Is your Dog Overweight?

How do you know if your pooch is at his perfect weight? Here are some simple guidelines to help you determine if Rovers diet needs adjusting.

Take an unbiased look at him from the back and from above to get a general picture (plump? lean?). Then put your hands over his ribcage and determine if ribs are prominent or fairly padded. Also check the base of his tail and abdomen.

Very Thin

Ribs are easy to feel with no fat cover. Base of tail is a prominent raised bony structure with no fat under skin. The abdomen shows a promiment hourglass shape with severe abdominal tuck.

Underweight

The ribs are easy to feel with little fat cover. The tail is a raised bony structure with little fat under skin. The abdomen shows a tuck, with a marked hourglass shape.

Ideal

You can still feel the ribs, but they have a slight fat cover. The base of tail shows either a smooth contour or some thickening, but it’s still possible to feel bony structures under a small layer of fat. The abdomen shows some tuck, with a well-proportioned waist.

Overweight

The ribs are difficult to feel, with moderate fat covering. The base of tail has a smooth contour, possibly some thickening, but you can still feel the bone structure. No abdominal tuck and the back is slightly broadened.

Obese

The ribs are difficult to feel with a thick covering of fat. Base of the tail is thickened and difficult to feel any bone. The abdomen bulges with no waist. The back is obviously broadened.

If Fido is overweight, it could be time to start counting calories! Check with your vet first to make sure there are no underlying medical conditions before putting Rover on a diet. First, keep a close eye on him to find out where all his food is coming from. Is someone slipping him treats from the table? Is he helping himself to the cat food or rumaging through the trash? Or is his daily helping just a little too large?

Try these Tips

• avoid high-calorie treats, and limit the number
• Give love and affection and extra play-time as rewards instead of snacks
• Exercise (this is good for both of you!)
• Feed on a regular schedule and have one person in charge of feeding
• Make sure there’s lots of fresh, clean water available at all times
• Keep an accurate record of Fido’s diet and weight loss
• Some dogs will lose weight faster than others, so be patient