You should continually monitor your dog’s body condition to achieve peak performance. Is he maintaining an optimal weight for the type, duration and intensity of his activities?
How to Check Body Condition
When assessing body condition, place your hands on the sides of the dog’s rib cage and carefully run your palms down to their sternum.
Key Indicators
If the ribs are protruding out, your dog is likely too thin.
If you can feel his ribs individually and his abdomen is slightly tucked up when you view him, he's at a good weight.
If you can't easily detect his ribs, he lacks a waist and/or his belly drags, he needs to lose weight.
Why Your Dog May Be Overweight
In short, your dog is likely eating more calories than he burns. Performance dogs burn more calories during competition or high workload and less during periods of lower activity.
Managing Nutrition
If you find your dog is not at an optimal weight for his activity level, evaluating nutrition is a good first step toward management. Off-season management for performance dogs may require adjustments to feeding schedules or switching to a less energy-concentrated product. If you need more guidance on choosing a product or portion size, contact your veterinarian.
