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Is My Australian Shepherd Overweight?

by Sabine
(Australia)

My Aussie Bella is 3.5 years old and weighs between 19 and 20kg, she is a bit short for her breed but very broad. We do agility and frisbee comps with her and she seems to be exhausted quickly.

Someone said today that she was too fat and I was so shocked to hear that. We feed her one cup of kibble a day mixed with some chicken hearts or other chicken meat.

What is your opinion and what can I do to help? Is this just how she is built?

When I bathe her she looks so much thinner, so I don't know if its just her coat...

Please help :(

Comments for Is My Australian Shepherd Overweight?

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is my Aussie fat?
by: tony

first off, how about a shot taken directly above her so we can see her waist? take two one dry and one wet.

She's beautiful
by: Anonymous

I think she looks fine, but if you're concerned you can always take her to your vet. I have mini, who is big for a mini, that weights about 15kg and she gets winded after excise as well. We portion control her food and limit treats and my vet said she was healthy, but shouldn't gain any more at 3 years old.

Best to check.with your vet.
by: Connie

I would check with you vet. If Bella is overweight your vet can tell you and you can switch to a lower fat food. My Aussie, Stella, is overweight at 52 pounds (she should be between 46-38 pounds). She has a partial tear in her ACL so we aren't getting much exercise. Your Bella is only 44 pounds, which I would think is within the recommended weight for the breed and activity level.

More photos
by: Anonymous

Ok thanks all. I will go to the vet and get him to decide.

Is my Aussie overweight
by: Anonymous

My Aussie is a standard size, weighs in at 50 lbs. she looks heavier when dry than wet. If you can feel your dogs ribs without having to really look for them, her weight is probably ok, but if you have to feel for them then she may be a bit overweight... we play ball and frisbee as well, but not competitively, just for fun and exercise. When it's hot out or humid, mine also tires much quicker. With their double coat, I do believe they heat up faster, even though double coat is supposed to help them stay cooler and warmer, depending upon the season

Had The Same Issue
by: Anonymous

I have an Aussie who is currently a year old. Many people told us he looked big for his breed, so we decided to take him to the vet. Turns out, Dexter (my Aussie) was just more muscular than many other aussies. The vet said he was at the perfect weight and that his broadness was due to his muscular form. This is probably the case for you're dog, but if you are still concerned, I would take her to the vet.

My over size Shepard
by: Anonymous

My toy Australian Shepard is 37.5 lbs!!!!! We have had him for almost 10 years and every time we brought him to then vet he just kept gaining weight. The vet could never diagnose it, and we still don’t know to this day. He has always been an active and playful dog tho never once turned down a game of catch.

Hungry Dog...
by: Anonymous

Our tri-color Aussie is 13 months and about 26" at his shoulders. He weighs in at 73 - 74.5 lbs (I weigh him weekly at the vet). He walks 2 miles every morning and puts in an extra few miles off leash (loves to run and swim) 3 - 4 times a week in the afternoon. He's pretty muscular also. You can feel his ribs with a little pressing on his rib cage. Trying to get him thinner feels like we're starving him, at least by the way he fusses for food at end of day.

Reply to overweight
by: Anonymous

My toy aussie (dad was mini, mom toy) is 1 inch shorter than mini standard. He has always been wide, even as a puppy, most aussies I see, especially toy, are super thin/lean. My aussie (names Turbo) has wide body, weight is 34, but he has really short legs, looks more like a corgie body type, but his papers show he's purebred, the breeder said when I got him, he will be more stalky than most and shorter nose due to one parent. I can fell his ribs, no fat felt, if any might be very very thin layer, his chest I can't feel fat. At one time his stomach had some fat, but I make homemade dog food now and it seems to have learned up his stomach and from side view doesn't hang. When his hair is long he looks fat, but feeling him is different story.

My dog begs for food
by: Anonymous

My mini Aussie weighs 24 lbs. and is 9 months old. We feed her one cup of dog food in the morning and one cup at night, plus a heaping tablespoon of wet food on top. She looks overweight and is always begging for food. I feel like I already give her too much. What should I do?

Do this to Check
by: Kent B

But always ask your vet.

I’m reading everyone give you their dog’s height and weight and age; all valid but not helping you with your dog because each dog's mass is different.

An Aussie should be relatively straight through the middle to wider slightly at the rear hips. Stand over your dogs head, bend over and place both hands flat on either side just behind the front shoulders. From there, slide your hands back all the way to their hips. If during that journey, your hands go out at any point that means your dog is overweight.

Someone mentioned feeling their ribs. That is not the correct way. Dogs carry all their weight under their rib cage, so feeling the rib cage is not gonna be a sign of whether they’re overweight or not.

Good luck and please check with your vet.

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