size and weight

Question
i have a 3 year old pichon frize/yorkie.
what would be the correct weight and size
of him.

Answer
Hi Charlie,

Your dog is a mixed breed, so there isn't a "breed standard" that needs to be met. You should just be sure not to let your dog become overweight.

You should be able to quite easily feel your dog's ribs. There should be a slight amount of fat over them, but each rib should be distinct. If you can see the ribs, the pet is too thin. If you can not feel them at all, the pet is very overweight.

Second, check the area near the base of your dog's tail. There should be a slight fat covering over this area and it should feel smooth. If the bones protrude, the pet is too thin; if you can not feel any bones at all, the pet is very overweight.

Third, feel other bony prominence on your dog's body such as the spine, shoulders, and hips. Again, you should be able to feel a small amount of fat over these areas. If these bones are easily felt or visible, the dog or cat is too thin. If you can not feel the bones beneath the layer of fat, the animal is obviously overweight.

Fourth, look at your dog from above. Your dog should have a definite waist behind the ribs. If the waist is extreme, or again, bony prominence are visible, the animal is too thin. If there is no waist, or worse yet, the area between the ribs and hips is wider than the hips or ribs, the dog or cat is grossly overweight.

You can see a chart, that might help you tell whether or not your dog is over weight, here:

http://placervillevet.com/canine%20body%20condition.htm
http://www.purina.com/dogs/health/AdultBodyCondChart.pdf

If you feel your dog is overweight, you should cut out between meal snacks, or switch to healthy fat free snacks, such as a baby carrot or an apple wedge (no seeds!). Increasing the amount of exercise your dog gets each day goes a long way in keeping  your dog at a healthy weight.

You might consider changing to a "lite" diet. If you change your dog's regular food, make the change gradually, over a period of 5-7 days. Changing a dog's diet too quickly can cause diarrhea.

Best of luck,

Patti