is my dog fat???

Question

i dont have any photos of her on hear but she is a one year old pure bred lab and weighs just over 4 and a half stone!! is this normal weigh or over weight?? also what age is it ok to start breeding??( and im only asking i dont want to hear all your "you so shouldnt breed her" crap..its a simple question.thanks to all serious answers in advance

a stone = 14 lb so about 60 lb she weights

Answer 1

Rule of thumb is if you can feel the ribs when your run your hands down the back then she is skinny enough. You should be able to feel the ribs with minimal pressure.

Breeding can begin as soon as she starts going into heat.

Answer 2

Here's what my vet goes by: see ribs-too thin, feel ribs using light pressure - good weight, need to push on skin or can't feel ribs-overweight. Your female falls right in the parameter for a female lab 55-70 pounds. For what reason do you want to breed her? Are you a breeder or are you just planning on selling them yourself in the paper? Is she registered with the AKC or UKC or equivalent where you live? Would the puppies owner get the registry allowance like you (if yours is registered)? Aren't there enough unwanted dogs, pure breeds included, sitting in shelters and rescues waiting for homes or being euthanized. If your not a licensed breeder, go get her fixed and save her puppies from ever being unwanted down the road. Besides, I think that a year is too young to breed her she's still considered a puppy. You need to wait until a dog is 2 years to breed, this way you have a better idea on it's mentality and it can physically mature.

The first site shows an overhead view of a dog with normal and overweight shapes. The second is on breeding, you really need to read it first.

Answer 3

Depends on her size. Some labs can be very tall and weigh eighty pounds, and be in good shape. Check her against a body condition chart likle the one below. Sixty pounds is an average lab here in the US.
Breeding is usually safe once the dog is fully grown. About a year old to a year and a half.

Answer 4

Waaaaaaay overweight - that's like well over 35 kg in european money (for the American above, a stone is 14 lbs).

Unless you do something real quick, she's gonna die young.

She's also too young to breed. Dogs are not completely mature until about three years of age.

Answer 5

If you have a hard time feeling her ribs through the fat, then it's time to change your dogs diet. See a vet. The vet will probably change your dogs diet, as well as give you a few other ideas to bring her weight to a healthy level.

A dogs weight it usually measured in pounds, no matter what country you're from. As a result, if your vet cannot weigh your pet in pounds, it's time to get a new vet.

Answer 6

labs can weigh anywhere from 70-100 pounds and you should wait til shes about 1- 1 1/2 years old before breeding her... the longer you wait the more mature she becomes.

Answer 7

run your fingers along the rib cage. you should be able to feel ribs without having to push through fat. You should also be able to just slightly see the bottom one or 2 through the skin-not poking through. just king of a shadow of them. Make sure you are feeding good food. labs tend to have a problem with weight. I stick with Nutro, but Royal Canin has breed specific formulas.

Answer 8

a normal size dog should have a slight fat covering over their ribs and and a defined waist. you can start breeding at 2 years of age

Answer 9

A dogs chest should be lower than its stomach. If the belly is hanging lower than the dogs chest I would say the dog is too fat. Take your dog to a vet and get a professional opinion and advice about feeding the correct amount.

Answer 10

not overly overweight, but just by a few pounds. Do you take her out for excercise everyday, let her run in your back yard etc.? if you do this you have nothing to worry about. also dont leave her food out for her to eat whenever she wants. this is bad behaviour for a dog who can gain weight sometimes by just looking at food. one to two cups of food twice a day is the right amount of food for a labrador.