QuestionI have a female aussie who is 10 months old. She now weights 53 lbs. I don't think she is overweight - but how can I tell if she really is overweight - she is very active, but with all that fur it is hard to tell! I feed her the recommended amount of good dog food (2 cups twice a day).
Answer53 pounds does sound very heavy for a purebred Aussie female, especially one so young. But, the way you tell is to look at her from above. She should have a defined waist (just behind the rib cage). If you look at her from the side, she should have a "tuck up" and not a flat bottom line. If you feel her sides, you should be able to just feel her ribs (if she were a short coated dog, I would say you should not see the ribs), and you should not feel any "fat pads" over the ribs. If you have recently switched to a premium food, be aware that the kCal/per cup is higher than that of supermarket brands, so you would want to feed a smaller amount. I don't want to worry you, but some Aussies do gain weight due to thyroid imbalances. There is a simple test (about $90-100) called a full thyroid panel that can determine if your dog has it, and if so, the medication is very inexpensive.