Body Condition Diagram

• November 30^th, 2014
• Nutrition

Use the Body Condition Diagram to monitor the weight and body condition of your puppy through the course of its life. You can simply adjust the amount you feed based on the body condition to ensure that you keep your dog at the Ideal Weight.

Obesity is the number one cause linked with potentially shortening your dog’s life. Obesity puts stress on the heart and lungs and leads to joint degeneration. Obesity also increases the risk of certain types of cancers and weakens your dog’s immune system.

Underweight: The ribs are visible or easily touched due to the lack of fat covering. When viewing from above, the waist is pronounced and lumbar vertebrae may be visible. When viewed from the side the abdomen is tucked.

Ideal Weight: The ribs are not easily visible but can be touched with some fat covering. When viewing from above, a slightly curved waist is visible. When viewed from the side the abdomen is tucked.

Overweight: The ribs can be barely touched with excess fat covering. When viewing from above, the waist is barely visible or absent. When viewed from the side, the abdomen tuck is hard to define or absent.