The feeding of young growing puppies is not as simple as once believed. A number of researchers have been studying the effects of feeding and diet on the growth of puppies, particularly the effects on skeletal development. Although genetics, exercise, trauma, and other aspects of the environment also impact the skeletal development of puppies, the diet is one factor that every owner can control. Several orthopedic diseases of dogs can be precipitated by improper feeding practices during growth. Large breeds of dogs are predisposed to these problems because they have the genetic potential for excessively rapid growth. In rapidly growing, large breed puppies, maximal growth, and therefore increased body weight, can cause stress on the immature developing skeleton. Large breed dogs have decreased bone density compared to smaller breed dogs at this stage (Dammrich, 1991). Additionally, fast bone growth results in structural defects of bones that are in turn unable to accommodate an increased body weight (Dammrich, 1991).