Any experts comment on weight (with photo)

[longshortandtall]

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?

[Empathy56]

We had a terrier,cross Jack Russell/Norwich Terrier.She was ever so slim,all her life and she lived until almost 16 years old.The vet used to say she was a pleasure to see as she wasn't overweight and was very lively and alert.I used to worry though and think people would think I was starving her.Your dog just looks about the same as my girl looked.As long as the vet thinks she's ok then try not to worry.

[adaline]

We don't have a spaniel, but in our beagle, we could see all his ribs right up until he was 12-13 months old.

It's only very recently that he's started to fill out. His vet has always commented on his excellent condition and didn't even seem slightly concerned. Better a dog to be slightly too thin than slightly overweight. Remember, overweight dogs often struggle with a whole range of health issues and it doesn't take much to tip a dog over from healthy into overweight.

[GertrudeCB]

I'd say she was going through her teenage lanky/ skinny phase.
Any chance that she has any sighthound in her?

[florentina1]

Do you weigh her? I like to keep my dog on the slim side so I try to keep her weight constant. To me it is a good indicator that she has maintained exactly the same weight. She would eat and eat if I let her.

[BiteyShark]

Hit post too soon

Now at 2.5 years he has filled out and you can feel but not see the ribs anymore.

Lots of people will say your dog is too skinny but I would listen to your vet as we are all used to seeing overweight dogs.

[BiteyShark]

My cocker was that skinny at your dogs age and my vets said he was fine and actually much better than being overweight for his joints. He too was very muscular and active.

The downside to that was when he was ill (stomach condition) he was skeletal which was hard to see.

Now at 2.5 years he has filled out and

[bratzilla]

IME they do look skinny when younger, it’s harder to keep them looking like that the older they get!

[MaitlandGirl]

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.

[littlecabbage]

No probs!

[longshortandtall]

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

[littlecabbage]

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!

[DramaAlpaca]

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.

[longshortandtall]

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

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

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.

[IncrediblySadToo]

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).

[longshortandtall]

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!

[typoqueen]

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

[OverFedStanley]

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.

[longshortandtall]

Here’s a standing one if that helps?

[SuperLoudPoppingAction]

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.

[longshortandtall]

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

[randomsabreuse]

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

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

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.

[missmouse101]

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

[longshortandtall]

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!