Dog ideal weight: the body check
Three steps to a body condition score from 1 to 9 and, if your dog is too heavy, an estimated ideal weight.
Which picture looks most like your dog?
Look down at your dog from above and run your flat hands over the ribs.
The ideal weight is an estimate: about 10% per point above 5, as described by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist (WSAVA scale). It isn’t a substitute for a vet check.
The short answer
A dog is ideal when you can feel the ribs without pressing, see a waist from above and a tucked-up belly from the side (score 4–5 of 9 on the WSAVA scale). Each point above 5 means about 10% too much: a dog with a score of 7 weighing 26 lb has an ideal weight of about 22 lb.
Questions
How do I feel the ribs properly?
Put both hands flat on the rib cage and stroke backwards with light pressure. Ideally you feel every rib under a thin layer without pressing hard.
How accurate is the ideal weight?
It’s an estimate: we count 10% per point above 5, as described by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist (Veterinary Practice News). For very muscular or fluffy dogs, ask your vet to take a look.
My dog scores 8 or 9 – what now?
Then your dog is more than 20% too heavy. Plan the weight loss with your vet: that much extra weight needs veterinary support.
And if my dog is too thin?
With a score of 1–3, please talk to your vet before you feed more. A calculator can’t tell why a pet is thin.
Related
- Dog weight loss: how much food, how fastStarting amount, floor and a safe pace for weight loss.
- Is my dog overweight?The scale alone doesn’t tell you much: a 65-lb dog can be lean or round. Your dog’s shape tells you more. You can check ribs, waist and belly in a minute.
- How to weigh your pet at homeYou don’t need a pet scale. A bathroom scale, a carrier or a baby scale works too, as long as you weigh the same way every time.