The Healthy Dog Weight and Body Condition

You love your dog just the way they are, so you probably won’t worry too much if they seem to put on just a few extra pounds. But from a health point of view, size really does matter!
Dog laying down waiting to go for a walk
Dog laying down waiting to go for a walk
Dog laying down waiting to go for a walk

Why staying slim is so important

While there might be more of your dog to love if they are overweight, there are lots of potential health problems for a dog carrying excess weight. The knock-on effect of being overweight can even reduce your dog’s life by up to two years, and it means they’re less able to enjoy themselves through exercise and playing, due to joint problems. Some specific problems that can develop from excess weight include:

  • Arthritis, joint damage and joint pain
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Heart disease
  • Reduced exercise endurance and stamina
  • Increased anesthetic and surgical risks
  • Reduced liver function due to a fatty liver

Example of body condition scoring

Not sure if you’re judging your dog’s body condition correctly? Weight alone won’t tell you if your pet is in an ideal body condition - you have to get hands on!

The ideal dog body condition score is leaner than you might think. In fact, pet owners tend to dramatically underestimate the weight of their dogs. Each individual animal will require different food, a different feeding quantity and varying levels of exercise. Depending on body shape, size and breed, two dogs could actually weigh the same but one could be overweight and one underweight. Here are some examples of pets that have been scored against the Body Condition Tool. You can see the variety here and that it’s not just about weight, but that it’s about the size and shape, too.

Dog outside

PURINA® Body Condition Tool

1 SEVERLY UNDERWEIGHT

Dog underweight

YOUR DOG'S CONDITION

YOUR DOG'S PROFILE

Dog ideal

YOUR DOG'S CONDITION (IDEAL)

YOUR DOG'S PROFILE (IDEAL)

YOUR DOG'S CONDITION

Thin

  • Ribs, backbone and hip bones easily seen1; with no overlying fat layer
  • Some mid muscle loss particularly noticeable around shoulders and thighs
  • Exaggerated waistline2
  • Severe tummy tuck3

Slightly Underweight

  • Ribs can be easily felt and may be seen, with backbone and hip bones just visible1 and no overlying fat layer
  • Obvious waistline2
  • Marked tummy tuck3
  • 1. In short haired dogs.
  • 2. When viewed from above.
  • 3. When viewed from the side.
  • The Body Condition System was developed at the Nestle Purina Petcare Center and has been validated in the following publications Kealy RD.2002. JAVMA vol.220, p.1315-1320. Laflamme DP. Canine Practise Jul/Aug 1997; 22:10-15. MawbyD, Bartages JW, Moyers T et al. Compendium 2001; 23[9A]:70.

2 THIN AND SLIGHTLY UNDERWEIGHT

Dog thin

YOUR DOG'S CONDITION

YOUR DOG'S PROFILE

Dog ideal

YOUR DOG'S CONDITION (IDEAL)

YOUR DOG'S PROFILE (IDEAL)

YOUR DOG'S CONDITION

Thin

  • Ribs, backbone and hip bones easily seen1; with no overlying fat layer
  • Some mid muscle loss particularly noticeable around shoulders and thighs
  • Exaggerated waistline2
  • Severe tummy tuck3

Slightly Underweight

  • Ribs can be easily felt and may be seen, with backbone and hip bones just visible1 and no overlying fat layer
  • Obvious waistline2
  • Marked tummy tuck3
  • 1. In short haired dogs.
  • 2. When viewed from above.
  • 3. When viewed from the side.
  • The Body Condition System was developed at the Nestle Purina Petcare Center and has been validated in the following publications Kealy RD.2002. JAVMA vol.220, p.1315-1320. Laflamme DP. Canine Practise Jul/Aug 1997; 22:10-15. MawbyD, Bartages JW, Moyers T et al. Compendium 2001; 23[9A]:70.

