. A healthy dog should show the last two ribs but no spine or hip bones.
emarieneal says: Feb 25, 2012. 11:07 AM
also is this the only thing you feed them or is it in addition to other foods.
jemery kuch in reply to emarienealApr 25, 2012. 9:56 AM
You can feed it either way. if you are only feeding satin balls that is fine for a two week period or so, then you will need to add a more well rounded diet for added nutrition. Usually, people only add it to an existing diet for a short period of time to get the added weight effect. Be careful, this stuff really works and you don't want your pet gaining too much weight. If your interested in feeding a raw diet like this to your dogs by itself, you will want to look up the BARF diet or visit DVM Karen Becker's site for feeding a species appropriate diet.
bmorris1 says: May 14, 2011. 7:14 PM
Someone gave me an Alasken Malmute and he is under weight, How much should I give him??? Please let me know ASAP!!!
dbland says: May 10, 2011. 12:27 PM
hey, i just rescued a rottweiler male, and he's very under weight how much of this should i give him a day my email is danielbland41@googlemail.com if you can help me.
WhyHello says: Mar 1, 2011. 10:16 AM
:< I wish i found this sooner, but the only thing my dog was eating was her favorite treat. T.T
dchall8 says: Apr 17, 2008. 7:28 AM
In the south we call that a recipe for meatloaf. Pop it in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and serve with mashed potatoes and carrots.
holtorfsangel in reply to dchall8Dec 3, 2010. 5:24 PM
So you are the one that left the egg shells in at the last church supper!!! LOL. On a serious note, it's good to see these post, I foster and I defiantly have under weight dogs under my care on a regular basis. Many of them love food (sometimes too much) and with in the 2 weeks I normally have them their coats become shinny and their ribs begin to go into hiding, but there are times when something extra is needed. Currently I have a mastiff mix and his ribs are showing, I have read up on the mastiffs and it is clear that they are suppose to be meaty dogs. I hope I can get this one to fill out before having to return him. Thank you all for your comments. I hope you all have a great day. Please remember to spay and neuter and please stop the breeding. 1 in 4 animals in a shelter are now pure breeds.
bytowneboy in reply to dchall8Apr 17, 2008. 1:11 PM
Agreed.
smiley0446 says: May 26, 2010. 11:59 AM
In that recipe,I'm to put the egg shells in it also,Or just the egg?????
jmarsha says: Jul 25, 2009. 7:57 AM
Doesn't serving raw food mixed with cooked kibble cause digestive problems?
dmurawski says: Mar 20, 2009. 12:07 PM
Hi, I have a female St. Bernard that has gotten very skinny. I have tries different dog foods and let her eat as she wants with an automatic feeder but because of litters she has gotten skinny. How often would I feed her this and how much would I feed it to her?
canecorsomom in reply to dmurawskiJun 10, 2009. 11:57 AM
I dont know if anyone replied to you, but our dogs are large breed as well. unless you want to feed this ALL THE TIME, make sure you mix it in with her regular kibble. I would mix one pound twice daily with her regular amount of kibble. MOST IMPORTANTLY THOUGH, is you need to have her checked by a vet. If she is on an auto feeder AND eating the food, she shouldnt have a weight problem. Make sure you are feeding a PREMIUM quality food, check her for tapes, whips, rounds, and hookworms. These are usually the culprit when a dog (no matter how many litters or puppies) cant gain weight ESPECIALLY on a auto feeder. Good Luck!
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