You should continually monitor your dog’s body condition to achieve peak performance. Are they maintaining an optimal weight for the type, duration and intensity of their 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 their ribs individually and their abdomen is slightly tucked up when you view them, they're at a good weight.
If you can't easily detect their ribs, they lack a waist and/or their belly drags, they need to lose weight.
Why Your Dog May Be Overweight
In short, your dog is likely eating more calories than they 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 their 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.