3 IDEAL WEIGHT

Dog ideal

YOUR DOG'S CONDITION

YOUR DOG'S PROFILE

Dog ideal

YOUR DOG'S CONDITION (IDEAL)

YOUR DOG'S PROFILE (IDEAL)

YOUR DOG'S CONDITION

Ideal Weight

  • Ribs can be easily felt and may/may not be seen1 with minimal layer of overlying fat
  • A clear waistline can easily be seen2
  • Noticeable tummy tuck3
  • 1. In short haired dogs.
  • 2. When viewed from above.
  • 3. When viewed from the side.
  • The Body Condition System was developed at the Nestle Purina Petcare Center and has been validated in the following publications Kealy RD.2002. JAVMA vol.220, p.1315-1320. Laflamme DP. Canine Practise Jul/Aug 1997; 22:10-15. MawbyD, Bartages JW, Moyers T et al. Compendium 2001; 23[9A]:70.

4 SLIGHTLY OVERWEIGHT AND MARKEDLY OVERWEIGHT

Dog overweight

YOUR DOG'S CONDITION

YOUR DOG'S PROFILE

Dog ideal

YOUR DOG'S CONDITION (IDEAL)

YOUR DOG'S PROFILE (IDEAL)

YOUR DOG'S CONDITION

Slightly Overweight

  • Ribs can be felt, but generally can't be seen1, with a obvious layer of overlaying fat
  • Waistline is visible, but not clear2
  • Tummy tucks slightly upwards towards back legs3

Markedly Overweight

  • Ribs are hard to feel and see1 under a thickened layer of overlying fat
  • Distinct pads of fat can be felt along the lower back and at the base of the tail
  • Waistline absent or difficult to see2
  • 1. In short haired dogs.
  • 2. When viewed from above.
  • 3. When viewed from the side.
  • The Body Condition System was developed at the Nestle Purina Petcare Center and has been validated in the following publications Kealy RD.2002. JAVMA vol.220, p.1315-1320. Laflamme DP. Canine Practise Jul/Aug 1997; 22:10-15. MawbyD, Bartages JW, Moyers T et al. Compendium 2001; 23[9A]:70.

5 OBESE AND CLINICALLY OBESE

Dog obese

YOUR DOG'S CONDITION

YOUR DOG'S PROFILE

Dog ideal

YOUR DOG'S CONDITION (IDEAL)

YOUR DOG'S PROFILE (IDEAL)

YOUR DOG'S CONDITION

Obese

  • Ribs are very difficult to feel under a very thick layer of overlying fat1
  • Chunky pads of fat can be felt along the back and at the base of the tail
  • Waitline is absent2
  • Tummy bulges outwards and may sag downwards3

Clinically Obese

  • Ribs are impossible to feel with a marked layer of very thick overlying fat1
  • Very chunky pads of fat can be felt along the back and at the tail, as well as around the neck and legs
  • Waistline is absent2
  • Tummy distinctly bulges outwards and sags noticeably downwards3
  • 1. In short haired dogs.
  • 2. When viewed from above.
  • 3. When viewed from the side.
  • The Body Condition System was developed at the Nestle Purina Petcare Center and has been validated in the following publications Kealy RD.2002. JAVMA vol.220, p.1315-1320. Laflamme DP. Canine Practise Jul/Aug 1997; 22:10-15. MawbyD, Bartages JW, Moyers T et al. Compendium 2001; 23[9A]:70.
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If you’d like more information on our dog body condition tool or have any other queries, contact our PETCARE EXPERT TEAM

Many people are unsure exactly what a healthy weight for a dog is, so how can you know if your pet is the right size for their breed and type? To check your dog’s body condition score and ideal size, just follow these simple steps. You can even print off a copy and stick it to your fridge for permanent reference. Easy!

Using the slider below, select the image that most closely matches your dog, and we’ll tell you whether they may be underweight, overweight, or just right.

Created by experts in pet care, our Body Condition Tool is designed to help you determine if your pet is a healthy size. We try to avoid putting the emphasis on weight alone, which can be misleading. The dog body condition score tool encourages you to get hands on with your dog, feeling them to really judge their actual size underneath their lovely coat! It also recommends looking at your dog from every angle to get an all round view before deciding if they are a healthy shape and size. Be patient and gentle – your dog may not be accustomed to being handled in this way, but don’t worry, they’ll soon get used to it.

View a short video of Purina's resident vet Zara demonstrating how to check your dog's body condition