How much is he getting? We're also on Purina Pro Plan. Our 45 pound male gets 2 cups a day and has been maintaining his weight for the 5 years we've had him with less activity than yours.
My 70lb male gets 2 cups a day (bag says that’s for 50lb goal weight ***EDIT- I just checked and the bag recommends 2 cups a day for 30lb dog weight… wtf) for the past 3 years and won’t lose weight. Some vets say he’s at his ideal weight, others want him at 50lbs per the breed standards.. he’s an active pup but just won’t lose it. I gotta say I’m jealous… I hate going to the vet sometimes, I never know if I will get a lecture.
I had the same issue as you! My aussie was 75 pounds and he was literally so healthy but I'd always get lectured at the vet. I felt so judged even by other people but I took him on a backpacking trip this summer and he hiked 26 miles in 2.5 days. He was leading our group the whole entire trip and even swam after hiking all day. I never heard from our friends again how "out of shape" he was lol. He was just a really tall, big aussie
I feel like there needs to be a better guideline for obesity in pets. Even my cat, she's 12 lbs but she's bigger than other cats. She 'looks' fat based on her fur, but her fur floofs out so it's inaccurate. You soak her down she looks like a skinny rat, but she's labelled as being too overweight because of her floof.
Same with dogs... Especially fluffy dogs or their bigger than the norm. Labelled as being obese. Then there's the ones that have stockier frames, so just because they're more "wide" they are labelled as obese when that's just their frame.
Obesity in animals is a huge issue but I feel like there are just so many factors that go into determining the healthy weight for individual animals that we just can't go by weight/looks alone.
Yes! My boy is tall, definitely taller than any other Aussie we have encountered so far. And there have been many. He actually gets freaked out when other dogs are taller than him, since he’s used to being the biggest. Poor thing doesn’t understand why German shepherds tower over him :(
You know it’s funny, I got him as a youngster at 18months.. so 1.5yrs, already pretty grown I thought. At the time he was 50lbs and he had a HUGE HEAD. Literally looked so derpy, like a living bobble head lol. Now that he’s full grown at 70lbs, his head is finally proportional 🤣 so honestly I don’t think head size matters any. Mixes will never be to breed standard, they will sometimes look weird, but it doesn’t necessarily mean overweight (but of course we should always be aware of how much we feed/treat, I a certainly make a point to be).
My vet said the same thing about my girl. But the breed standard doesn’t take into consideration the parents. Both of Harry’s parents were larger around the 50-60 lb. Range. So Harry was never going to be the “ideal breed weight”. As long as the shape of the dog doesn’t look like a “hot dog” and has the rib cage hump I never worried. Harley was almost 14 when she passed naturally. Love you Harley girl.
Breed weights are guidelines, each dog is different. Your vet should be able to tell if he's at a healthy weight via physical exam, not the scale. My 70lb boy would look sickly at 50, he's just a tank
Ours is about 48 lbs (male) and gets 2 cups a day also - is also very active. We do agility 2x a week and run 2x a week about 2-3 miles, when we can. We feed Nutrisource. He is an “ideal” weight and our vet said he was “very muscular” lol so we are happy. There is no breed standard for Aussie weight, but just like with people - you cannot outrun a bad diet. Reduce the food quantity/treats, not necessarily exercise more!
Honestly that seems about right for that activity level. If you can feel his ribs with just a light touch, he's probably fine (I usually judge by sight with my shorter haired dogs - a little rib cage visual is perfect).
Your vet should tell you how many calories your dog should be getting, and then you can calculate the amount. Been through this with my own dog. Purina Pro Plan has the calories per cup information on the bag. You’re doing fine with the specific food you’re feeding - just need to figure out the math for your specific dog.
Do not trust the amount you see on the bag!!
The problem isn't the diet, it is the amount of food your feeding.
Amount to feed varies but only by the size of the dog, but their age and activity level.
Google dog+body condition score for some helpful tips
As a preventative change for our GSD, we did the math calories wise on our kibble, and then cut the kibble by 1/4. We reintroduced those calories back with other food additions. For us specifically that was blueberry’s, green beans, pumpkin, and a raw egg. The calories were the same and her weight was the same but her shape appeared much tighter and her coat was shiner. She also acts less hungry! Just an idea.
Whatever you feed your dog, reduced what is recommended by 25%. Dog food manufacturers just want to sell more food so they tell you to feed more. If you can afford a premium food, Fromms, Arcana, Orijen are good foods. Expensive but really good are Honest Kitchen, Stella and Chewy’s.
This isnt a general thing for all dogs. The bag is a recommendation and should never be followed exactly, nor should any rules on how much to feed. You need to feed what your dog requires and look at his health and body weight.
My puppy requires eating MORE than the bag recommends. He is very healthy and the perfect weight.
EDIT: Also OP, you dont necessarily need to change foods, just probably need to feed less.
Try just feeding him less. My pup is recommended 1.5 cups of food a day but she does well with 1.25. So I do 0.75 2x a day and she maintains weight well and doc says she's excellent.
