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My dog, Bella, I’ve noticed is kinda skinny. She eats a lot but she never looks chubby. We were told she was Pomeranian, Yorkie, chihuahua mix but she looks nothing like those breeds. She looks more like a long-legged rat terrier. I’m wondering if it could be that we don’t feed her well or if maybe it has something to do with her family and their breeds ?? Her other 2 siblings from the same litter look like the breeds they’re supposed to be but not her. They’re all currently 1 year old almost 2.

My dog, Bella, I’ve noticed is kinda skinny. She eats a lot but she never looks chubby. We were told she was Pomeranian, Yorkie, chihuahua mix but she looks nothing like those breeds. She looks more like a long-legged rat terrier. I’m wondering if it could be that we don’t feed her well or if maybe it has something to do with her family and their breeds ?? Her other 2 siblings from the same litter look like the breeds they’re supposed to be but not her. They’re all currently 1 year old almost 2.

Updated On November 20th, 2019

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | unspayed | 1 year and 3 months old | 12 lbs

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Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

Veterinarian

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Hello. Genetics can be pretty tricky to interpret in dogs, especially if each parent was a combination of breeds. As long as Bella is eating & drinking well, active & engaged with all around her, I would not be too concerned about how she looks when compared to her litter mates. Is she up to date on her vaccines, wormed on a regular basis & on heartworm preventative? If she is well cared for, eats a name brand food & does not seem overly hungry, then changing her food will not probably change much. She is still young, & truthfully, staying a little thinner is actually healthier than being overweight. If you are concerned, a good evaluation by your veterinarian would confirm if there are any issues to be dealt with. But, all sounds pretty normal. Thanks for using PetCoach.

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