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Any experts comment on weight (with photo)

32 replies

longshortandtall · 05/05/2019 20:37

Attached is a photo of 8 month old puppy.
She’s a spaniel possibly crossed with something.
I think she’s skinny, husband thinks she’s fine.
A couple of friends comment that she’s skinny, vet on 2 occasions has said she’s fine and is obviously just very active!
Dog walker suggests she’s on the skinny side.
For info she’s always been petite. She’s around 12kg and not likely to get much bigger.
She’s fed on grain free puppy food, and is given the recommended amount for a dog with an estimated adult weight of 15-20kg dog as we thought initially she would reach this weight, so she’s already getting more than she should food wise.
She gets high value treats once a day when training, so ham, sausage, cheese etc.
She also usually has a pigs ear or pizzle stick or other treat every evening so she’s eating a fair bit!
Anyway thoughts please?

Any experts comment on weight (with photo)
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McFrostyNuts · 05/05/2019 20:49

I've always gone by the rule that you should be able to feel ribs but not see them.

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longshortandtall · 05/05/2019 20:51

This is what I always thought too.
But twice now the vet has said she looks fine.
I don’t want to increase her food if she doesn’t need it, so don’t really know what to do!

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YetAnotherNameChanged · 05/05/2019 20:52

Agree. Feel ribs but not see them.
Has he been wormed recently?

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YetAnotherNameChanged · 05/05/2019 20:53

Sorry. HER.

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Mayalready · 05/05/2019 20:53

I would imagine a fat puppy is hard to come by! Been trying to fatten my ddog for years. No joy. Ndn reported her previous owner to rspca!!

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longshortandtall · 05/05/2019 20:54

Yep we have a pet plan type thing so the vets call when we need to pick up her flea and worm treatment and she’s all up to date.

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Soubriquet · 05/05/2019 20:54

She does look a bit on the thin side

Not too much to be concerned about, but enough that she wouldn’t hurt a bit more weight being out on

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longshortandtall · 05/05/2019 20:56

She gets 3 x 30 minute walks a day. Which I wouldn’t say is excessive and I don’t think she’d cope if I dropped one of her walks. She is pretty active, as puppies are, but she sleeps for 3 hours every morning when I’m at work, so it’s not as though she’s running around for 14 hours a day non stop!

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missmouse101 · 05/05/2019 20:56

A little skinny for a growing dog. Yes, feeling the ribs but not seeing them is ideal.

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AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 05/05/2019 21:06

On the skinny side of normal, but not something to be too concerned about; I just wouldn't want her to lose any more weight.

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randomsabreuse · 05/05/2019 21:09

Is a Spangle puppy. More food = more more movement not more fat!

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longshortandtall · 05/05/2019 21:10

Exactly right in that more food equals more movement!!!

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SuperLoudPoppingAction · 05/05/2019 21:13

What about a photo from the side while standing?
The charts to assess whether a dog is overweight are more from that angle.
I would trust your vet.
My dad has a spaniel and when she's at a healthy weight a lot of people think she's too thin.

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longshortandtall · 05/05/2019 21:17

Here’s a standing one if that helps?

Any experts comment on weight (with photo)
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OverFedStanley · 05/05/2019 21:31

She is an active 8 month spaniel puppy - it is not at all unusual to see ribs. She is at a lanky age but in any case I bet in 13 years time you will also say she is a thin dog.

Many spaniels,collies etc will be lean and it is fine. If she is lively, active and fit that is much better for her.

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typoqueen · 05/05/2019 21:31

i go by my vets advice and that is you should not be able to see ribs but feel them easily, your dog looks perfect to me, if you need to put a little more weight on then try a higher protein diet but she really does look ok to me

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longshortandtall · 05/05/2019 21:36

Thanks for all the replies.
I’ll give it another month or so and see how she’s looking.
She doesn’t act hungry, so I think she just burns calories with generally being a puppy!
Had a lab before who was the greediest thing and had the opposite problem with trying to keep weight off of him!

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IncrediblySadToo · 05/05/2019 21:42

I can’t see the standing photo?

Anyway, from the first photo I’d say she’s a bit on the skinny side, I’d up her training treats (good protein).

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GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 05/05/2019 21:44

She's an 8 month old spaniel, she's going to be skinny. So long as she plenty of muscle on her legs and bum, she's fine. She will bulk up as she reaches maturity.

FWIW my dogs are adults and can look like toast racks from certain angles when the light is right. But they have plenty of muscle and can run for miles.

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longshortandtall · 05/05/2019 22:01

She’s incredibly muscly so that’s a good sign!

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DramaAlpaca · 05/05/2019 22:05

I'd like to see a picture of her standing, but to me she looks just on the light side of normal for a spaniel pup. Muscly is good & spaniels are so active they burn loads of calories.

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littlecabbage · 05/05/2019 22:09

I'm a vet and she looks healthy to me, especially with how energetic she sounds. She may be crossed with a skinnier breed, and she is also at that skinny teenager age.

Really, don't worry. We are so used to seeing fat dogs in this country that people worry when they see a normal, healthy dog!

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longshortandtall · 05/05/2019 22:10

Thank you @littlecabbage that’s put my mind at rest! I’ll stop worrying now!

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littlecabbage · 06/05/2019 03:11

No probs!

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MaitlandGirl · 06/05/2019 03:26

I always keep my dogs on the slightly lean side as it’s healthier than them being overweight.

I do the tea towel/sausage test - get a pack of sausages (the plastic wrapped ones, not the ones in the tray) and place two unfolded tea towels over the top. When you run your hand over it that’s what the rib cage should feel like.

When you look at a standing dog from above they should naturally nip in at the waist line, most dogs don’t these days.

What brand of food is she on? I know a lot of owners struggle with Burns as their dogs can’t keep their weight on.

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