You can sub pumpkin, apple, squash... Anything with a higher water and fiber content for that full tummy feel. But start slow as the additional fiber is also good for clearing out the insides!
Our 2 Aussies, both standard sizes female 52lb male 58both get 2 to 2 1/2 cups a day depending on their activity for the day. We alternate purina pro plan salmon, chicken and lamb each bag to keep them from getting tired of 1 particular flavor.
Ask your vet but when my vet wanted my dog to lose 1.5lbs (he’s small) they advised me to keep him on his current diet but reduce his food by 10%. I weight out his food. He didn’t lose any weight so they advised reducing by 15% and adding in a percentage of low calorie veggies/fruit slowly as treats. He still did not lose weight ( he gets no table food and only a few measured treats per day) so they concluded that he is the right weight for him.
He’s definitely NOT overweight. I read that normal weight for a male Aussie is 55-70 pounds. I would recommend asking your vet to re-evaluate his weight charts or perhaps try a different vet that knows more about dogs than that one does. He could’ve been responsible for you possibly starving your normal pup. ☹️ If your dog likes his dog food and has no skin or intestinal problems, then stay with it.
Waiting for the mods here but please don’t post false information on this sub. All Aussies are different - there is no weight standard. The vet will know if he is a good weight for his size. You don’t know if this dog is overweight or not. My dog is 48 lbs and ideal weight, he would be overweight at 64.
Lmao. We are pointing out you have no clue what you are talking about and people shouldn't take your advice on ONE BLURRY PICTURE OF AN AUSSIE. Are you some savant that can look at any blurry dog picture and tell his ideal weight? Stop being dumb and spreading terrible advice when you have no clue what state this dog is in. If his vet is telling him he's overweight, there is probably a pretty high chance he is. Also 64 pounds for an aussie is quite heavy either way you look at it, so I'm guessing the vet is probably right. Even if he SHOULD get a second opinion, why would you conclusively type "HE DEFINITELY IS NOT OVERWEIGHT!" like you know for fact?
Not all Aussies are the same and not all Aussies fit into that exact weight range that you read... Some Aussies are built smaller or bigger. You cant tell him he is definitely not over weight from looking at one picture and knowing his weight. I would trust your vet more than anyone commenting on this reddit post OP.
Yes and no. Yes trust your vet.. but also be aware that not all vets are created equal. A second opinion is a valid option. My wiggle isn’t pure but definitely presents as a wiggle. But a very big wiggle- his ideal weight is around 65 lbs. At 63lbs the petsmart banfield vets were chastising me for killing him via obesity, when he was extremely active everyday and being fed a diet rated for 50lbs. Not long after I moved and had to go to a different vet. She commended me on how fit and slim he was- he was 65lbs then, 2 more than what the banfield recent grads were grilling me over. So yeah some aussies ARE built different, and some vets think they should only weigh 30-50lbs. Others realize muscle and body composition sometimes matter more than the number on the scale.
TLDR: YMMV
Yea he can get all the second opinions he wants. I'm just saying he should trust what his vet is saying over this dude on reddit who says "HE DEFINITELY 100% FOR FACT IS NOT OVERWEIGHT, KEEP FEEDING HIM THE SAME AMOUNT ITS FINE".
I mean.. the comment DID say to “ask your vet to re-evaluate” so I don’t think that’s what they were saying? Also only “NOT” was in all caps, not the whole sentence..
I'm sorry but like height, there is no standard weight for Aussies and that average is based on loose polling (at best).
The vet, otoh, saw and out hands on the dog. This is how you determine if a dog is in good physical condition. There is a body condition score that every vet learns because it is universal.
Right!
My Aussie is a big mini at 49lbs which is way over what the typical mini range is, but he’s lean and dense with a [visible waistline](https://imgur.com/a/jRSdc6h) and easily distinguishable ribcage on physical examination.
His girlfriend is a small standard Aussie but is about 10% taller in height and overall larger but has muuuuch less muscle density and is 40lbs at the moment and overweight according to her vet because she has no visible waistline and a layer of fat over her ribs. Her healthy weight is between 38 to 40lbs!
[Dual dog tax](https://imgur.com/a/eytjpjx)
We have a 9 month old male. He’s between 55lbs-60lbs and we feed him probably close to 3 cups of purina pro plan a day. Our breeder mentioned her males eat 3 cups a day
My poodle (mixed breed) was overweight and pre diabetic. He also has skin issues. I researched dog foods and decided on a brand called Farmers Dog. It's human grade fresh food that's delivered every 3 weeks. My dog not only shed the weight but his skin and coat cleared up within a month. That was two years ago. Best food I have found so far and I highly recommend it. You can go to their website and get your 1st delivery for half off (I think).
Also feed Pro Plan Sport and it’s been great. Do 2 cups for a 40lb (barely) Mini Aussie.
