Skinny? (Not dipper… more general)

[Clodagh]

Three people this week have told me how thin Scout is. ‘Skin and bone’ I got told today.

Im not seeing it but am starting to doubt myself. He is bony in a teenage boy sort of way and yes you can feel his spine and ribs.
Sorry for photos but if you can see his head he won’t stand side on and pose! So the last pic is so you can see he does have a head ?

 

[fankino04]

I think people have just got too used to fat labradors being the norm. I was told that if you run your fingers over their ribs it should feel the same as feeling the bones in the back (when you make a fist)of your hand if that makes sense.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Looks like a normal, active dog to me!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Looks about right definitely not skinny and I agree that a lot of labs are overweight so people get a distorted view of how they should look.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Looks fine.

 

[Roxylola]

Looks good to me, can recommend if you're on facebook "no it's not starving - dedicated to fit, healthy dogs!" as being worth a look - there is a lot of cropped docked etc dogs (america and europe) but lots of lovely fit dogs

 

[AmyMay]

Looks great.

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Looks fine to me, agree people are to use to seeing fat dogs!

 

[Clodagh]

Thanks all. Will trust myself again. And everyone thinks he has a pretty face ?

 

[MotherOfChickens]

He looks fine-and he's a teenager. I get similar comments re Fitz, the other one is a bit of a bunter now though if I don't keep an eye on him (although he carries is weight around his neck weirdly).

 

[TheresaW]

He is fine. I’ve got an emaciated horse, remember.

 

[skinnydipper]

Looks nice and trim, not too skinny.

For reassurance -

https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Body-Condition-Score-Dog.pdf

 

[twiggy2]

He is certainly not thin, looks to be at the plumper side of the range I would be happy with

 

[Prancerpoos]

Looks good. Just how a young lab should look.

 

[TGM]

He looks fab! In fact if you look at the overhead view, you can see if he carried much more weight he would lose his waist, which you are meant to see if they are not too fat. Mind you, I have a whippet so am used to people commenting on my 'skinny dog'. I wouldn't mind but she is pretty well-covered for a whippet!

It is actually very sad how we have normalised seeing overweight dogs to the extent that healthy fit dogs are criticised.

 

[Clodagh]

He is certainly not thin, looks to be at the plumper side of the range I would be happy with

He is thinner than he looks there, tbf. He hasn’t got a dip in the pic ? ?

 

[Annette4]

He looks far better than the lab I saw from a flyball trainer recently who was actually skin and bones ? healthy and the right weight IMO for a lab, hate seeing all the local obese ones.

 

[Clodagh]

He looks far better than the lab I saw from a flyball trainer recently who was actually skin and bones ? healthy and the right weight IMO for a lab, hate seeing all the local obese ones.

You see some awful ones by the end of the shooting season. Usually owned by fat people!

 

[Annette4]

You see some awful ones by the end of the shooting season. Usually owned by fat people!

I can't say too much as a porker with a very skinny whippet x but at least I'm trying to get weight on him ? some of the collies and labs make me feel a bit sick and I have very fit, slim sighthounds!

 

[SAujla]

He is perfect, no way should he be any heavier. He's still got a lot of growing to do and the lighter he is the better for his bones and joints

Also it was you who told me that so many labradors are overweight nowadays that fat is considered normal and being the right weight is seen as too thin. He's a happy dog

 

[Chiffy]

Believe in yourself Clodagh, he looks fine, especially at his age. You don’t want too much weight on him. Skin and bone is the rescue dogs with their bones sticking up along their back and a dreadful coat. He looks the picture of health to me.

 

[MurphysMinder]

He looks a great weight for a teenage dog . I see a lot of posts on GSD forums where people think their dogs are too thin , the reality is that there are so many fat dogs people forget what they should look like .

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

I’d say he’s a 5 according to that body condition score chart. It’s a puppy thing, I find, all of mine were skinny youngsters, never stopped. I upped food for the last 2, Zak was a very active puppy. Don’t worry, he isn’t emaciated!

The report from the RVC says Mitch is a 4/9, he’s growing like a weed and is much taller than his more compact square brother. I’ll try for some from above pictures if they’ll stand still for me. Different types, but maybe a handy comparison.

 

[[153312]]

He looks to be in fabulous condition to me.
Our vet said my puppy was too heavy when she went to be spayed; she probably needs to look more like your boy, though it would be much easier if she wasn't quite such an accomplished cat food thief

 

[Red-1]

Looks perfect to me too.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Mitch

Goose (too much in love with Bear to stay still, he’s compacted down and tucked in). Totally different dogs.


PS: if anyone knows where to buy that green toy to his right, let me know, he’s obsessed with it, currently paddling my knee whilst chewing it.

’Ponk’

 

[Spotherisk]

Scout’s not skinny, he’s just doing the young dog lanky thing. ?

 

[COldNag]

He looks great.
Agree with others - we are so used to seeing fat labs - round here most of them are carrying too much weight (I can talk, so am I!)

 

[meleeka]

He’s a gorgeous dog and definitely not skin and bone.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

He looks absolutely fine to me. Pups have growth spurts and go in phases of looking quite chunky and then leggy. So long as they are within the recommended weight parameters, no-one should worry while they are growing