How to Tell if Your Dog is Overweight

As we step into the new year, it’s the perfect time to check in on our furry family’s health, especially their weight. Extra fluff might look cute, but it can quietly affect how our pets move, feel and age. You've likely heard us say in store "lean is best" and that's because when the furry guys stay lean, we reduce the harm that extra fluff does to their body.

Here’s the reality. Studies suggest that up to 60% of dogs are overweight or obese. That's six out of every 10 dogs! Even more surprising, many pet parents don’t realize their pet has slipped into the “too fluffy” zone. We see our furry guys everyday, so we may not notice those extra treats and secret snacks are starting to have an impact. And just like in people, carrying extra weight increases inflammation which can affect joints, heart health, energy and even lifespan.

The good news is that healthy weight is absolutely achievable with the right tools! We're here to help, not judge so if you want to ensure your furry guy is the right weight, we have a quick little exercise you can do to get an idea of where your furry guy is at! We want to see if the furry guy is too fluffy, too thin or just right! Sounds a little Goldilocks right?

Let’s check the furry guys weight together in true Goldilocks style! 👇

🐻 The Three Bears of Pet Weight

Every dog falls into one of three categories:

🐾 Too thin

🐾 Too fluffy

🐾 Just right

And while the scale can help, it is only one piece of the story. What matters more is body condition. That’s where my favourite quick trick comes in. We may have discussed it in store or you may have even seen our social media video that talks about the same trick!

✋ Carly’s Simple Hand Trick for Finding “Just Right”

Hold one hand out flat with your palm facing down.
Use your other hand to feel the knuckles just below your fingers.
You don’t need to apply much pressure to feel the bones.

Now flip your hand palm side up and try to feel your knuckles by rubbing your finger across them. You have to press harder to feel the knuckles.

Then make a fist and rub your fingers across your knuckles on the back of your hand. The knuckles are very easy to feel.

Here’s what this means for your furry guy when we apply this same technique to feeling their ribs:

Fist: Underweight. Bones are too easy to feel.
Palm side up: Overweight. You have to press to feel the ribs.
Palm side down: Just right. You can feel the ribs easily without pressing.

This method is simple, fast and surprisingly accurate. We put together this little graphic to reference when you're checking for extra fluff! 👇

⚖️ What If Your Pet Needs to Shed a Little Fluff?

First, don’t panic. It can happen to everyone! When I first got Zaner and I was used to treating my big dogs, I gave Zaner way too many treats for a little five pounder and all of a sudden, he had no waist! I realized, I needed to be a little more diligent in serving sizes and the amount of treats he was getting. It’s incredibly common and it is absolutely fixable. So if your furry guy has gained a bit of fluff, now we just need to make the plan to help them lose that fluff! 👇

Here’s a clear plan:

Determine the ideal weight. Remember, we feed to the weight we want our dog to be, not the weight they currently are when weight loss is the goal.
Count calories. This is where many pet parents go wrong. Calories matter. We even have a calorie counter on our website to help you figure out exactly how much your pet should be eating. Once we determine how many calories our furry guys should be eating, then we determine a feeding routine around it!
Watch portion sizes. A scoop is not a measurement. Proper portions are key. If the furry guy needs their own set of measuring cups to ensure we're feeding the correct amounts, that's what we do!
Exercise regularly. Movement helps everything from mobility to metabolism. If your furry guy is struggling to do their regular walk with their excess fluff, then we can do a couple short daily walks. Get out for three 10-minute walks each day which will make a difference.
Cut the carbs. Dogs do not need carbohydrates and excess carbs contribute to weight gain. A fresh raw food diet is naturally lower in carbs and supports lean muscle. It is one of the most effective tools for weight loss.
Eliminate the extras. No table scraps. No sneaking treats. And the hardest part of all…everyone in the house has to commit. Puppy dog eyes are persuasive but consistency is everything.
Be a treat snob! When we know how many calories the furry guy needs, we can factor in some healthy treats. We typically recommend a single ingredient meat treat, paired with some healthy veggies as a our snacks.

Just cutting their food in half is not a plan that will work and it's not safe for the furry guy! Calories are just as important as protein when the furry guy needs to shed some fluff. If we're feeding a kibble diet and just feed less, we risk not feeding enough protein which can cause other significant health problems.

Weight loss for the furry guys is no different than weight loss for us! It's a matter of portion control, choosing the right fuel for the body and movement. That's it! Weight loss food doesn't exist for us and it shouldn't exist for the furry guys. In weight loss foods for our pets, they use an ingredient called "powdered cellulose", this is essentially sawdust. It's an insoluble fibre our pets can't digest. It makes them feel full, so they eat less and lose weight. The problem is, it's not a beneficial ingredient that supports their health and certainly not something they'd eat if left to their own devices, so it's not a method we recommend when it comes to healthy weight loss.

Bonus Tip: When we cut back on our regular food, incorporate an egg into the diet to boost the protein with low calories. Ensure the egg is factored into their daily calorie count. A regular chicken egg is 70 calories, a quail egg is 14 calories. Choose the egg that is right for the size of your furry guy.

🩺 Why Healthy Weight Matters So Much

Extra weight can:

Put stress on joints and make arthritis worse
Increase inflammation throughout the body
Affect heart and lung function
Raise the risk of diabetes
Lower quality of life
Shorten lifespan by one to two years

Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most loving things we can do for our pets. We often associate treats with love and for good reason! We love our furry family and they have powerful puppy dog eyes that make us think "I'll give you anything you want!" and then we follow it up with a biscuit! And then a piece of cheese, some of my sandwich, a lick of ice cream....you get the point! We love our furry guys, but we need to separate love from snacking, especially if the furry guy needs to shed some fluff.

💚 We’re Here to Help

Whether your furry guy is just right or needs a little help getting there, our team is always happy to guide you. We can help you assess body condition, calculate calories, choose the best diet and build a simple plan that works for your pet’s lifestyle.

Here’s to a healthy, happy, energized 2026 for you and your furry family.