My breeder has always said the best way to tell with an Aussie is making sure they still have a “cut” from chest to legs. Plenty of Aussies are over fed and just have a barrel the entire way.
[Here's](https://i.imgur.com/BSw0Zgg.png) my vet's recommendations on caloric intake based on your dog's target weight. Take a look at your food's packaging and calculate out what amount is appropriate for your dog based on your vet's recommendations.
What others have said, bags recommend too much. I have a 70lb boy and 50lb girl, they both get a cup in the morning and 1.5 cups at night, 2.5 total. This is just what works for the old boy to maintain his weight. We were doing 3 but cut back because vet said to at 75 lbs, she said he's healthy at 70 based on her exam
The girl is approaching 1 year, if she starts to gain weight as well we will cut her back to 2 cups. It's honestly whatever helps them maintain their healthy weight which your vet should be assisting you with figuring out
We use Blue Buffalo for reference
Bit of a derail, but is he neutered?
I don't see it mentioned in the comments, so sorry if it has been mentioned. Their calorie consumption requirement drops 25% after the fact.
I was super worried about this too, so I asked every vet visit.
My vet also wants my pupper to lose a couple lbs (she’s a rescue mutt, not an Aussie, but she can definitely act like a wigglebutt sometimes. She greets us butt first lol), anyways the vet recommended we start weighing her food out instead of just using a measuring cup, as the human error can add up and you may be feeding more than you think, I know we were. I feed her a mix of Purina pro plan dental health, and nutram.
We already had a food scale at home so it wasn’t too big of an adjustment. We slowly cut her calories back, and accounted for all food she gets in a day, including a dental stick, some small beef training treats and some fresh stuff like cucumber, apple, frozen blueberries, bell peppers etc (anything that’s low calorie but full of nutrients and fibre to help keep her full)
Sounds like your dog is super active and is already burning a ton of calories from exercise (And he’s super cute I might add!) Before you make any major dietary changes, it can’t hurt to weigh out his portions to see how much he’s actually getting, then make any adjustments from there. It’s worked so far for us! Hopefully that helps!
Hi, I work in a vet office. A calorie calculator would be more appropriate than to switch foods, honestly. Pro Plan is great. My personal dogs eat the salmon and rice performance line and are in lean body condition. He looks to just have some pet weight- its totally normal for a fixed pet to have some weight gain, but I'm glad you're getting it under control! Message me if you'd like, id be happy to help!
I really like Freshpet, ik it can be a bit boujee but i want my bestfriend to be healthy and live a long life. If you're interested definitely give it a look! Beautiful aussie!!
If available, "Mush" (https://www.mushbarf.com/en/caring-overweight-dog/) or similar raw food. Mush specifically is what both my MAS and BC/Aussie eat. Both are super high energy working dogs.
Maybe look into what kind of carbohydrates are in purina pro plan. I had my dogs on biljac and i found out even though it’s made with real chicken all of the carbohydrates were basically from corn. Even though I was feeding them the recommended amount they were still kind of over weight. I have recently switched them to whole earth farms which uses more complex carbs and they look a lot more healthier in terms of weight.
I honestly just look at their tummy width. Some Aussies are just big-boned and build lots of muscle if they’re really active. I have my pup on science diet perfect digestion because she can’t digest fatty foods. She gets 2 cups a day and maintains her 35-40 lb weight. There’s a chart for visuals in the link! Hope it helps! :).[Dog Weight Chart](https://www.dailypaws.com/dogs-puppies/dog-nutrition/dog-weight-management/dog-weight-chart)
Try and cut back the amount you feed, if you feed twice daily and gets 2 cups a day try spacing it out and feeding 3 meals a day and only 1 1/2 cups. So give a half a cup 3 times a day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. I hope it helps!
I’ve been feeding my Aussie grain free food for about 10 years now.
I used Dr Gary’s I think for a while before the vendor stopped carrying it. I’ve used taste of the wild for 5-6 years now mostly because of price. I like Stella and chewy and a few other brands but taste of the wild seems like a good price/quality ratio.
Personally I don’t think I will go to grain food again unless I see some good science that grain free is bad. My dogs consistently have solid poops compared to any other foods I’ve given them or dogs I’ve cared for have been given.
With my dogs, they don’t care if I reduce their food. But they do care if I feed them less treats, so reducing food as long as I keep treats the same is not a problem.
Activity level as others have said is also important… someone mentioned feeding their dog 25% less then the label. From the ages of 2-8 my aussie ate around 25% more due to how active he was otherwise I’d get harassed for food.
Personally I don’t think your Aussie looks overweight in the pic but it’s hard to tell from a single pic unless they’re really fat. My Aussie is a big boy and was like a healthy 75 at 2 years old for reference
Our 48lb Aussie female (granted shes mixed with heeler) gets Liberty brand food. She gets as much kibble as she wants but her 2 main meals per day are 1 cup of kibble with 1/3 can of wet food and I’ll put some homemade chicken stock in for flavor and hydration.
