Just like a human, your dog’s weight can fluctuate slightly throughout its life. But if you find yourself looking at a noticeably skinny dog, or your prize pup suddenly turned into a fat dog, your dog's weight could be a sign there's a problem.

If you have an overweight or underweight dog, it might be a sign that there are underlying health problems. And if your dog isn’t brought back to a healthy weight, there’s a risk that your dog could develop serious issues that can affect their quality of life.

Often dog owners don’t recognise they have an overweight dog because it can be a gradual weight gain and the change isn’t noticed. If you recognise your dog’s gained weight and turned in to a fat dog, it’s best to nip the problem in the bud as soon as you can before conditions linked with dog obesity set in.

Fortunately, there’s an easy way to see whether your dog is at a healthy weight. You don’t need any scales, and you can do these checks with lots of affection to keep that tail wagging!

Watch the video below to see Everypaw’s own vet Dr Anna Foreman demonstrating how to check your dog’s body condition score.

1. Feel Your Dog’s Ribs

Stand your dog up and run your hands over their sides. If you can barely feel their ribs or can’t feel their ribs at all – your dog’s carrying too much fat and you have an overweight dog.

If there’s too much rib, i.e. you can’t feel much between your dog’s skin and its ribs, you have an underweight dog.

2. Feel Your Dog’s Spine

Perform the same test on your dog’s spine by running your hands over it gently. Again, you should be able to feel the bones, but they shouldn’t be protruding. If you can’t feel the bones, or they seem to be buried under fat, you have an overweight dog.

If your dog’s skinny in the back and the spine is very pronounced with little or no flesh on top of the individual vertebrae, you have an underweight dog.

You can also look out for a nice tuck under the dog’s waist, and a contour going inwards after its rib cage. These are both signs of a good body condition.

Why’s My Dog Gaining Weight?

Modern lifestyles mean that we feed our dogs too much without allowing them the exercise needed to burn off excess calories. Sometimes those puppy dog eyes are crying out for dog treats and we just can't resist them. If your dog’s gained weight, have you been over-generous with treats? Dogs tend to love their food and some breeds are notorious for being greedy, so it’s not difficult for them to become a fat dog.

Some dogs are so keen on finding food that they scavenge for table scraps or raid the bin for human food. So how can we make sure our canine friends are at a healthy body shape and hitting their ideal weight?

What to Do if You Have an Overweight Dog

Like us there are two ways to help your dog lose weight – exercise more and eat less. Overweight or obese dogs are often not very active with activity levels limited to strolls to the garden to do their business and getting to their food bowl. Increasing exercise is easier said than done, so they may need encouragement to go out for exercise and start trimming the belly and building muscle mass.

The amount of exercise your dog needs depends on their age, breed and health. Some may need walks of 30 - 60 minutes two to four times a day, while others will only need 10-20 minutes once or twice a day. Some like playing with toys so include some time to play during their regular walks to burn off those extra calories.

You can also ask your vet or vet nurse for a diet plan so you can manage their daily calorie intake. Many vet practices have ‘weight watcher’ clinics for pets. They’ll weigh your dog and set a target weight with the aim of gradual weight loss over a period of 3 to 4 months.

If your dog has become heavier, our article on tips for overweight dogs might be able to help.

Why’s My Dog Losing Weight?

First, have a think about whether there’s any obvious reason they have become a skinny and your dog’s losing weight. There are some questions you can consider to yourself.

• Do they attend a doggy day care or someone is looking after them and perhaps not feeding them enough?
• Has your dog lost their appetite?
• Does your dog have any dental problems that might be preventing it eating?
• Is your dog stressed by any changes in their environment? 
• Have they developed into a picky eater?

You will obviously be worried if your dog’s too skinny, but if they’re affected by some of the above, so good old-fashioned love and care can help. For the rest, your vet can give you advice.

What to Do if You Have an Underweight Dog

If you’re concerned you’re not providing the correct amount of dog food, check the guidelines on the food packaging and weigh out the exact amount to get the right food intake.

Dogs can easily go off their food, so if you think they’re losing weight because they’re not eating, you can try tempting them with different food, maybe chicken and rice, or smaller meals spread out over the day. If your dog still won’t eat, and hasn’t done for at least 3 days, ask your vet for advice. They may prescribe a stimulant to promote their appetite or an assisted diet plan to help your dog back to a healthy weight.

With dogs that are skinny, your vet may want to run some tests to make sure there isn’t an underlying reason for your dog being underweight.

How Heavy Should My Dog Be?

How heavy your dog should be varies depending on their breed. Obviously, a Chihuahua shouldn’t be compared to a Labrador when we’re talking about a dog’s weight. Your dog’s temperament can also impact their weight, some dog breeds are naturally lazier than others, so you need to make sure they get their recommended daily exercise.

And then there are some dog breeds that will just eat and eat and eat if they get a chance. For breeds like that, make sure you keep your dog’s diet in check, treats to a minimum and they’re getting their daily exercise.

If you’re in any doubt about what to do, or if you’ve noticed any other health issues, consult your vet. Your vet will be able to check for any problems and advise putting your dog on the right track from exercise to what to feed your furry friend.

Everypaw Dog Insurance

Everypaw's Dog Insurance comes with 24/7 unlimited access to vets and vet nurses that can help with your pet's health, care, nutrition and behaviour. So you can rest assured your pup will be well looked after.

We’re unable to cover the cost of a diet to treat weight loss or obesity in dogs. But if your vet does diagnose your cat with a medical condition and prescribes a clinical diet to help treat it, Everypaw can look to cover 25% of the cost for up to 6 months.

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Content reviewed and updated by Vetstream - www.vetstream.com/treat/canis 

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