A Five-Point Check to Assess Whether Your Dog Is Overweight.
We dog owners all want our furry friends to live long, healthy, and happy lives. A major part of ensuring their well-being is maintaining a healthy weight. Just like with humans, obesity in dogs can lead to several health issues, including joint problems, heart disease, diabetes, and reduced life expectancy. The good news is that assessing whether your dog is overweight doesn't require fancy equipment or a vet visit—there's a simple five-point check that you can do at home.
Here's how to assess whether your dog may be carrying around a little extra weight.
1. Rib Check: Don't Just Look, Feel!
A good starting point is to check your dog's ribs. Place your hands on their sides and feel for their ribs. You should be able to easily feel their ribs without too much fat covering them. If you can't feel their ribs at all or if there's a noticeable layer of fat preventing you from doing so, it's a sign they may be overweight. Ideally, a healthy dog's ribs should be easily felt with just a slight layer of fat over them.
What to look for:
- Ideal weight: You can feel the ribs with light pressure, but they are not protruding or overly visible.
- Overweight: If the ribs are hard to feel or not discernible at all, your dog may be carrying excess weight.
2. Waistline Observation: Look from Above
Another simple check is to look at your dog's body from above. When viewed from above, a healthy dog should have a noticeable waist behind the ribs. The body should gently narrow toward the hips, creating an hourglass shape. If your dog's body looks straight or rounded without a visible waistline, it may be an indicator of excess fat.
What to look for:
- Ideal weight: A clear waistline visible from above, where the ribs taper inward slightly before the hips.
- Overweight: A lack of a visible waist or a straight, blocky appearance with little definition.
3. Side Profile: Check for a Tuck
Looking at your dog's side profile can help you assess whether they have a healthy weight. The area between the ribs and the hips should have a slight "tuck" or inward curve when viewed from the side. This is especially noticeable in breeds with more defined body shapes. If you don't see this curve and the abdomen appears to hang or sag, it could be a sign of excess weight.
What to look for:
- Ideal weight: A noticeable tuck or inward curve between the ribs and hips.
- Overweight: A flat or sagging belly with no inward curve.
4. Belly Check: Feel for Fat Pads
Feel along your dog's belly and the area around their back legs. In an overweight dog, you may feel fatty pads or bulges of excess fat. In a healthy dog, you should not feel any large fat deposits in these areas. If you notice your dog's belly is particularly soft or has fat pads hanging down, it could indicate they've gained some extra pounds.
What to look for:
- Ideal weight: The belly feels firm, with no noticeable fat deposits or bulges.
- Overweight: The belly feels soft and may have bulging or sagging fat pads.
5. Activity Level: Watch Their Movement
While this is not a physical check, observing your dog's activity level can give you clues about their weight. Overweight dogs often tire more quickly during walks or playtime and may become sluggish or reluctant to engage in physical activities. If your dog seems to have lost their usual energy and enthusiasm for exercise, excess weight could be a contributing factor.
What to look for:
- Ideal weight: Your dog is active, energetic, and enjoys physical activities like walks, playing fetch, or running.
- Overweight: Your dog may be more lethargic, slow to get up, or not as eager to participate in activities.
What to Do If You Think Your Dog Is Overweight
If you've noticed signs that your dog may be overweight, the next step is to consult with your vet and get your dog weighed. Vets don’t usually recommend specific dog foods or brands, which is actually a real challenge if you’re worried about weight. This is partly because of unique nutritional needs (age, breed, activity level) - what works for one dog might not be suitable for another, and partly because of the risk of bias. This is where we can help. Our Caboodle foods are pure, nutritious and stripped back, with no chemical additives and nasties. And when you complete our quiz, we calorie-count and pre-portion our menus specific to your needs, so you don’t have to. Overfeeding, sorted.
Final Thoughts
Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the best ways to keep your dog happy, promote longevity and prevent a variety of health issues. Regularly performing a five-point check can help you stay on top of your dog's weight and catch potential problems early. Keep an eye on their body condition and, if necessary, take action to help your dog achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
Caboodle makes weight management easy, saving you time for more important things like exercise, games and fun! Your furry friend will thank you for it with more energy, playfulness, and overall well-being!
