Can you condition score dogs?

[Anonymous]

I was wondering – with horses – you can give them a condition score – see this site for what I mean:

http://www.shady-acres.com/susan/conditionscore.shtml

Can you do the same for dogs? is there a scale? Or not?

I’ve been wondering if Loki is too thin… and wanted to see where he was on a scale of some sort…  does anyone know?  :-\

[*Nick*]

a “too thin”  Lab !?!?  Is that even possible?  ;D

I don’t know of any programs like that for dogs.  What are lokis measurements and what does he weigh?

[Anonymous]

hi,

i would have thought that labs vary alot in their bulk from breeding – if you can have a look at pics of other dogs in predominant lines perhaps ?

also, bonnie got a bit thin last winter – perhaps he just needs a little bit more fat for burning off ?

claire x

[Anonymous]

Nick – Loki is strange  ;D

He weights about 29 kg – at last vet trip – but that was quite a while ago – have never measured him so will do that tonight  ;D

Will also take some pics – to be honest though – he varies his weight quite alot – I try to adjust food accordingly, but if I give him too much he just leaves it  ::)

Claire – I think you are right – but it’s getting the extra fat into him that can be tricky…

If am honest – I think he looks pretty good – just a tad on the thin side – but I wondered how prominent ribs should be/ hips etc…  I think I need to take a pic from above – and directly behind to show you?

Am not really worried about him – but I wondered if he was just very fit (and fine) or a tad thin and I need to get more in him if you see what I mean?

will upload a recent pic – from last week – for now.

[Bilclarie]

When Merlin had his cardio test done a few weeks ago he was condition tested and was given 5.5 out of 6 he was weighed and then measured in every concevable way, so yes they can be condition tested but it would vary from breed to breed.

Mo and the Gang

[Anonymous]

Hi,

pics would be great, for a fit lab i would expect to see definition but not skin sagging off bones if you get me.  i wouldnt want to see every rib when standing relaxed or too much bone on hips.

having said that i do the “feel not see” test to gauge my 2 and the vet told me william was underweight (but i think he looks fab and vet just used to seeing fat dogs haha !!).

i used chicken wings for bonnie 2-3 as treats most days.  i am not sure if it’ll be suitable for Loki tho – what do other gunner ppl think ?

Nick – have you got any lab friends that you know the weight / build?

Claire x

[Anonymous]

Ignore the fact it’s a Purina advert this is what you should have
http://www.purina.com/dogs/health/AdultBodyCondChart.pdf
You cannot compare him with a lab but you could compare him with his sire and dam
You should not be able to see ribs just feel them and a  tuck up s a guide
Val

[Anonymous]

Ooh – thanks Val – v. useful!  I’d say he is prob ok – then as can easily feel and see ribs.. – ah just noticed you said not see ribs  :-\  I think he may be too thin then  :-\

Claire – if Loki has Chick wings he has 5 for breakfast – he had lamb this morning – a combination of fatty and lean meat some with bones (Basically from a stewing pack!).. He won’t eat more than about 4 pieces tho.. he hides the rest for ‘later’ and then leaves them there forever… until I discover them rotting away in a corner  :-X  I add oil too – but he will only eat veg oil. I mix Olive oil in with dinner…  He won’t eat sardines in oil unless he is startving – so I sometimes give him a tin of those before dinner when I know he is very hungry – then he thinks that is dinner and grudingly eats them  ::)

Will get better pics – this is all I have recently – from last week – second one is hard to tell:

[img width=468 height=351]http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q139/sloulou/Norfolk/IMG_1277.jpg[/img]

[img width=468 height=351]http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q139/sloulou/Norfolk/IMG_1297.jpg[/img]

[Anonymous]

In the first pic – if you look hard – you can see how narrow his waist is… you can see where his hips start – if you see what I mean?

found this – maybe useful:

http://www.purina.co.uk/Home/All+About+Dogs/Health+and+Wellbeing+Dog/Healthy+Living+Dog/Understanding+Your+Dogs+Body+Condition.htm

[wags]

hun hes positivelly obese next to Meg

shes a hat rack

[Anonymous]

😛

the wavy coat is misleading – makes him look curvier  ;D  but you are right – he’s not exactly painfully thin  😀

[Anonymous]

It also depends on breeds…………beardies should carry nothing over the ribs they have very little body fat ie my girls weight 19k and 20k they are made like to take the mileage they would do on a days drive they are oval boned which cuts down on weight as well
Labs are made with an thicker build and an extra layer of fat to combat the ice cold seas of Canada don’t forget they are fishing dogs long before gundogs.
I would not worry about him he’s off working lines and some of those are both small and on the skinny side, the best gundog down here is a very small lab bitch called Jip she’s a little sweety but I could stick her under my arm
Val

[Anonymous]

Val is right – my friends worker is positively lurcher like lol !!!!!

i dont know much about labs but i can say generally if i was to see him i wouldnt think ooh he is too thin.

hope that helps 🙂

claire x

[dogloverwoooo!]

you will find labs vary alot regarding size/weight. My Buddy is big and chunky  ;D where as Jessie is from a totally differnt line, she is smaller and leaner. some times people say shes too thin or even shes a cross breed  😮 ::) when infact shes just a finer, smaller labrador who is a very busy brain! 😀

[Anonymous]

ahh 🙂  its Jessie i was thinking of widget – do you know what her weight is ?

[Author]

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