underweight dog

Question
QUESTION: My dog is a 13 month old Male german shepherd. He is 25 Kg in weight.he eats normally. we are a pure vegetarian family %26 feed the dog with Pedigree dog food . he has severe dandruff problem.how can this dandruff problem be resolved . also is the dog underweight ?

ANSWER: As far as I know, the Pedigree shouldn't be causing the dandruff.  YOu could try a couple of things.  Brush him daily with a soft bristled brush.  Avoid baths and if you do bathe hem, make sure you rinse out the shampoo good.  You could also try adding about 10 ml of a vegetable oil a day to his food, soy, corn, etc.  Such oils are commonly available here as liquid cooking oil.  Coconut oil won't help.  

The 25 kg is low for a Shepherd.  To determine if he is just small or underweight, go to http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/RateYourDog.aspx  Adjust his food as needed to maintain good body condition.  Some young Shepherds may refuse to eat enough to reach their ideal weight.  In such cases, you may have to let their ribs show a little.  


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: what should be his ideal weight ? also what should i feed him with? can you suggest  

Answer
Nobody can tell you his ideal weight.  It depends on his size, build, and general condition.  The website I gave you explains how to determine his body condition.  Once you determine that, you can make any adjustments he needs on how much you feed.

As far as I know, the Pedigree is as good as anything.  Most dogs will thrive on most foods.  No one food is right for every dog.  You might try another one.  I have seen good results with Iams and Pro Plan.  If you can find one of them, you could try it.  Here in America, we have so many good foods, it is hard to choose one.  I know the Pedigree is available in India and much of the rest of the world.  I often suggest it.