Is My Golden Retriever Overweight? Body Condition Chart and a Safe Weight-Loss Plan

Goldens are food lovers, and extra weight creeps up on them. A few extra pounds don’t look like much on a 65-pound dog, but they add stress to joints, can make heart and breathing problems worse and can shorten life. The good news: excess weight is one of the most fixable health problems in dogs.

Why it matters for goldens

• Joints. The OFA lists weight control as an important part of managing hip dysplasia. Extra weight increases stress on hips, elbows and knees. See hip dysplasia.
• Lifespan. In a famous 14-year study of Labrador retrievers, dogs fed about 25 percent less lived a median of nearly two years longer and had arthritis later. See lifespan.
• Heat tolerance and exercise. Overweight dogs overheat and tire more easily.
• The AKC golden timeline notes that goldens “must be kept trim their entire lives.”

The three-step home check

1. Ribs. Run your hands along your dog’s side. You should feel the ribs easily, like the back of your hand with a thin layer of fat. If you need to press hard, your dog is likely overweight.
2. Waist. Look down from above. There should be a visible waist behind the ribs.
3. Tuck. Look from the side. The belly should rise from the chest toward the back legs.

The 9-point body condition score

Veterinarians use a scale from 1 to 9.

Score	Description
1 to 3	Too thin. Ribs and bones easily visible
4 to 5	Ideal. Ribs easily felt, visible waist and tuck
6 to 7	Overweight. Ribs hard to feel, waist hard to see
8 to 9	Obese. Ribs can’t be felt, no waist, fat deposits and a rounded belly

VCA Animal Hospitals and other sources aim for a score of 4 to 5. Ask your vet to show you what your dog’s score looks like.

Why goldens gain weight

• Eating too much. Treats, scraps and generous scoops
• Neutering can change metabolism, as the AKC notes
• Less exercise as they age
• Free feeding
• Medical causes, such as thyroid disease

A vet-guided plan

1. See your vet. Rule out medical causes, set a target weight and decide on a plan.
2. Weigh food. Use a kitchen scale. See how much to feed.
3. Cut extras. Count treats. Replace some with carrots or green beans. See safe foods in what human foods goldens can eat.
4. Change the food only with your vet’s advice. Some weight-management diets help keep dogs full.
5. Add exercise gradually. Walking, swimming and play. For dogs with joint problems, low-impact is best.
6. Track weight. Weigh every two to four weeks and record.
7. Be patient. Weight loss in dogs is slow. Your vet will adjust the plan.

Making it fun

• Use part of their daily kibble for training
• Use puzzle feeders (slow feeders)
• Add a daily walk with sniffing, which is mental exercise too
• Get the family on board so no one slips extra treats

When to call the vet

• Rapid weight gain or loss
• Panting, tiring easily or coughing
• Swollen belly
• Increased thirst or urination

Related

• Golden retriever weight by age
• Senior food guide