Ideal Weight For All Dogs

[tommy3]

There has been alot of people coming on to this board that have been criticizing healthy dogs and insisting that their overweight dogs are in better shape. I have found this chart on the internet and I am hoping it may clear things up a bit. The site I got this information from has nothing to do with the ADBA or game bred dogs. It is a general information site for all dogs. However, I do feel that there are exceptions and other websites will also state that a chart is not a good way to determine a dogs ideal weight. This is general information and please do not take it to heart. Do some research and you will see that different breeds will have different standards as to what is healthy. ie working dogs. Greyhounds for example will be considered obese by the chart #5. The same should go for APBT because they also are a high energy working breed. The truth is many game bred dogs body types resemble more to greyhounds than many of the non game bred dogs and amstaffs that are popping up lately IMO. Neverthless, any dog that falls into 6 or higher is obese.

5 Ideal
Ribs palpable without excess fat covering. Waist observed behind ribs when viewed from above. Abdominal tuck evident.

6 Overweight
Ribs palpable with slight excess fat covering. Waist is discernible viewed from above but is not prominent. Abdominal tuck apparent.

7 Heavy
Ribs palpable with difficulty, heavy fat cover. Noticeable fat deposits over lumbar area and base of tail. Waist absent or barely visible. Abdominal tuck may be absent.

8 Obese
Ribs not palpable under very heavy fat cover, or palpable only with significant pressure. Heavy fat deposits over lumbar area and base of tail. Waist absent. No abdominal tuck. Obvious abdominal distension may be present.

It seems that there are members who feel that there dogs should stay in the 6-7 range. This is not healthy.

Here is the link: http://www.thepetcenter.com/exa/nv.html

[pulldoginks]

Thanks for the info

[nappydawg]

really good info. there are quite a few who need to take this and use it for their dogs sake.

[tommy3]

Bumped for all the people that think fat dogs are healthier than a dog with a few ribs showing.

Notice that it says that a healthy dog's ribs would be visible with no excess fat covering and the waist should be discenible from above with a noticable tuck.

It doesn't say that a healthy dog's ribs are not visible and that its waist should not be tucked.

Ask your vet which is healthier. He/she may have the same chart somewhere in their clinic. Mine does.

[GSDbulldog]

Great post, hopefully they'll listen.

[rusty]

Thanx for that health chart I need to exercise my dog a little more, I thought he was good size but I see that he's overweight, great site helpful information 24/7.

[Riptora]

Very good link, thanks for the post! I have one of these charts I got from a convention.

[*blackrock*]

There has been alot of people coming on to this board that have been criticizing healthy dogs and insisting that their overweight dogs are in better shape. I have found this chart on the internet and I am hoping it may clear things up a bit. The site I got this information from has nothing to do with the ADBA or game bred dogs. It is a general information site for all dogs. However, I do feel that there are exceptions and other websites will also state that a chart is not a good way to determine a dogs ideal weight. This is general information and please do not take it to heart. Do some research and you will see that different breeds will have different standards as to what is healthy. ie working dogs. Greyhounds for example will be considered obese by the chart #5. The same should go for APBT because they also are a high energy working breed. The truth is many game bred dogs body types resemble more to greyhounds than many of the non game bred dogs and amstaffs that are popping up lately IMO. Neverthless, any dog that falls into 6 or higher is obese.

5 Ideal
Ribs palpable without excess fat covering. Waist observed behind ribs when viewed from above. Abdominal tuck evident.

6 Overweight
Ribs palpable with slight excess fat covering. Waist is discernible viewed from above but is not prominent. Abdominal tuck apparent.

7 Heavy
Ribs palpable with difficulty, heavy fat cover. Noticeable fat deposits over lumbar area and base of tail. Waist absent or barely visible. Abdominal tuck may be absent.

8 Obese
Ribs not palpable under very heavy fat cover, or palpable only with significant pressure. Heavy fat deposits over lumbar area and base of tail. Waist absent. No abdominal tuck. Obvious abdominal distension may be present.

It seems that there are members who feel that there dogs should stay in the 6-7 range. This is not healthy.

Here is the link: http://www.thepetcenter.com/exa/nv.html (http://www.thepetcenter.com/exa/nv.html)


Ya know, for some reason..... I think they still wont get it.....SAD

[Marty]

They would say this dog is starved to death, this dog is as healthy as a horse ;)
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c218/Marty2k6/my-dog-Rufus-132.jpg

[Riptora]

I'de say there's something a little freaky about that dog Marty! No offense, it's not it's body either, it's something in it's eyes! Is it just me? It is after midnight!

[findrodhere]

They would say this dog is starved to death, this dog is as healthy as a horse ;)
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c218/Marty2k6/my-dog-Rufus-132.jpg
Great looking bulldog, Marty. Is that yours?

[japangame]

Stop showing those beautiful dogs of yours damnit. LOL.........I get soooooooo inlove with them everytime i see them......

Back to the thread.....Great post. Lets all hope they can learn from it. Of course there are always those people who know better than us,,,,,right?;)

They would say this dog is starved to death, this dog is as healthy as a horse ;)
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c218/Marty2k6/my-dog-Rufus-132.jpg

[bad_rasta]

HI my dog is 8 months, which category would you say he falls into?

[NOVICE]

I'd say he looks just right for his age. Make sure you keep that spring pole nice and low to the ground like you got it now. Jumping up for the spring pole risks back injury. Very pretty dog you got there.

[14rock]

He looks good for a pup, but you really need to get him off that chain. That chain is too big for any dog, let alone a small pup. You know the saying "A chain is only as strong as its weakest link" Well with that cheap swivel on there, that is the weakest link and you could tie a retractable leash to a tree and have the same security as that swivel is providing. Smaller chain + Bigger hardware ;)

[Marty]

I'de say there's something a little freaky about that dog Marty! No offense, it's not it's body either, it's something in it's eyes! Is it just me? It is after midnight!Well he was talking to me at the time I took the pic, hes fine ;)
Is that yours?Yeah, thats Beau :)

[Ja-net]

Thats a very nice looking dog Marty. He looks to be in great shape is that your dog? and how is he bred? He looks pretty big like around 50+lbs?

[TEXAS PIT DOGS]

HI my dog is 8 months, which category would you say he falls into?
looks fine for a pup but like rock said get him on a thinner chain it will end up straining his neck muscles i never put a dog on that thick of a chain i only use what is needed to properley contain the dog.

[TEXAS PIT DOGS]

I'de say there's something a little freaky about that dog Marty! No offense, it's not it's body either, it's something in it's eyes! Is it just me? It is after midnight!
dog looks fine to me his eyes look fine to usally the eyes that scare the public the most is the gold eyes for some reason,never could figure why but the public just dont like em much.but martys dog looks good to me real healthy to.

[Marty]

Thats a very nice looking dog Marty. He looks to be in great shape is that your dog? and how is he bred? He looks pretty big like around 50+lbs?Yeah thats beau... heres his ped...

http://www.game-dog.com/printped5.html

Yeah hes the heaviest dog on my yard ;)

[Shon]

Yeah hes the heaviest dog on my yard ;)No he's not, AKA is heavier than he is... but please keep this thread on topic. :)