Puppy Growth Chart
Posted in Puppy Care on Sep 22nd, 2008
Every puppy owner is encouraged to make his own puppy growth chart, plotting the changes of weight, height and body type of the puppy. You may never know when this might be handy. If your puppy displays symptoms of unhealthy conditions, your homemade puppy growth chart might give significant clues to your veterinarian when diagnosing the problem. For wannabe breeders, maintaining a puppy growth chart is a good way for you to keep a record of how large or small your puppies will grow. You can then make an educated guess as to how big the future puppies will be when you decide to mate your current dog with another bitch or male.
The Purina Body Condition System has a systematic way of categorizing the dog’s weight condition. The 9 types of dogs aim to give a distinction between the thin dogs and the really obese ones by listing physical characteristics that any pet owner may check for himself. Consider this your informal puppy growth chart.
- EMACIATED
The canine doesn’t have any perceivable body fat and there is an apparent loss of muscle mass. All bony structures seem to jut far apart.
- VERY THIN
There is no obvious body fat but there is a slight loss of muscle mass. Ribs, lumbar vertebrae and pelvic bones can be seen clearly.
- THIN
The canine’s pelvic bones become conspicuous, the ribs may be noticeable without fat and the top of the lumbar vertebrae is detectable. Tucks in the waist and abdominal area can be observed.
- UNDERWEIGHT
Waist can be easily spotted when viewed from above while the abdominal tuck is still visible. Lastly, the ribs are evident with minimal fat covering.
- IDEAL
The pup’s ribs are palpable without excess fat covering. The abdomen tuck is seen from the side while the waist can be viewed from above.
- OVERWEIGHT
Trivial excess fat covers the ribs while the waist is discernable from above although it doesn’t stand out that much. Abdominal tucks are blatantly exhibited.
- HEAVY
Ribs are still tangible but only difficult to locate because of the heavy fat cover. Some fat deposits form over lumbar area and the base of the tail. The puppy seems to lack a waist and the usual abdominal tuck.
- OBESE
Ribs are under heavy fat cover and may be seen only when pressure is applied. A hefty amount of fat deposits over the lumbar area and the base of the tail characterize this pup. Waist seems to be non-existent and so is the abdominal tuck. Marked abdominal swelling is normal for this body type.
- GROSSLY OBESE
This last category of dogs has a manifest difference with the last category in terms of body fat.
These 9 classifications in the puppy growth chart determine whether you have overfed, underfed or gave the ideal amount of food to your puppy. If you have underfed your puppy, adjust the feeding amounts until he exhibits weight changes. If you have given the ideal amount of food to your puppy on a daily basis, continue this regimen but be sure to vary the menu! If you have gone overboard with the pampering, it would be advisable to modify the daily diet of your puppy until you have made progress towards the ideal weight. It might be wise to adopt a more active lifestyle with your dog and give him more exercise. Longer walks and supplementary games seem like a good place to start.
A puppy growth chart may keep a registry of ideal heights, weights or body types according to sex. As Charles Schultz said, “Happiness is a warm puppy”. And more blissful hours will be spent with your puppy if you would make that effort to keep the optimum level of health for your adored animal in the world.
