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One of the most important things you can do for your dog’s health is keep them in good body condition. Your dog’s body condition score isn’t the same as their weight, but it is connected. Lean dogs can live up to two-and-a-half years longer than dogs who are overweight. But, sadly, many American dogs are overweight or obese—as of 2022, the figure was 59%.
While you should always take your dog for regularly scheduled veterinary checkups, you can also test their body condition at home to make sure you’re keeping them on track. Below, we’ve included tips on how to do that.
And if you want an easy way to feed your dog exactly the right amount to manage their weight and keep them lean and healthy, consider a pre-portioned fresh food plan from The Farmer’s Dog.
What Is a Dog’s Body Condition Score?
Weight doesn’t tell the whole story about a dog’s health, and every dog is different. It’s important to get an accurate picture of their body condition.
Veterinarians assess your dog’s body condition by sight and touch using what’s called a “Body Condition Score.” Typically, they’ll use a scale, from 1 to 5 or 1 to 9. Usually 1 will be “too skinny,” and 5 or 9 will identify obesity. This score indicates whether your dog needs to lose, maintain, or gain weight.
The ideal range depends on the scale. On a 5-point scale, you should aim for 3.On the 9-point version, between 4 and 5 is best. Body condition score is vital information when it comes to determining—and updating—portion sizes.
Testing your dog’s body condition at home doesn’t require a scale, or any equipment. All you need are your hands, eyes, and a few minutes of attention to your dog, which they’ll likely enjoy! Testing body condition this way works for any dog, no matter their size or how much fur they have. For dogs with longer or thicker hair, just be sure to rely on the touch tests—it will likely be harder to see the contours of their bodies.
How Do I Measure My Dog’s Body Condition?
Your dog’s body condition score is based on the following areas on their body: their ribs, waist, and belly. If you need assistance getting the hang of testing your dog’s body condition, ask your vet to help you. Test the following areas on your dog:
Ribs: Stand behind your dog, or straddle them slightly. Look at and feel their ribs, feeling all along their rib cage.
Waist: Stay in this position, and take a look at your dog’s shape from above. Gently run your hands down your dog’s body from their rib cage to their hips. Look for the pelvic bone. Look for and feel their lumbar vertebrae, which are on their lower back.
Belly: Stand or sit beside your dog and look at their shape side-on. Look at the slope of the belly as it meets the hind legs. If your dog has longer hair, you will also have to feel for this slope.
Signs of Ideal Body Condition in Dogs
Your dog’s ribs are not clearly visible when you’re standing away from them, looking from the side. In some short-coated dogs, the last few ribs may be visible if you’re standing close.
You’ll be able to easily feel your dog’s ribs with flat fingers and not much pressure. They’ll have just a slight layer of muscle covering them, and shouldn’t feel sharp. When looking at your dog’s waist, they should have a slight hourglass shape, narrowing in front of their hind legs when looking from above. Their ribs should be a bit wider than their waist.
You’ll also feel a slight hourglass shape as their waist narrows ahead of the hind legs. If your dog has longer hair, you may not be able to see this shape clearly, so be sure to feel this area.
From the side, you’ll see an abdominal tuck. The abdominal area behind their rib cage slopes upward as it meets their hind legs, instead of forming a straight line from front leg to back leg.
If your dog has very long or thick hair, you may not see the abdominal tuck clearly, which is why it’s important to feel this area. You can also look for the abdominal tuck when your dog is wet.
Signs of Underweight Body Condition in Dogs
If all or most ribs are clearly visible when you’re standing away from your dog, that indicates an underweight body condition. Note that if your dog has long or thick hair, ribs may not be as visible—but they can still be underweight, so it’s important to feel for them.
If you don’t feel a thin layer of fat over the ribs, your dog is too skinny.
Underweight dogs will likely have an exaggerated waistline. Their hip bones and spine are visible, and the dog’s body will tend to have a “bony” feel
Signs of Rounded Body Condition in Dogs
In dogs with a rounded body condition, their shape will appear straight from their ribcage to their hips. They may have a slight abdominal tuck, but possibly no tuck at all.
They may have a visible waistline, but it won’t be prominent. Their ribs can be felt, but they’ll have a heavier layer of fat covering them. It’s possible that you’ll only be able to feel them with significant pressure.
Signs Overweight Body Condition in Dogs
Dogs that are overweight will likely look barrel-shaped when viewed from above. Their ribs will be under a thick layer of fat, and you may not be able to feel them at all.
Their waistline will not be visible. They may be rounded when you feel their midsection. Pads of fat can be felt on their back, neck, and the base of their tail.
In overweight dogs, there is no visible abdominal tuck when viewing the dog from the side, and their belly will sag downwards.
When to Start Testing a Puppy’s Body Condition
Before four months old, your puppy may not have a defined waist. They may also have a rounder belly and other marks of a healthy, fast-growing pup. A healthy puppy should gain weight every day.
After four months, you can begin keeping track of their body condition using the same methods outlined above.
Different dog breeds vary widely in body shape and volume of hair and fur, but these tests work for nearly all breeds. If you have questions about what your dog’s ideal body condition should look like, talk to your veterinarian.
About The Farmer’s Dog
Founded on the radical idea that heavily processed pellets aren’t the best way to feed and sustain the health of our pets, The Farmer’s Dog has been making fresh, human-grade dog food since 2014. Made for the love and health of dogs, The Farmer’s Dog food is shipped direct to customers’ doors in precisely portioned packs. To date, the company has delivered over 300 million meals nationwide, and continues to apply technology, empathy, and common sense to reimagining how we care for our pets. #LongLiveDogs
This article is intended solely as general guidance, and does not constitute health or other professional advice. Individual situations and applicable laws vary by jurisdiction, and you are encouraged to obtain appropriate advice from qualified professionals in the applicable jurisdictions. We make no representations or warranties concerning any course of action taken by any person following or otherwise using the information offered or provided in this article, including any such information associated with and provided in connection with third-party products, and we will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages that may result, including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death.
