Poor Stanners is on a diet..

Discussion in 'Labrador Health' started by JenBainbridge, Jul 24, 2017.

  1. selina27

    selina27 Registered Users

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    Bet you'd rather this any day of the week than a flare up :)

    AS with so many other things, Labs are all different ! Cassie at 17 months is 28 kg, she has been 32kg, I thought she looked good at 30kg, but the vet said no, it had to come off the lumbar spine. In order to keep it off there I can see every rib, she looks skinny from the side but has the desired waist when looked at from above.
     
  2. SwampDonkey

    SwampDonkey Registered Users

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    I just so happy and proud of him he looks absolutely beautiful at the moment. Yep I know no biases here:D
     
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  3. JenBainbridge

    JenBainbridge Registered Users

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    Stanley says keep the females away from the computer because they'll drool too much over Slinky Skinny Stanley :D

    IMG_9229.JPG IMG_9236.JPG

    You can see in the last one he has a skirt around his middle - so his tuck is actually a bit higher than it looks. It tried to get a pic but it looked as though I was taking a photo of his bits so I didn't post it o_O

    This is another reason to appreciate this forum. I would have probably had a bit of a chubby lab if I hadn't found it as that's all you were used to seeing. OH thought he was too skinny but when I explained about how it could affect his joints etc he was happier for him to be a bit smaller.
     
  4. snowbunny

    snowbunny Registered Users

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    Looking good, Stanners!
     
  5. Sven

    Sven Registered Users

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    Looking good Stanley. Vanilla send big licks and kisses. She did have a funny face on her when she sees pictures on the screen.

    I do have a quick question for the ladies dogs who have gone through a season. I believe they will never get a full tuck up. I am I thinking this is correct? Vanilla is slim and we can't loose anymore maybe .5kg, but she looks good now from top down and side.

    Thanks
     
  6. snowbunny

    snowbunny Registered Users

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    Nope, that's not true at all. Look at the lovely Bramble for example. However, some dogs are just built a bit differently to others. Luna doesn't tuck in at the sides anywhere near as much as the other two and never will. OK, she has a little to lose, but even so, she only has a light cover over her ribs and so it won't be enough to make a noticeable difference in the waist. She does have a nice tuck up when observed from the side, though. There's no reason why having a season should affect that.

    Some show-line dogs have a very pronounced "skirt" (flap of skin) that can hide the tuck, but you can easily hold this back. I believe Obi Labrador has a pretty full skirt? I think most Labs will have this to some extent (all mine have a small one), but that it's more common to have a more pronounced one in show line dogs. I may be wrong there, though, and happy to be corrected.
     
  7. SwampDonkey

    SwampDonkey Registered Users

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    Gravity doesn't help either as they get older the skirt gets longer.
     
  8. charlie

    charlie Registered Users

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    Looking so good Stanley, be proud xx :inlove:

    Another good reason not to have Face Book @snowbunny xx
     
  9. Sven

    Sven Registered Users

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    @snowbunny thanks, might just be what I have read and some comments on here a while back. I know all dogs are differently same as us. Vanilla has a small skirt, but where her tummy/nipple area is it won't tuck up as much as maybe what I am expecting or how I have interpreted a 'tuck' to be. There is one there (and our vet says she is healthy looking), but just maybe not as much as others. Then again I can't say how much a dog should have as a tuck. She has not a defined side tuck, but she is not overweight, as can feel (and see depending on situation) her last few ribs. Sounds a bit like Luna from the sides the way you described her

    @JenBainbridge apologies for high jacking your thread for a quick question.
     
  10. snowbunny

    snowbunny Registered Users

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    Have you heard of the knuckle test? Sometimes it's a bit easier than using visual guides, when our dogs are different shapes.
    It's simply this:
    Make a tight fist and run the fingers of the other hand over your knuckles. If your dog's ribs feel like that, he's underweight.
    Relax your hand and run your fingers over the knuckles. This feeling is how a dog's ribs should feel at an ideal weight; the ribs have minimal fat covering.
    Turn your hand over, and feel the knuckles on the palm of your hand. A dog whose ribs feel like that would be overweight - you can't feel the bones without applying pressure.
    Feel the pad of your palm below your thumb. This would be an obese dog - you can't feel the bone at all under the cover, even with heavy pressure.

    It's still a bit subjective, because one person's knuckles may be plumper than another's, but I think feeling is often easier than looking.
     
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  11. Sven

    Sven Registered Users

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    Thanks yes have heard that, and use it as a guide plus feeling her. Looking from top down and feeling the side she is fine as expected. I suppose I look at her tummy and it is loose(ish) when looking side on. Think easiest way to describe is an arch from her chest to the back with a tiny flat piece where her main nipple area is. (Sorry not a vet so dont know actual terms :oops:).
     

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