looks to small

Question
my black lab is 10 weeks old and he is male from medium build mother and extra large father. he looks smaller than his sibling, so what is a good brand of puppy food so he can get bigger and stay healthy?

thanks,
Connie

Answer
Within in a litter, quite often one puppy will be bigger than another.  Late last year I saw and litter mate to our Xanthe.  She was a lot bigger.  I didn't worry about it.  In this case, we were both feeding Pro Plan chicken and rice puppy chow.  Most puppies will do fine on any of the common brands of dog chow if not fed too much.  You should be feeding a puppy chow now.  Switching to an adult chow for the larger breeds at 4 months, slows growth and helps develop sturdier joints.

Your dog definitely should be narrower at the waist than the hips and chest. You should be able to easily feel the ribs, but not see them.  Each dog is different.  Standard recommendations are a good place to start, but each dog must have its food and exercise adjusted to its individual needs. Here is a link to a good illustrated guide, http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/RateYourDog.aspx

The next time you are in for shots, have the vet confirm your judgment of your dog's condition. Adjust what you are feeding as needed.  Your dog may have a longer, active life than puppies that are larger because they are over fed for the exercise they get.  I don't think there is much difference in the different brands because I am familiar with large, well documented, highly successful programs that are feeding several different brands.  What they all have in common is the early switch to adult chow and keeping the dogs lean.  I would stick to what you are feeding unless the vet sees a problem.