My puppy is slim. Is he underweight or is his weight healthy?

Rather than a particular weight, we want to go for an ideal body condition score. Now with young puppies (just like kids) they are growing and the body condition scoring doesn't matter as much, but we still don't want her to be very overweight. Here is a helpful guide to checking body condition at home : https://www.aaha.org/public_documents/professional/guidelines/weightmgmt_bodyconditionscoring.pdf and your vet can also weigh in on this.

He actually doesn't appear to be underweight based on the pictures shown. I'd have to examine him to be sure, but the biggest indication that he is not underweight is the fact that he appears to have well-developed muscles. Dogs of this breed tend to be naturally lean and put more weight on their muscles rather than their ribs, or belly. If I was concerned that he was underweight, then I would first want to rule-out a disease, or parasite causing him to lose or not gain weight. It's best to have a veterinarian evaluate him, so you can ensure he's healthy and ensure that you are not going to feed him unnecessarily. Dog obesity is a big problem in the U.S., which means that the average person thinks a fat dog is at ideal weight; and a dog with an ideal body condition, or a lean body condition is thought to be starving. The truth is that the lean dogs are statistically healthier and live longer than overweight dogs. Some dogs (much like people) are able to naturally maintain a lean body condition. Leo is one of those dogs, but would urge you to have a veterinarian examine him to make that call. Below is a link to a body condition scoring guide. This is what veterinarians use when assessing whether a dog is overweight or underweight. We prefer them to be at a BCS of 4 or 5, but some are naturally at a 3. https://www.wsava.org/sites/default/files/Body%20condition%20score%20chart%20dogs.pdf At this time, I recommend feeding him normally and would not recommend a diet change until he can be evaluated by a veterinarian. I hope that helps and all is well with Leo.

Pictures can be very deceiving and i recommend you use a body condition scoring chart (there are many versions online) to help assess and ask your vet nurse if you are unsure. Although he does not appear unhealthy, he is quite narrow across his back and core muscles. Be sure to maintain him on a good quality puppy food until 15mintgs and consider an assessment by a physiotherapist to ensure there are no underlying causes and to advise on suitable exercise. A chiropractic assessment may also be worthwhile to see if there are any issues preventing him from developing

I do not think he is over weight. I would recommend monitoring his food intake closely. He can be fed 2 times a day with very limited treats. Usually the problem is over feeding and decreased activity. If you feed an appropriate amount and keep up exercise Murffy will be in good health.

Well there can be certain breed standards of weight, but even as a puppy, it's hard to say what's a standardized weight. If you are concerned that Bella may be fat, it's best to have her seen by a vet to discuss this. It may be she is fine and not overweight. I hope this helps.

It looks like his weight and body condition are good, though its difficult to evaluate that without being able to put my hands on him. (the hair can be deceiving) . When you run your hands over his chest you should be able to feel his ribs easily but they should not be prominent. When you run your hands along the sides of the abdomen back to the hips, you should be able to appreciate a "waist," but the bones of his hips should not be prominent. His spine (backbones) over his lower back should not be easy to feel. Without a walk-on scale like your vet has in his office, the best way to weigh him is by picking him up and weighing yourself on a bathroom scale. Then subtract your weight. (please be careful!! I don't want you to injure your back picking him up!) I hope that information is helpful for you. If you are continuing to feed a home cooked diet, consider checking out the site www.balanceit.com. This website will help you ensure that you have a balanced home cooked diet for Bear. Thanks for asking PetCoach!

This weight sounds appropriate, because not all puppies fit within a weight chart. In fact we as veterinarians never use a chart when it comes to assessing puppies weight, but instead we examine the pets physical appearance (spine, ribs, hip bone, waist). If you say that Tyson looks fat, then chances are he is an appropriate weight. Also most puppies with weight concerns have a bit of loose stool or excessive vomiting associated with it, so if he is otherwise healthy with normal solid stools, then he is likely at an appropriate healthy weight and body condition score (BCS). If you do notice any of those other issues with him, then it is best to get him examined by your vet for a fecal test to check for possible intestinal parasites as the cause.