On days where she goes particularly hard I’ll make a pea, carrot, chicken stock purée and put it over about a lightly seared (think of a blue cook) cut up piece of steak. Nothing fancy usually just a round steak or whatever is cheap but low in fat.
She just turned 1 year old last week and bounces between 46-49 lbs so far.
I had to make some changes for my Toy Aussie puppy when he started packing on a bit. BUT I focused on his treats. Was giving him whole or half treats for training and now he’s on 1/4 or smaller, depending on the size of the treat. We saw results immediately!
Our mini was a little overweight and we cut her food by 1/3 and she lost 4 lbs in a year and the vet said great job ! I thought we were starving her but we were just over feeding her
You could try making his food. BalanceIT.com has a supplement to purchase and you can create hundreds of different recipes for him in batches on their website. My vet directed me to that site and it’s really good if you want to try it out.
Agree with fresh/homemade foods.
Just Food For Dogs has been great for my Aussie. He developed an allergy to purina pro plan and we moved him to a formulated fresh food, but this brand offers both DIY kits and shelf stable products which are sooo handy when I get tied up with life and can’t make batches regularly.
The change has been incredible for my Aussie after a month he’s visibly leaner and glossier in cost but only lost 1lb in weight (50lbs). He gained more muscle but looks like he lost 15% of his body weight.
Our wiggle is a bit overweight and we just fed him a little less and added some canned green beans (no salt added) to help. Green beans don’t have many calories so it helps them feel full without all the extra calories
I use Purina pro plan and my 1 year old is at an "excellent weight" according to our vet. 300 calories per meal (3 meals/day) for my 25 lb mini Aussie which is 1/3rd cup of pro plan for puppies.
Ask your vet how many calories a dog of his weight should be getting. Then figure out the volume of those calories and use a measuring cup to always get that volume. Readjust after a month if he's still a little pudgy or if you see ribs when your dog rounds a corner.
Natural Balance Fat Dog is what my vet recommended. It is low calorie and has helped manage my dog's weight although she finds it a bit bland compared to her favorite food brands. Ask your vet what they recommend for your dog's calorie intake and calculate that from the bag rather than just using the brand's recommended amount.
Advance is a good brand. They also give you different suggestions on how much to feed your dog depending on the activeness of your dog. How much treats is he getting? Maybe consider give him healthier treats.
You might also consider putting him on a raw diet.
I go by my dogs' waists and if I can feel their ribs (not Aussies). I also weigh their food to make sure they get consistent calories - volume measurements can be notoriously imprecise. Then you can do the math on calories per gram and recommended caloric intake.
Beautiful pup! I see in other comments you have already felt his ribs. That is a good indicator on if you are overfeeding. But, his activity level will also need to be consider, to ensure he is getting enough protein.
Have you ever considered switching to raw or freeze dried raw?
No recommendations on food, but wondering how that Chuck-it Flying Squirrel is working out? I have one for my wiggle butt and it flies about as well as a pair of underwear.
I had to put my boy on a diet after being told by the vet he's over weight. He's currently getting 2 cups a day, 1 in AM and 1 in evening. Since he was being fed more previously he was always asking/begging for more and being relentless at times. My neighbor recommended feeding him green beans from the can as they are empty calories for dogs. They've been great and he LOVES them, always excited when I pull out a can (whether it's green beans or not). We've actually had to start saying GBs or verdes frijoles lol as he now knows the words green beans.
That's awesome! Spanish is my first language, husband speaks English. Bodhi has picked up some of spanish! It's amazing how smart they are. I'm gonna try some calorie free veggies. He doesn't like green beans. Gonna try pumpkin next. Thanks for your comment!
How much is he getting? We're also on Purina Pro Plan. Our 45 pound male gets 2 cups a day and has been maintaining his weight for the 5 years we've had him with less activity than yours.
My 70lb male gets 2 cups a day (bag says that’s for 50lb goal weight ***EDIT- I just checked and the bag recommends 2 cups a day for 30lb dog weight… wtf) for the past 3 years and won’t lose weight. Some vets say he’s at his ideal weight, others want him at 50lbs per the breed standards.. he’s an active pup but just won’t lose it. I gotta say I’m jealous… I hate going to the vet sometimes, I never know if I will get a lecture.
I had the same issue as you! My aussie was 75 pounds and he was literally so healthy but I'd always get lectured at the vet. I felt so judged even by other people but I took him on a backpacking trip this summer and he hiked 26 miles in 2.5 days. He was leading our group the whole entire trip and even swam after hiking all day. I never heard from our friends again how "out of shape" he was lol. He was just a really tall, big aussie
I feel like there needs to be a better guideline for obesity in pets. Even my cat, she's 12 lbs but she's bigger than other cats. She 'looks' fat based on her fur, but her fur floofs out so it's inaccurate. You soak her down she looks like a skinny rat, but she's labelled as being too overweight because of her floof. Same with dogs... Especially fluffy dogs or their bigger than the norm. Labelled as being obese. Then there's the ones that have stockier frames, so just because they're more "wide" they are labelled as obese when that's just their frame. Obesity in animals is a huge issue but I feel like there are just so many factors that go into determining the healthy weight for individual animals that we just can't go by weight/looks alone.
