Healthy Weight = Healthier Dogs

Dog obesity is one of the most common welfare challenges facing our pets today. It often comes from a place of love: extra treats, shared snacks, and “just one more” can feel like small acts of affection, but those few extra pounds add up. While a chubby dog might look cute, excess body fat can quietly impact your dog’s health, comfort, and lifespan in very real ways. Let's take a look at some tips for maintaining your dog's healthy weight!

Why Weight Matters: Morbidity Factors

Dogs are generally considered overweight when they are ≥15% above their ideal weight and obese when ≥30% above ideal body weight (1). These definitions mirror clinical standards used in veterinary research. And excess fat has significant impacts on a dog's well-being and longevity.

Excess weight puts extra stress on joints and soft tissues. Overweight dogs are at significantly higher risk for osteoarthritis, ligament injuries, joint pain, and hip dysplasia (2). This can also lead to surgeries like TPLO. In one study dogs fed as much as they want were compared to dogs that were fed 75% of their free-fed counterparts. And the feed-restricted dogs had an average body condition score closer to optimal (3). Numerous studies also show a strong association between obesity and reduced longevity and overall welfare. While exact lifespan reductions vary by size and breed, overweight dogs generally have poorer health outcomes than their lean counterparts. Metabolic conditions like glucose intolerance and diabetes are also at an increased risk in overweight dogs (4). In addition, dogs that are obese are less capable of cleaning themselves which causes skin issues and requires more grooming. Don't forget--heavier dogs are more difficult to lift and clean!

In other words, dog that are slim and fit are healthier, happier, and more likely to live longer!

Body Condition Score

Royal Canin has an exceptional set of Body Condition Score Charts to help you evaluate your dogs body and give him a score. This score gives you, their owner, a goal to strive for to either maintain their ideal weight, or work towards reducing their weight.

Royal Canin Body Condition Score Chart for Large Dogs.

Royal Canin's 9-point chart helps pet owners visually and physically assess fat coverage, waist shape, and abdominal tuck. You should be able to feel ribs with light pressure and see a defined waist in a dog at an ideal score (4–5).

It's very easy to settle on the dog you see every day in front of you and justify your dog's appearance: "she's just all muscle", "he is big-boned", "She's just fluffy and has a thick coat," "he's just tall," or "this is what my breed is supposed to like." We get comfortbale seeing them everyday and associate our dogs with what is acceptable and normal. Even our vets do it! Vets are so used to seeing overweight dogs that they often call fit dogs too thin and likewise overweight dogs as 'just fine'. So. we as owners must advocate for our dogs and their body condition.

Let's take a look at 3 dogs with different body condition scores to demonstrate how to assess their body condition.

Beck is a 4 on the Royal Canin Body Condition Chart. She was recently groomed and it's easy to tell her body condition.

Halli is due to be groomed next week! So she's extra fluffy, which is great to showcase that you can still evaluate a dog's body score even if they're fluffy. Halli is a 5 on the Royal Canin Body Condition Chart.

Teddy's recent haircut makes it a little easier to determine his body condition score. Make sure you watch the first two videos first. Teddy demonstrates the average pet dog and shows how easy it is to see a dog that's a little overweight and justify his size. Evaluating his condition reveals that Teddy could lose a little weight.

Keys to Reducing Your Dog’s Weight Safely

1. Portion & Calorie Control

• Measure food exactly every meal rather than free-feeding. And use a measuring cup.

• Consider reducing portion sizes, even by 1/4 cup if appropriate.

• Changing to a weight control or weight loss formula may be helpful. At the same time, nutrient dense foods tend to keep dogs fuller for longer.

2. Increase Physical Activity

Regular, daily exercise is essential for weight loss and maintianing good health. Be sure to tailor exercise to your dog’s age and physical condition. Consider the intensity for exercise for your dog. Taking a leisurely walk around a couple blocks is not enough to exercise your dog.

Consider some of these options instead:

• Fun runs off leash in an area that allows dogs

• Playing fetch daily for at least 20 minutes (intermittent activity).

• Running or jogging at least a mile (must work up to this).

• Bike riding! There's an attachment device you can get to connect with your dog.

• Use a flirt pole!

• Swimming! There are even indoor swimming pools around the state.

3. Reduce Treat Calories

Training and snack treats quickly add up. Often people don't realize how much extra calories they're giving to their beloved dogs until they pack on the pounds. And as any human knows, it's much harder to lose the weight once it's there. Be mindful of the extra treats, table scraps, and anything children might be sneaking your pup under the table. Chewies and raw hides like pig ears, No-Hide chewies, and freeze dried animal parts all add calories to your dogs diet.

