How to Know If Your Dog Is at A Healthy Weight?
Dogs are a blessing. These adorable heavenly creatures come into our lives and change it for the better. But, behind the puppy eyes and the cute looks, there lie a complex body and weight structure which has to be modulated for the benefit of your pet.
So, if you are wondering how to know if your dog is at a healthy weight, then you have come to the right place. A healthy weight depends on the intensity with which your dog exercises, how often is the frequency of the physical exertion and what is its the food intake. A study carried out by the Purina Pet Food and professional animal nutritionists in 2002 found an impressive result. It showed that with a regulated diet, the dog will end up living an extra two years considering their average lifespan of 10-13 years.
It goes without saying that food plays an important role when it comes to maintaining an optimal level of weight. If that is regulated, then your dog leads a quality of life. But, how to know if your dog is at a healthy weight? Well, here are the parameters that you need to follow.
- Observe your dog from the side
If the tummy of your dog is tucked up from the chest and is not at the same level or hang below the chest, or if you can easily make out the ribs, then your dog is considerably underweight. With an exception to greyhounds, whippets, and Italian greyhounds where this is pretty normal.
- Check your dog from the above
If your dog is fluffy, then you can try out this method. Stand over your dog and look down. Your pet should have a visible tucked in waist. But the hipbones should not protrude too much. If your dog resembles a barrel, a sausage or even a small beach ball with legs, then this means that it is overweight. But if the pet comes with a nice curve which is inward at the waist area, then your dog has a healthy weight.
- You can also try feeling your dog’s sides for the ribs
It gets a little tough to have an idea about the weight when the dog has a heavy coat. So, if you can’t feel the ribs during an inspection, then this means that your dog is probably overweight. But if you can feel the ribs with a slight padding, then this suggests that your dog is at the optimal weight level. In case if you feel that the ribcage has only a thin layer of skin, then it is definite that your dog is underweight.
So, here are some steps that you should keep in mind when you are wondering how to know if your dog is at a healthy weight.
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