Obesity in pets is an incredibly important issue because overweight animals are at increased risk for developing serious weight related disorders such as diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, kidney disease, cancer, and more. I’m going to show you an easy hand trick on how you can gauge your dog’s body weight at home. With your palm facing down, grip your hand into a fist and look at your knuckles. You can see each knuckle and grasp around them. If this is what your dog’s ribcage feels like, then they are likely too thin. Now lay your hand out flat and look at where your knuckles would be, you can’t see them but you can easily feel them without excess fat over them. If your dog’s ribs feel like this, this is the ideal body weight. Now flip your hand palm up and feel your knuckles, they’re a little bit harder to feel now, you have to press harder, and you’ll feel a layer of fat over them. If your dog’s ribcage feels like this, they are likely starting to put on a bit too much weight. If you feel the palm of your hand, there are no knuckles there at all, all you can feel if cushion, this is what a the ribcage of a dog that is obese will feel like. I hope you found this handy little trick 👋 to be helpful. These are general guidelines that may not apply to every individual. There is going to be breed and individual variation when it comes to musculature and fat coverage. If you’re concerned about your pet’s body weight, then I recommend you visit your veterinarian for a professional weight assessment.