koalathebear Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 (edited) I always get a bit nervous whenever someone takes their dog past and other people comment critically that it's too fat or too thin. Our dogs get weighed when they go to the vet but not so much in between. We think that they are healthy weight but presumably every does. Then there was another thread here where someone thought that their dog was too thin but it was actually not ... Here are some photos from today - would someone more knowledgable about dog weight than I be able to tell me if you think that they look healthy weight? The black and white dog is an 11 months old Kelpie/Border Collie cross and the red and tan is a 7 months old working line Kelpie. I've read about the 'waist' thing so I tried to take close-ups of their 'waists' ... Thank you very much in advance! Edited January 22, 2011 by koalathebear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meluchja Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I think they look great Oh so adorable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tralee Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 You should be able to feel their ribs, without fat bundles, when you fan the tips of your fingers over their back. They should also have a visible waist when looking down from above them. Your dogs look fine, but pups generally are more active and maintain their weight well. The Vet will always refer to the breed standard on weight so you should also consider their accepted weight range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staranais Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 They look pretty good to me, but it's impossible to tell BCS accurately from a photo. I like to be able to see the last few ribs, and be able to feel the others easily. Vets that work in the city or in suburbia can be pretty average judges of BCS sometimes - they get so used to seeing fat & obese dogs that an animal that is merely lean looks skeletal to them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Miss Emma Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 To me they look great!! Of course they look to be carrying their weight similar to my girls (although I have longhaired so take that into account!) - so of course I think they look great because I think my girsl weight is pretty perfect for them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Look good to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerraNik Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Agreed - they look great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melzawelza Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Yup they look really good to me! If you put your hands on them can you feel their ribs without pushing? that's the best indication Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvsdogs Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I agree, Tilba is much the same. I always used to worry about her being too thin but the vet told me they were meant to be lean, mean working machines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 As I tell everyone ... dont look at numbers. Weights are only for vets to be able to dispence medication properly. If they feel well muscled, not overly fatty or not overy boney then they're fine. Nice shiny coats and a good waiste. Nothing wrong with a dog slightly underweight either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4Kelpies Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Hi KTB. They look fine in the photos but it's really hard to tell without seeing the dogs in person. Can you take any photos of their waist from above? The waist should curve in behind the ribs when looking down at it. Generally if you can feel the ribs easily but not see them, they are are in good condition for pets. You want your dogs to be healthy but not necessarily in super fit condition - a bit like comparing a healthy person of moderate fitness with a marathon runner. If they were working dogs who had to travel long distances and do a lot of backing they would need to be leaner but still well muscled. A good indicator of condition is to make a fist, feel the back of your hand and if the dog's ribs feel like that it is too fat, feel the first knuckles (where your fingers join on to your hand - not sure if knuckles is the correct term) and if your dog's ribs feel like that it is too thin, feel the backs of your fingers and if that feels like the dog's ribs, it is just right. My Tia who isn't doing much work these days, never looks fat but at the moment her ribs are well covered and she really needs to lose weight. Holly is a shorter more thickset bitch and I often get told that she is too fat, when her ribs are just below the skin and she has a definite waist when looking from above. Of course my dogs are mainly pets who help out on a small number of sheep on a "hobby farm." The hardest work they ever do is 15 minutes at a time at a trial. They don't need to be in as hard condition as dogs on a large property who need to work thousands of sheep, . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 What the others said. My dog is ok weight wise and she looks fine from side on, tucks up nicely at the back - like yours. But from top down and rib test - she fails, eg for competition (agility) she needs to lose about 10% body weight or me and the vet guess about 2kg (from 23kg) down to about 20kg or so, when we can feel the ribs easily and see a waist from above. It is a little harder to tell with my dog than a kelpie because mine is ACDx and they're usually a bit stockier or broader - but that doesn't mean no ribs or waist tuck seen from above. I can't tell from your photos whether the ribs are there or the waist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koalathebear Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 Hi KTB. They look fine in the photos but it's really hard to tell without seeing the dogs in person. Can you take any photos of their waist from above? The doggies were very baffled about what I was doing but here are the photos. Elbie waist Hoover waist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxx'sBuddy Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 they look terrific. my dog started to look like a walking coffee table, just as she was turning from a puppy to an adult and i didn't adjust her food amounts (and i was used to bigger dogs ). so a reduction in food and she has a lovely waist.....and i can feel her ribs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raineth Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Yeah I think they look in terrific condition KTB :D They have nice tucked up waists. I always find it hard to tell with my Digby dog. He is a chunky build and it can be a bit hard for me to know if he's getting a bit fat or not. Its different with my great Dane; it would be supremely obvious to me if she got even a tad fat. Because she is naturally so slender. Its like fat whippets - its really obvious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koalathebear Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 Its like fat whippets - its really obvious I'm trying to just imagine what a fat whippet would look like! :D Every whippet I've seen has always been so svelte! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bundyburger Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 They look great.. a contrast to my blimpy kelpie He's not allowed walks for a few months and is driving us mad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 So top down, the brown one (Hoover) looks slightly better than the black one. The black one looks a lot like my dog (must try to put some pix of my own up). Can you feel doggy ribs ok? That would be the main thing I'd go by. I can just feel my dog's ribs, if I push fairly firmly, but not if I just run my fingers along, so we have a ways to go. And I've got some work to do on my own flabby butt too but not much, just that toning up... Bring on the hockey season... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4Kelpies Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 They look fine to me. They are young dogs and Hoover is still a puppy so I wouldn't expect to see a wasp waist on either of them. I agree that feeling their ribs is probably the best indicator. I've found my Kelpies have been lean and needed plenty of food until about two and a half and then overnight started putting on weight. Caleb is now getting about half the dry food he was getting six months ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raineth Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) Its like fat whippets - its really obvious I'm trying to just imagine what a fat whippet would look like! :D Every whippet I've seen has always been so svelte! I have, and its a funny sight o.k. I had a google search for overweaight whippet and came across this I hope its been photoshopped :D Edited January 23, 2011 by raineth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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