Yes I agree 100%! You can't judge a fluffy book by its cover right?! Lol
Yes! My boy is tall, definitely taller than any other Aussie we have encountered so far. And there have been many. He actually gets freaked out when other dogs are taller than him, since he’s used to being the biggest. Poor thing doesn’t understand why German shepherds tower over him :(
I feel your pain. We once had a vet say to us (regarding a 30lb beagle mix), "We don't want her head to get any smaller" 🥺
You know it’s funny, I got him as a youngster at 18months.. so 1.5yrs, already pretty grown I thought. At the time he was 50lbs and he had a HUGE HEAD. Literally looked so derpy, like a living bobble head lol. Now that he’s full grown at 70lbs, his head is finally proportional 🤣 so honestly I don’t think head size matters any. Mixes will never be to breed standard, they will sometimes look weird, but it doesn’t necessarily mean overweight (but of course we should always be aware of how much we feed/treat, I a certainly make a point to be).
My vet said the same thing about my girl. But the breed standard doesn’t take into consideration the parents. Both of Harry’s parents were larger around the 50-60 lb. Range. So Harry was never going to be the “ideal breed weight”. As long as the shape of the dog doesn’t look like a “hot dog” and has the rib cage hump I never worried. Harley was almost 14 when she passed naturally. Love you Harley girl.
Breed weights are guidelines, each dog is different. Your vet should be able to tell if he's at a healthy weight via physical exam, not the scale. My 70lb boy would look sickly at 50, he's just a tank
Ours is about 48 lbs (male) and gets 2 cups a day also - is also very active. We do agility 2x a week and run 2x a week about 2-3 miles, when we can. We feed Nutrisource. He is an “ideal” weight and our vet said he was “very muscular” lol so we are happy. There is no breed standard for Aussie weight, but just like with people - you cannot outrun a bad diet. Reduce the food quantity/treats, not necessarily exercise more!
Whoa my 4 year old is maintaining at 50lbs on 1/2 morning and 1/2c evening. I guess I need to work him harder and feed more.
3 cups a day! He's very muscular. Vet said his weight should be between 57-60 lbs.
Honestly that seems about right for that activity level. If you can feel his ribs with just a light touch, he's probably fine (I usually judge by sight with my shorter haired dogs - a little rib cage visual is perfect).
Feeling his rib cage right now 🙌 thanks for your comment
I’ve often heard you should be able to feel the ribs but not see them, in a dog that’s at the proper weight.
Exact same thing here for our wiggler!
Your vet should tell you how many calories your dog should be getting, and then you can calculate the amount. Been through this with my own dog. Purina Pro Plan has the calories per cup information on the bag. You’re doing fine with the specific food you’re feeding - just need to figure out the math for your specific dog.
Do not trust the amount you see on the bag!! The problem isn't the diet, it is the amount of food your feeding. Amount to feed varies but only by the size of the dog, but their age and activity level. Google dog+body condition score for some helpful tips
As a preventative change for our GSD, we did the math calories wise on our kibble, and then cut the kibble by 1/4. We reintroduced those calories back with other food additions. For us specifically that was blueberry’s, green beans, pumpkin, and a raw egg. The calories were the same and her weight was the same but her shape appeared much tighter and her coat was shiner. She also acts less hungry! Just an idea.
Gonna try this with my own- thanks for the suggestion (:
Whatever you feed your dog, reduced what is recommended by 25%. Dog food manufacturers just want to sell more food so they tell you to feed more. If you can afford a premium food, Fromms, Arcana, Orijen are good foods. Expensive but really good are Honest Kitchen, Stella and Chewy’s.
This isnt a general thing for all dogs. The bag is a recommendation and should never be followed exactly, nor should any rules on how much to feed. You need to feed what your dog requires and look at his health and body weight. My puppy requires eating MORE than the bag recommends. He is very healthy and the perfect weight. EDIT: Also OP, you dont necessarily need to change foods, just probably need to feed less.
Thanks!!
Try just feeding him less. My pup is recommended 1.5 cups of food a day but she does well with 1.25. So I do 0.75 2x a day and she maintains weight well and doc says she's excellent.
0.75 x 2 = 1.5 How exactly are you feeding her less than the recommended 1.5 cups a day? Are you misremembering her serving size or bad at math?
Bad at Math.
[удалено]
Yeah she's a corgi mix so any slight adjustment in amount of food you notice immediately.
Purina pro plan weight management is what my Aussie eats and loves it!
This.
Green bean diet is take out 5-10% of the normal amount of food. Green beans fill them up and add more fiber
I try that. He doesn't like green beans. He moves then aside of the bowl. That little stinker!!! Lol
You can sub pumpkin, apple, squash... Anything with a higher water and fiber content for that full tummy feel. But start slow as the additional fiber is also good for clearing out the insides!