Training Treats

On days you will be doing a lot of heavy training with minimal activity, don't hesitate to cut your dog's meal by a similar amount. If you will be doing a lot of training with your dog, especially as a puppy, choose a high protein-dense treat who's main ingredient is meat. These treats can act as a meal replacer for those training days. One example is Rawbble by Bixby. This is actually a freeze dried meat that can be used as a training treat, meal topper, and kibble, perfect for multiple uses.

Feeding Suggestions for New Puppies

The best method for preventing obesity in your dog is not to start it in the first place! Often we are eager pet owners to feed our dogs and prevent them from being too skinny--because that's unhealthy too! And puppies are growing so fast we need to support their digestive health. So here are some tips to prevent overfeeding from the first day you bring home your new puppy.

1. Choose A High Quality Dog Food

Starting with a food that is nutrient dense and highly digestible will keep your dog satiated longer throughout the day. This will prevent your pup from begging for a midday snack--because who can resist those puppy dog eyes?

2. Feeding Frequency

When my puppies are sent home, they are eating 1/2 cup twice a day, a feeding schedule that is easy to keep for a family that works during the day. Feeding more often than that would likely cause you to add more kibble. It isn't easy to divide 1 cup of food into 3 without adding a little more (or less).

3. Increasing Feed Over Time

When raising a puppy, you have to increase portion sizes over time. Healthy weight management begins early. How do you know how much to give and when to increase food?

(note: the following suggestions are based on feeding a calorically dense, highly digestible kibble like Farmina, Fromm, or Open Farm)

Often determining portion size for a new puppy is based on a few parameters: how quickly puppy eats his meal, how fast he is growing, how big his stool is, and how his behaviors are. Often a hungry puppy will find other things to chew on: grass, leaves, your favorite sweater, and this could be an indication that it's time to increase his food. For medium and standard sized goldendoodle, they should be eating 2 cups when they're about 12 weeks of age, if feeding a calorically dense food (e.g., Farmina, Fromm). I would expect a standard sized dog to eat anywhere from 2.5 to 3 cups a day until they're about 10 months old. A medium-sized goldendoodle may be eating 2-2.5 cups a day when they're about 10 months old.

When puppy is fully or nearly full grown, it's time to consider two adjustments: switching to an adult formula and reducing the portion size. Your dog's metabolism will equalize as well as their activity level. Switch to adult food when they're a year old and consider taking some food out, perhaps half a cup a day.

And while all of this is going on, the following variables will also effect how much to feed your dog:

• Activity level

• Body Condition Score (palpability of the ribs, abdominal tuck, and waist visibility)

• Age

• Frequency of training sessions with treats

• Eating non food items (grass, dirt, sticks, toys, etc.)

• Spay/Neuter Status

Feeding a growing puppy is a balance between supporting healthy development and avoiding excess calories that can quietly set the stage for future weight issues. By choosing a high-quality, nutrient-dense food, sticking to a consistent feeding schedule, adjusting portions thoughtfully as your puppy grows, and regularly assessing body condition, you can meet your puppy’s nutritional needs without overfeeding. Remember, appetite, activity level, training treats, and life stage all influence how much food your puppy truly needs. Starting with mindful feeding habits from day one helps your puppy grow into a lean, healthy adult, and ensures that love is shown through good nutrition, not just extra snacks.

Final Thoughts

Maintaining your dog’s ideal body condition is one of the most impactful things you can do for their long-term health and happiness. Regular use of a body condition scoring system, consistent feeding and exercise routines, and collaboration with your veterinarian can help prevent the serious health consequences associated with overweight dogs.

If you’re concerned about your dog’s weight, ask your vet to walk through the BCS chart with you and make suggestions on maintaining a good weigh.

Citations

1. Porsani MYH, Teixeira FA, Amaral AR, Pedrinelli V, Vasques V, de Oliveira AG, Vendramini THA, Brunetto MA. Factors associated with failure of dog's weight loss programmes. Vet Med Sci. 2020 Aug;6(3):299-305. doi: 10.1002/vms3.229. Epub 2019 Dec 26. PMID: 31877241; PMCID: PMC7397924.

2. Gomes, Arthenise Gabriely da Conceição, Kayo Murilo Almeida de Souza Cruz Morais, Nilsa Duarte da Silva Lima, Regina Tie Umigi, José Teodoro de Paiva, and Gisele Maria Fagundes. 2025. "Canine Obesity: Contributing Factors and Body Condition Evaluation" Pets 2, no. 2: 22. https://doi.org/10.3390/pets2020022

3. Lawler DF, Evans RH, Larson BT, Spitznagel EL, Ellersieck MR, Kealy RD

   Influence of lifetime food restriction on causes, time, and predictors of death in dogs

   J Am Vet Med Assoc, 226 (2005), pp. 225-231

4. Alexander GJ. 2006. 'The Growing Problem of Obesity in Dogs and Cats. J of Nutrition.