Dogs, like us humans, can be in different states of fitness. A balanced diet and daily physical exercise are very good allies to have an adequate state of fitness. If your dog is overweight, he may have long-term cardiovascular, respiratory and joint problems.
It is true that the appropriate weight not only depends on the size but also on the breed of our dog. There are certain breeds such as greyhounds that have a slim build and others such as pugs or pugs that have a stockier build. What is true is that when a dog is fat, its joints are forced to support a weight for which they are not prepared and this represents wear and tear that in the long run can have negative consequences on its health.
In this post we will help you identify at a glance if your dog is fat (overweight), has an appropriate weight, or is too thin.
What should I look for to know if my dog is an appropriate weight?
To evaluate the physical fitness of our furry friend, it is enough to observe his body from different perspectives. More specifically we refer to what is known as the plan and the profile. The plan consists of observing the figure that the dog presents when we look from above (as if it were a bird's eye view) and the profile consists of observing the dog from the side when he is looking forward.
By observing the dog carefully from these two points of view, we can get an idea of whether it is in good physical shape or whether we need to modify some of our habits.
My dog has a correct weight:
To confirm that the dog has an adequate weight, when observing its figure from above, the waist contour should be clearly visible. If we look at its profile, that is, from the side, we should see a gathered abdomen. It is also important that when you caress it from the side, the ribs are palpable and no excess fat is visible. The waist, abdomen and ribs are three indicators that can be seen with the naked eye that can help us evaluate if the dog is overweight.
When our friend is in top physical shape, he has greater agility and ease of movement. You will enjoy the game much more with your friends in the park and during walks. Your rest will be deeper and more revitalizing. A good physical condition of the dog helps prevent diseases in the future.
For our dog to maintain this dynamic, we must continue with a balanced diet and do physical exercise every day to help him release energy. For this, some dog toys such as teethers or balls to play throw and fetch are very useful.
My dog is too thin:
As we have already said, there are dogs that have a slimmer build. Such as greyhounds, for example, however, in most dogs if the following signs are met it may be an indication that they are too thin.
When you look at the dog from above, its waist is very sunken. This gives the dog a "wasp shape." Your waist should be visible but not too pronounced. When looking at our dog from the side, if his abdomen has a very obvious fold, he is probably too thin. Finally we must look at his ribs. If the ribs are excessively marked with little or no fat, it will confirm that our dog needs to gain a few kilos.
Just like when you are overweight, when you are too thin it is not good. To solve it, we can make some changes to our furry friend's diet. First of all, we must look for a quality dog food rich in fats. A good example of a high-fat feed can be those that contain lamb. Below I leave you some options. If you see that even by changing the dog's diet, it is not able to gain weight, it is advisable to consult the veterinarian.
My dog is fat (overweight):
To know if our dog is overweight we have to observe it from the same two points of view. Yes, when we look from above the waist is invisible. That is, the division between the torso and the hips is not distinguished. And, in addition, you can see folds of fat on his neck. We are at the first signs that our furry friend is a little out of shape. When we look at the dog from the side, if it does not have a marked abdomen, and it looks like it has a belly, it is another clear indication of being overweight. We can also see that he has his tongue hanging out for too long. Or that he gets very tired during short walks.
If our dog meets the requirements to be considered a fat dog. We must take action on the matter. Overweight in dogs is one of the main causes of diseases. It can cause diabetes, cardiovascular accidents or joint problems. Losing weight will not be an easy task for your dog. But he is lucky to have you to help him. First of all, we must look for a light dog food that is low in fat (later I will give you some examples). In addition, we must strictly give you the recommended amount for your ideal weight (not your current one). Finally, we must reduce the treats as much as possible and look for ones with few calories. Of course we should not give him human food.
In this article you can find the necessary tools to evaluate your dog's physical fitness. If you are too thin or a little fat, we advise you to try the products we recommend and follow our advice. It is very likely that you will see favorable and positive results.
If you have any questions, questions or simply need more information, do not hesitate to call us or send us a WhatsApp!