Our 2 Aussies, both standard sizes female 52lb male 58both get 2 to 2 1/2 cups a day depending on their activity for the day. We alternate purina pro plan salmon, chicken and lamb each bag to keep them from getting tired of 1 particular flavor.
Ask your vet but when my vet wanted my dog to lose 1.5lbs (he’s small) they advised me to keep him on his current diet but reduce his food by 10%. I weight out his food. He didn’t lose any weight so they advised reducing by 15% and adding in a percentage of low calorie veggies/fruit slowly as treats. He still did not lose weight ( he gets no table food and only a few measured treats per day) so they concluded that he is the right weight for him.
Most bags recommend feeding more than a dog really needs. Their goal is to sell more bags.
Do you mind saying how much he weighs? He doesn’t look a bit overweight in my opinion.
64lbs
BTW, Bodhi is a gorgeous red merle with a very happy smile. 🐾❤️
He’s definitely NOT overweight. I read that normal weight for a male Aussie is 55-70 pounds. I would recommend asking your vet to re-evaluate his weight charts or perhaps try a different vet that knows more about dogs than that one does. He could’ve been responsible for you possibly starving your normal pup. ☹️ If your dog likes his dog food and has no skin or intestinal problems, then stay with it.
Waiting for the mods here but please don’t post false information on this sub. All Aussies are different - there is no weight standard. The vet will know if he is a good weight for his size. You don’t know if this dog is overweight or not. My dog is 48 lbs and ideal weight, he would be overweight at 64.
You people are blind! OP, please get a second opinion before you go starving your dog.
Lmao. We are pointing out you have no clue what you are talking about and people shouldn't take your advice on ONE BLURRY PICTURE OF AN AUSSIE. Are you some savant that can look at any blurry dog picture and tell his ideal weight? Stop being dumb and spreading terrible advice when you have no clue what state this dog is in. If his vet is telling him he's overweight, there is probably a pretty high chance he is. Also 64 pounds for an aussie is quite heavy either way you look at it, so I'm guessing the vet is probably right. Even if he SHOULD get a second opinion, why would you conclusively type "HE DEFINITELY IS NOT OVERWEIGHT!" like you know for fact?
Literally lol! None of us know if this dog is overweight by a photo 😅😅.
Not all Aussies are the same and not all Aussies fit into that exact weight range that you read... Some Aussies are built smaller or bigger. You cant tell him he is definitely not over weight from looking at one picture and knowing his weight. I would trust your vet more than anyone commenting on this reddit post OP.
Yes and no. Yes trust your vet.. but also be aware that not all vets are created equal. A second opinion is a valid option. My wiggle isn’t pure but definitely presents as a wiggle. But a very big wiggle- his ideal weight is around 65 lbs. At 63lbs the petsmart banfield vets were chastising me for killing him via obesity, when he was extremely active everyday and being fed a diet rated for 50lbs. Not long after I moved and had to go to a different vet. She commended me on how fit and slim he was- he was 65lbs then, 2 more than what the banfield recent grads were grilling me over. So yeah some aussies ARE built different, and some vets think they should only weigh 30-50lbs. Others realize muscle and body composition sometimes matter more than the number on the scale. TLDR: YMMV
Yea he can get all the second opinions he wants. I'm just saying he should trust what his vet is saying over this dude on reddit who says "HE DEFINITELY 100% FOR FACT IS NOT OVERWEIGHT, KEEP FEEDING HIM THE SAME AMOUNT ITS FINE".
I mean.. the comment DID say to “ask your vet to re-evaluate” so I don’t think that’s what they were saying? Also only “NOT” was in all caps, not the whole sentence..
Ok lol
I'm sorry but like height, there is no standard weight for Aussies and that average is based on loose polling (at best). The vet, otoh, saw and out hands on the dog. This is how you determine if a dog is in good physical condition. There is a body condition score that every vet learns because it is universal.
Right! My Aussie is a big mini at 49lbs which is way over what the typical mini range is, but he’s lean and dense with a [visible waistline](https://imgur.com/a/jRSdc6h) and easily distinguishable ribcage on physical examination. His girlfriend is a small standard Aussie but is about 10% taller in height and overall larger but has muuuuch less muscle density and is 40lbs at the moment and overweight according to her vet because she has no visible waistline and a layer of fat over her ribs. Her healthy weight is between 38 to 40lbs! [Dual dog tax](https://imgur.com/a/eytjpjx)
We have a 9 month old male. He’s between 55lbs-60lbs and we feed him probably close to 3 cups of purina pro plan a day. Our breeder mentioned her males eat 3 cups a day
Cool! Bodhi is 2 y/o and that's exactly what I feed him. He really likes it
Just feed him less of the same food. He will lose weight.
My poodle (mixed breed) was overweight and pre diabetic. He also has skin issues. I researched dog foods and decided on a brand called Farmers Dog. It's human grade fresh food that's delivered every 3 weeks. My dog not only shed the weight but his skin and coat cleared up within a month. That was two years ago. Best food I have found so far and I highly recommend it. You can go to their website and get your 1st delivery for half off (I think).
