is my puppy skinny?

Hi new member!

They all grow at different rates, so it's hard to judge based on "the numbers."

Best way to tell is to feel the dog. If you can feel ribs, the weight is good. If you have trouble feeling them, too fat. If the ribs are so pronounced that you can see them, that may be too lean.

Looking at the dog from above, you should see a definite "waist."

Most people have fat dogs, so people are used to seing dogs that have too much weight on them. It is much healthier for your pup to be lean.

If you can post a picture of your pup, others here can offer an opinion based on that.

What does your vet say? What are you feeding?

The only sure fire way to determine if a pup's weight is correct is the rib test. With your puppy standing, run your hands down his sides. If you can easily feel all of his ribs, but can't see them, he is at a good weight. If you can't feel his ribs, he's too heavy. If you can see his ribs clearly, he's too skinny.

I don't put much stock in growth charts. They are guesstimated averages at best and don't take into account that individual puppies grow at individual rates, some quicker than others.

Also don't listen to people who say a dog is too thin. Most dog owners tend to keep their dogs too fat, and therefore what most people seem to think is a good weight for a dog is actually too heavy. So to them, a dog who is at a healthy weight will often be considered "too thin".

The rib test is your best bet. Also, keep in mind that young dogs should be kept on the thin side. Carrying around extra pounds puts unnecessary stress on growing bones and joints. Thin is always better than fat for a puppy.