Fat vs. Skinny (Anxious in Aberdeen!)

Lucretia · Old Hand

Fat vs. Skinny (Anxious in Aberdeen!)

greyluvver · GAL Membership Co-Ordinator

Hi Lucretia,

Just thought I'd mention something that may be useful for you to look at on the main GAL website:-

under the 'Health & Behaviour' icon, then click on 'obesity'.

The photos here and info are helpful to indicate the best shape your greyhounds should be.

PeterE · Old Hand

From what I've heard you should be able to clearly see the knobbles of the spine and at least two or three ribs. I've also heard that a pet greyhound should be about 3 to 5 kg over its racing weight and its about perfect. Both my dogs are fairly skinny but seem healthy and happy. If your vet is happy and your dogs seem happy then I don't think there's anything to worry about. Our vet says she prefers to see greyhounds skinny rather than overweight because their skeletons are not designed to carry excess weight. The dogs have gone to bed for the night otherwise I'd go and measure their heights, lengths and waists!

Peter

tootsmazza · Enlightened One

Mason is a big lad and I regularly have his weight checked by the vet. Last month my vet gave him a thorough hands on check because his weight had gone from 34kg to 34.5kg. She insists he has no fat but some well-developed muscle pads.
You can see the outline of three ribs on either side and feel his spine but he is a sturdy big lad.
You can imagine my absolute horror at Viv's one-day training course yesterday when she informed me Mason was fat weirdface

after he refused to work for treats and suggested I starve him for a few days if I want him to work for me cry

Personally I think he is healthy, my vet thinks he is healthy, and that is what matters to me.
But I did wonder if owners of other big greyhounds found generally they seemed more sturdy than the smaller ones?
Marie

feldandjack · Guru

Not much I can say on this thread, Everything about Cara is too thin for my liking. I've always had BIG solid dogs, but Cara is hell bent on being the doggy size 00. If a dog is fit, active and HAPPY biggrin

you should be happy too. (that's what my vet told me) but it doesn't stop you worrying

Sunny girl · Master

I wouldn't worry Lucretia, the photos you post of your dogs they always look in amazing health.
I think your friend has either A-measured her dogs waists wrong or B she has odd shaped hounds. weirdface

I measured Sunny she is 27inchs tall and 22inches round waist. I wouldn't say she is to fat or to thin. I don't like to see the spine sticking out on greys but i can see a glimpse of 2 or 3 ribs. My vet says she is about right (ok he said shes fine just don't let her gain any more and end up looking like Zoe blankstare

)

Marie, Mason is not fat....he's big boned wink

poor boy, first he gets mistaken for a girl then called fat

Mason is lovely, maybe he'd seen "You are what you eat" on TV, when they showed you whats in a Hot dog......it would put anyone off for life....except Sunny wink

Landess

tootsmazza · Enlightened One

Measured Mason last night, hes 29in from shoulder to floor, 31in long and has a 23in waist (something I fantasise about!). Of course, he may have been holding it in post-criticism biggrin

Marie

Valerie · Guru

Marie I think Mason looks super in his cat hunting video, just the right size and very fit (not that I'm an expert, as I keep saying)! I think this body size obsession is bad enough in hoomins without it extending to the poor dugs!! hmm

Thistle · Old Hand

Masons mum, you have nothing to worry about I have just had Dexter weighed when we were at the vet today and he is 37.1kg!

We can still see ribs towards the back of his body and his spine is visible. We feed him in the middle range of his suggested food weight a day, he doesnt get lots of extra treats and he is exercised every day. Beginning to wish I hadn't read this thread as I thought he looked fine weirdface

(When we rescued him he was 34.2kg and his hips were really sticking out on his back)

Amanda · Master

Grey's come in different sizes. Blues weight fluctuates depending on the seasons (he doesn't get as many off lead walks in the winter and is a plodder on the lead) Some greys are petit dainty and all legs. Others, like Blue, are not so much. In Blues family history he has coursing campions and we have been told he would be an excellent courser as he has wide powerful shoulders and huge chest furious

Teresa · Enlightened One

as said in this thread, i really wouldn't worry - you know what looks "right" for your dog.

when we first got Tom he was all skin and bone and weighed 32kg. six months later he was weighed at 39kg........the vet said he's not overweight and he still looks great.

all three of mine eat pretty much the same, despite the ranges in their weight (Daisy at around 29kg, Dave at 32kg and Tom at 39kg) and they are all healthy.

I wonder if your friend is measuring the right bits of her dogs!!

Thistle · Old Hand

Thanks Teresa now I dont feel like Dexter is a horse smile

tootsmazza · Enlightened One

39kg, now that is a big boy! I'm sure you're all right, Mason is quite a sturdy lad and isn't a huge eater. He gets plenty of exercise and when I got him he was about 1.5kg lighter and his hip bones were sticking out, now they're covered and I think he looks better.
We can't all be a size 00 like our Cara biggrin

Jennifer · Master

Thistle wrote:

he doesnt get lots of extra treats

You cruel mummy

Thistle · Old Hand

When I say he doesn't get any extra treats, that is in addition to the 3 - 4 charcoal biscuits he gets a day (don't need the gas masks as much now), the hide chews he permanently has and the odd piece of ham he gets when he follows me back into the house smile

If I fed him what he would be capable of eating he would be a horse biggrin

-- Edited by Thistle at 20:04, 2007-05-03