Over Weight?

Question
I have a 10 month old female beagle. She has been spay. Betty is approx 15 " tall and weighs 27 pounds. I know the chest of a beagle expands especially right after they have eaten but I don't know if Betty's chest just expands or is she over weight? Can you please tell me a good weight for a beagle? I hope this question is not too general.
Thank you


Answer
Betty sounds about right to me but here are guidelines for judging whether your dog is at a healthy weight. This is how the vet would assess her....

-- Emaciated
Ribs, backbone and pelvic bones easily seen, even from a distance; no body fat; obvious loss of muscle mass

-- Underweight
Ribs can be seen and easily felt; pelvic bones are prominent; obvious waist and abdominal tuck

-- Ideal
Ribs can be felt; waist obvious when viewed from above; abdominal tuck evident
-- Overweight
Ribs hard to feel, covered by fat; noticeable fat deposits over back and base of tail; waist and abdominal tuck barely discernible

-- Obese
Ribs cannot be felt, under heavy fat covering; massive fat deposits over back and base of tail; no waist or abdominal tuck .

Source: Veterinary Products Laboratories


Hope this helps!
Have4Paws