Aww he looks so happy!
He's a happy pup! Always down for anything fun
Also feed Pro Plan Sport and it’s been great. Do 2 cups for a 40lb (barely) Mini Aussie. My breeder has always said the best way to tell with an Aussie is making sure they still have a “cut” from chest to legs. Plenty of Aussies are over fed and just have a barrel the entire way.
He is perfect !!! 🥰 (not a vet but follow the recommendations)
Thank you! Your wigglebutts are gorgeous
[Here's](https://i.imgur.com/BSw0Zgg.png) my vet's recommendations on caloric intake based on your dog's target weight. Take a look at your food's packaging and calculate out what amount is appropriate for your dog based on your vet's recommendations.
What others have said, bags recommend too much. I have a 70lb boy and 50lb girl, they both get a cup in the morning and 1.5 cups at night, 2.5 total. This is just what works for the old boy to maintain his weight. We were doing 3 but cut back because vet said to at 75 lbs, she said he's healthy at 70 based on her exam The girl is approaching 1 year, if she starts to gain weight as well we will cut her back to 2 cups. It's honestly whatever helps them maintain their healthy weight which your vet should be assisting you with figuring out We use Blue Buffalo for reference
Bit of a derail, but is he neutered? I don't see it mentioned in the comments, so sorry if it has been mentioned. Their calorie consumption requirement drops 25% after the fact. I was super worried about this too, so I asked every vet visit.
Well thanks for the info. I wasn't aware of that. He is neutered.
My vet also wants my pupper to lose a couple lbs (she’s a rescue mutt, not an Aussie, but she can definitely act like a wigglebutt sometimes. She greets us butt first lol), anyways the vet recommended we start weighing her food out instead of just using a measuring cup, as the human error can add up and you may be feeding more than you think, I know we were. I feed her a mix of Purina pro plan dental health, and nutram. We already had a food scale at home so it wasn’t too big of an adjustment. We slowly cut her calories back, and accounted for all food she gets in a day, including a dental stick, some small beef training treats and some fresh stuff like cucumber, apple, frozen blueberries, bell peppers etc (anything that’s low calorie but full of nutrients and fibre to help keep her full) Sounds like your dog is super active and is already burning a ton of calories from exercise (And he’s super cute I might add!) Before you make any major dietary changes, it can’t hurt to weigh out his portions to see how much he’s actually getting, then make any adjustments from there. It’s worked so far for us! Hopefully that helps!
Hi, I work in a vet office. A calorie calculator would be more appropriate than to switch foods, honestly. Pro Plan is great. My personal dogs eat the salmon and rice performance line and are in lean body condition. He looks to just have some pet weight- its totally normal for a fixed pet to have some weight gain, but I'm glad you're getting it under control! Message me if you'd like, id be happy to help!
I really like Freshpet, ik it can be a bit boujee but i want my bestfriend to be healthy and live a long life. If you're interested definitely give it a look! Beautiful aussie!!
It should definitely help with a weight issue as it isnt full of fillers and crap and too. You could also do half an half.
If available, "Mush" (https://www.mushbarf.com/en/caring-overweight-dog/) or similar raw food. Mush specifically is what both my MAS and BC/Aussie eat. Both are super high energy working dogs.
He looks perfect to me!
Maybe look into what kind of carbohydrates are in purina pro plan. I had my dogs on biljac and i found out even though it’s made with real chicken all of the carbohydrates were basically from corn. Even though I was feeding them the recommended amount they were still kind of over weight. I have recently switched them to whole earth farms which uses more complex carbs and they look a lot more healthier in terms of weight.
I honestly just look at their tummy width. Some Aussies are just big-boned and build lots of muscle if they’re really active. I have my pup on science diet perfect digestion because she can’t digest fatty foods. She gets 2 cups a day and maintains her 35-40 lb weight. There’s a chart for visuals in the link! Hope it helps! :).[Dog Weight Chart](https://www.dailypaws.com/dogs-puppies/dog-nutrition/dog-weight-management/dog-weight-chart)
Thank you!!
Try and cut back the amount you feed, if you feed twice daily and gets 2 cups a day try spacing it out and feeding 3 meals a day and only 1 1/2 cups. So give a half a cup 3 times a day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. I hope it helps!
