is your dog overweight?

[Crikit]

Okay so I'll start off by saying this isn't aimed at anyone in particular. It's not meant to insult or anything like that, think of it more as an educational thingy from Tracy

Now a few of you know this, but one thing I can't stand is an fat dog. No it's not just because I do the whole dog sport thing and overweight dogs and agility don't mix...that's a whole rant I won't get in to right now. It bothers me because I just don't like to see square, rectangle, cylindrical and other geometric shaped breeds of dogs. I understand that sometimes dogs have medical reasons for being er a bit on the pudgy side but for the dogs that don't well...what's their reason?

Now with the ad of my ever so cute assitants I will try to explain how to tell if your pupper is overweight, the goonies are being used to show what a dog should look like...I'm not saying they're perfect and all but they're the best example I have.

Now when you stand over your dog and rub your hands down his sides you should be able to feel the ribs through a slight covering of fat. Also when you stand above your dog you should be able to see a waist behind the ribs...in other words it should look like an hour glass.




you should also be able to notice an hourglass figure when you look at the dog when they are sitting.




and last but not least, when you look at the dog from the side you should be able to see a noticeable "tuck" where the ribs end.

[zippy-kat]

If this applies to humans, I'm in trouble!

According to Dr. Tracy, Sara's the perfect weight! yay!

[wolf_Q]

Very informational thread, Tracy. I think Nebo's at a perfect weight but my mom thinks he's skin and bones. Reggie looks fat, but he doesn't *feel* fat....it's weird. Smokeys always been skinny.

Poor Ladybirds been getting an awful lot of comments about her being fat lately... What do you think? (pic attached)

I just hope this doesn't apply to humans, or you definitely wouldn't like me!

[Kfamr]

You must not like Simba then.



In my opinion, Nala is WAY too skinny.

[kingrattus]

Max is a toothpick. I want to fatten him up just a bit & tighten up his muscles a bit more. Max is about 70 pounds & I want to get him up to 75-80 pounds & I'll be happy.

[Crikit]

Originally posted by Kfamr
You must not like Simba then.

Actually I love Simba, he's a great dog.

Like I said this wasn't started to get people riled up, it's just to inform on how to tell. Having skinny dogs has been drilled in to my head because of all the agility I do. Before I got into it Smudge was over weight, I'll admit to that.

[Kfamr]

I found it a bit offensive though, although you meant nothing of that.

It's sort of like saying you can't stand or you hate fat people, just because they're fat and can't play basketball or something.

[kingrattus]

in my opinion dogs fed table scraps/ppl food tend to get fat. If the dog gets proper excersize & a proper diet it shouldn't be fat.

But it also depends on the breed. Rotti's tend to be heavier set, but their tummies shouln't be larger then the chest, but more equal.

It also depends on the dogs age & health. If the dog has been injured & can't excersize much at all, then that doesn't count. if the dog is over 10, they tend to become more lazy, because they tire out easier, so that doesn't count. But the dog shouldn't be horrible over weight.

Sadie should be a 25max. pound dog, she weighs 50 pounds. Shes horribly over weight, she can't clean herself, she can't run very well & she waddles really bad. Sadie is only 4 yrs old. She eats as much as cadeau & cadeau is 80 pounds (cadeau isn't over weight, her skin is just saggy, due to age), sadie usually eats most of cadeau's food. & sadie eats alot of ppl food aswell. The vet said she MUST go on a diet, but rob's mom said, sadie isn't fat, shes cute.

[CathyBogart]

I don't like seeing fat dog either, because *USUALLY* it means that the owner is neglecting an important aspect of their health and proabably shortening their lifespan in the process. Some pups, I realize, are just naturally predisposed to being a bit tubby, or have medical conditions that make them that way. Just like people.

Star is a nice healthy weight. She had some extra "padding" a few months ago, but we switched her food and it dropped off. Wilbur is actually a bit underweight, but we're working on it! Brian's dog is overweight, but there's so much fur there that we didn't realize it for along time. Poor Stella.

[aly]

I just had an experience at the shelter the other day with a woman who had some morbidly obese dogs. I am not going into a whole lot of detail about it, but the sight of her dogs made me cry. This wasn't just being overweight, this was ... I can't even think of a word. I've never in all my life seen dogs so huge... and I've seen a LOT of dogs.

My point is, it can be damaging to a dog's health to be overweight. So I believe we all can do our part to help our dogs stay fit.

[Kfamr]

Simba is fat and I neglect him.

[aly]

Originally posted by Kfamr
Simba is fat and I neglect him.

If you mean I was implying that, I wasn't. This woman's dogs were easily like 5 times the size of Simba.

[CathyBogart]

Aly: My mom's friend has a BEAUTIFUL lab/collie mix named Mischief who is the sweetest thing...and hurts my eyes to look at. That poor dog weighs over 100lbs, and she's meant to be a 60lb'er...*shudders*

Last time I was over there, I discovered a tumor the size of a tennis ball on her chest, and my mom told me that the vet told the woman it was a lipoma that most likely wouldn't have happened if the dog wasn't so fragging fat. This one is harmless, but what if the next problem she has because of it isn't? Poor Mischief...

[binka_nugget]

Kai's overweight. He's near 40 pounds and his breed standard asks for 20-25ish or so...although he looks nothing like a sheltie and his build isn't like one so I think maybe 30 is a bit more reasonable for him. He's on a diet now with a very strict exercise program until he can lose those 8 pounds or so.

[lovemyshiba]

What an interesting thread.

Kito is perfect--he is right at breed standard, and you can just see that he is muscular by looking at him, especially when he runs

Abbey looks good right now--she has a tendency to put on weight, even though she is our most active dog, but she has dropped a few pounds and looks very athletic

Riley is a skinny minnie--long legs--he looks funny sometimes, but his ribs aren't showing, and he sure eats healthy!!!

Jada looks gorgeous--it's obvious that she was well taken care of, and she loves to walk and run, so her exercise level is good

All in all, I think my dogs are good, weight wise, but people often say Abbey is getting fat--my neighbor said it just the other day Here I was, so proud that I had gotten a few pounds off of her, and they say that. I think she looks great!!!!