The rib test#
You should be able to feel your dog's ribs easily under a thin layer of fat, without pressing hard, and see a visible waist when looking down from above.
Breed shape varies, so it's worth learning what a healthy weight looks like for your specific dog rather than comparing to a generic chart alone — your vet can help with this at a check-up.
Small changes#
Cutting daily portions by around 10%, measuring food properly rather than guessing, and limiting treats are usually enough to bring a mildly overweight dog back in line over several weeks.
Weigh food rather than eyeballing it — it's surprisingly easy to overfeed by a significant margin when scooping by eye, especially with dry food.
Move more#
Adding a daily walk or an extra play session helps burn calories and also supports joint health and mental wellbeing. Small, consistent increases in activity work better than occasional bursts of exercise.
Check with your vet before making big changes to exercise, particularly for older dogs, dogs with joint issues, or dogs who are significantly overweight, so you can build up safely.
Signs it's working#
Gradual, steady weight loss of around 1–2% of body weight per week is a reasonable target for most dogs, along with visibly improving waist definition and easier movement.
Regular weigh-ins, ideally monthly, help you track progress and adjust portions before things drift too far in either direction.