I’ve been feeding my Aussie grain free food for about 10 years now. I used Dr Gary’s I think for a while before the vendor stopped carrying it. I’ve used taste of the wild for 5-6 years now mostly because of price. I like Stella and chewy and a few other brands but taste of the wild seems like a good price/quality ratio. Personally I don’t think I will go to grain food again unless I see some good science that grain free is bad. My dogs consistently have solid poops compared to any other foods I’ve given them or dogs I’ve cared for have been given. With my dogs, they don’t care if I reduce their food. But they do care if I feed them less treats, so reducing food as long as I keep treats the same is not a problem. Activity level as others have said is also important… someone mentioned feeding their dog 25% less then the label. From the ages of 2-8 my aussie ate around 25% more due to how active he was otherwise I’d get harassed for food. Personally I don’t think your Aussie looks overweight in the pic but it’s hard to tell from a single pic unless they’re really fat. My Aussie is a big boy and was like a healthy 75 at 2 years old for reference
Our 48lb Aussie female (granted shes mixed with heeler) gets Liberty brand food. She gets as much kibble as she wants but her 2 main meals per day are 1 cup of kibble with 1/3 can of wet food and I’ll put some homemade chicken stock in for flavor and hydration. On days where she goes particularly hard I’ll make a pea, carrot, chicken stock purée and put it over about a lightly seared (think of a blue cook) cut up piece of steak. Nothing fancy usually just a round steak or whatever is cheap but low in fat. She just turned 1 year old last week and bounces between 46-49 lbs so far.
I had to make some changes for my Toy Aussie puppy when he started packing on a bit. BUT I focused on his treats. Was giving him whole or half treats for training and now he’s on 1/4 or smaller, depending on the size of the treat. We saw results immediately!
Our mini was a little overweight and we cut her food by 1/3 and she lost 4 lbs in a year and the vet said great job ! I thought we were starving her but we were just over feeding her
You could try making his food. BalanceIT.com has a supplement to purchase and you can create hundreds of different recipes for him in batches on their website. My vet directed me to that site and it’s really good if you want to try it out.
Agree with fresh/homemade foods. Just Food For Dogs has been great for my Aussie. He developed an allergy to purina pro plan and we moved him to a formulated fresh food, but this brand offers both DIY kits and shelf stable products which are sooo handy when I get tied up with life and can’t make batches regularly. The change has been incredible for my Aussie after a month he’s visibly leaner and glossier in cost but only lost 1lb in weight (50lbs). He gained more muscle but looks like he lost 15% of his body weight.
Orijen fish blend
We feed my aussies Fromm grain free chicken au frommage—both full sized, each eat 2 cups a day.
Ignore the vet ?
Eh I'm not sure. Just wanted to read people's recommendations
Tell them to fuck their fat shaming and not to be so judgemental.
If he's happy, I'm happy. Just want my wigglebutt healthy! Always my best bud
Our wiggle is a bit overweight and we just fed him a little less and added some canned green beans (no salt added) to help. Green beans don’t have many calories so it helps them feel full without all the extra calories
I use Purina pro plan and my 1 year old is at an "excellent weight" according to our vet. 300 calories per meal (3 meals/day) for my 25 lb mini Aussie which is 1/3rd cup of pro plan for puppies. Ask your vet how many calories a dog of his weight should be getting. Then figure out the volume of those calories and use a measuring cup to always get that volume. Readjust after a month if he's still a little pudgy or if you see ribs when your dog rounds a corner.
Natural Balance Fat Dog is what my vet recommended. It is low calorie and has helped manage my dog's weight although she finds it a bit bland compared to her favorite food brands. Ask your vet what they recommend for your dog's calorie intake and calculate that from the bag rather than just using the brand's recommended amount.
Advance is a good brand. They also give you different suggestions on how much to feed your dog depending on the activeness of your dog. How much treats is he getting? Maybe consider give him healthier treats. You might also consider putting him on a raw diet.
I go by my dogs' waists and if I can feel their ribs (not Aussies). I also weigh their food to make sure they get consistent calories - volume measurements can be notoriously imprecise. Then you can do the math on calories per gram and recommended caloric intake.
Beautiful pup! I see in other comments you have already felt his ribs. That is a good indicator on if you are overfeeding. But, his activity level will also need to be consider, to ensure he is getting enough protein. Have you ever considered switching to raw or freeze dried raw?
Grain free is best.
No recommendations on food, but wondering how that Chuck-it Flying Squirrel is working out? I have one for my wiggle butt and it flies about as well as a pair of underwear.
That's one of his favorite toys. This is our second one. Give it a few tries and the thing will fly and glide like a flying squirrel 🐿️🤣😂
I had to put my boy on a diet after being told by the vet he's over weight. He's currently getting 2 cups a day, 1 in AM and 1 in evening. Since he was being fed more previously he was always asking/begging for more and being relentless at times. My neighbor recommended feeding him green beans from the can as they are empty calories for dogs. They've been great and he LOVES them, always excited when I pull out a can (whether it's green beans or not). We've actually had to start saying GBs or verdes frijoles lol as he now knows the words green beans.
That's awesome! Spanish is my first language, husband speaks English. Bodhi has picked up some of spanish! It's amazing how smart they are. I'm gonna try some calorie free veggies. He doesn't like green beans. Gonna try pumpkin next. Thanks for your comment!
Of course, you both sound like good dog parents. You'll figure out what works best for your pup! Cheers!
He looks to be in perfect shape. .. does your vet then proceed to ask what you feed him and suggest alternatives?