Weight: evaluate your dog

How to evaluate your dog's weight. By Eve Adamson  --(source)

Compare your dog's body condition with the images shown below.

Evaluate your dog using the following three-step process:

  1. Look at your dog from the side.
    The tummy needs to tuck up from the chest and not be level with or hang below the chest. If you can easily see the ribs, they are probably underweight. But in some breeds, including Greyhounds, Whippets, and Italian Greyhounds, the dog’s ribs show at a normal weight. Breeds with heavy coats need closer scrutiny because you probably can’t see ribs even when the dog is underweight, so try the next two steps for a more complete assessment.
     
  2. Look at your dog from above.
    As you stand over the dog and look down, your dog needs to have a visibly tucked-in waist, but the hipbones should NOT protrude too severely. If your dog looks like a barrel, a sausage, or a small beach ball with legs, they are probably overweight. If the hips protrude sharply, they are probably underweight. If the dog has a nice curve inward at the waist, they are probably at a good weight.
     
  3. Feel your dog’s sides for the ribs.
    This test is especially important for heavily coated dogs, the fur often conceals weight issues. If you can feel no evidence that your dog possesses a rib cage, they are probably overweight. If you can feel the ribs but they have a slight padding, like a light blanket over them, then your dog may be just right. If the ribs are obvious and feel like they’re covered with only the thinnest layer of skin, your dog may be underweight.

Obesity can cause many serious health problems in pets of any age. Too much weight stresses bones and joints, strains the heart and other internal organs, crowds the lungs, and turns a simple walk around the block into a major chore. In fact, overweight dogs suffer much the same risks and consequences as overweight humans.

Malnourished dogs don’t have it any better. Lacking crucial nutrients can lead to serious nutritional issues, too. Signs of malnourishment include a bloated abdomen, bleeding gums, and an emaciated body with ribs clearly visible.