A general rule of thumb is the bigger the breed the slower you would want them to grow. Mostly because every thing does not grow at the same rate. Even in bulldogs you see a lot of dogs go thru that gangly look where they look like all legs.

In the larger breeds, which are more affected by dysplasia, ti is better to slow the growth by keeping them lean and fit vs. hog fat.

I am sure some health issues can stunt growth and that growth never be recovered. I would say, even if wormy from the jump, most dogs end up where they were going to be anyway.


Back toward the post by Jack, you can't just feed bulldogs by the number of cups printed on the bag. Especially when scatter bred as the size of the dogs can vary from 35 to 70 within a litter. Size can be one of the consistencies in a 'consistent' breeding program, maybe not down to all within a 5lb range but not as much as 30-40lb swings.

Lots of puppy foods are designed to stimulate growth. We live in America where 'bigger is always better'. With that sentiment many a puppy has been raised hog fat and over fed, couple that with something designed to 'grow fast'. Health problems can occur.

EWO