![]() If you struggle to feel their ribs, they are likely overweight. For dogs with longer coats, you will need to feel their ribs to get a sense of their weight. For short coats, an overweight dog will show no signs of any definition around the ribs.From the side, your dog’s tummy will be in line with, or hang lower than, the chest. Conversely, an overweight dog, from above, will lack any obvious definition around the waist.From the side, you should also be able to the see the tummy is tucked a bit higher towards the waist (as opposed to being at the same level as the chest). A dog in the ideal weight range will have a clear waist line just before their rear legs and an obvious width difference between their chest and abdomen. Stand next to, or over, your dog so that you can clearly see their body shape from above. ![]() The best way to check the weight of dogs of all ages is to do a physical check yourself: Of course, this doesn’t apply to dogs that haven’t yet reached full maturity, and there are a whole host of factors which might mean your dog falls outside of their breed’s average (genetics, being more muscular than usual, etc.). A dog’s ideal weight is very individual, but if you check our dog breed weight chart you can get an idea of what your dog’s ideal adult weight might be. You can weigh your dog at home if you have a set of scales that you can get your dog on comfortably and safely. However, it is possible to get a good sense of your dog’s weight yourself. He or she will be able to tell you the ideal weight of your dog and whether your pet falls inside or outside of this range. The fastest way to be sure if your dog is heavier than they should be is to go and see your vet. Thus, while pet owners’ awareness of the health problems in overweight dogs is gradually increasing, the number of dogs being diagnosed as overweight is still rising because owners are unaware of exactly when a dog can be identified as overweight, what causes it to happen, and how to detect it.ĭogs come in all shapes and sizes, and even gender can play a part in determining your dog’s ideal weight. Only 15% of owners admit their dog is overweight.Not enough owners are aware of the point at which a dog is deemed overweight, or how to detect this themselves.Less than 1 in 10 perform the recommended monthly weight check, while 30% of owners admit to never weighing their pet.The vast majority (63%) of owners believe their pet is the correct weight.Yet, if dog owners admit to being aware of the health risks associated with their dog being heavy, but the number of overweight dogs is still on the rise, the problem must be down to owners not recognising when a dog is considered to be overweight: The problem: Making the connection between the symptoms and our petsĭogs are incredibly sensitive to gains and losses in weight and just a few kilograms can result in a range of disabling and life-shortening health issues including hypertension and heart disease, difficulty breathing, diabetes, liver disease, poor immune function, and arthritis. Only then can owners determine the causes and implement a diet plan of light dog food and more regular exercise. The first step to helping any dog lose weight is to recognise when a dog is heavier than he or she should be. ![]() While many pets are victims to this epidemic, the overwhelming problem is with dogs, with vets estimating that 40-45% of every canine they treat is overweight. Despite a 30% increase in the last decade in the number of pet owners acknowledging the health risks of dogs being overweight, more than 3/4 of vets in the UK claim the number of overweight pets is on the rise. ![]()
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