08/24/2026
Is your dog fat? Here's an easy way to find out -
Vets call it body condition scoring, and it is a better measure than weight because it works on any breed and any frame.
Three checks. Feel the ribs with a flat hand, not fingertips. Look down from above for a waist that narrows behind the ribs. Look from the side for a belly that tucks up rather than running straight back.
If you have to push to find ribs, there is a layer over them that does not need to be there. If you can see them across the room, that is the other direction.
A few extra pounds on a small dog is proportionally enormous, and carrying it shortens lives quietly through joints and endocrine strain. Worth doing tonight.
When did you last put your hands on his ribs?
