# Ribs Showing or Dimple on the Bum!!!



## hobbsy1010

Have tried to keep an eye on our boy's weight over the winter months.
We can regulate his weight quite well we think, treats (occasionally) Straight forward Kibble and 1no. chicken wing two times a day.
He would if given half the chance eat anything and every thing 'all'day!!
About a year ago when walking him in a public park we passed an elderly lady who said to us that it was nice to see a 'V' with a 'Bit of COVER on'!!!'. To my horror I took this to mean my Boy was 'Over Weight' in her eyes ??? ???
We have also heard that if a 'V' has a small 'Dimple' on their backs just above their tails that this means that they are slightly overweight??
In contrast to a year ago....
We Keep Brook's weight quite regular (we think) but on a recent walk with a friend who we walk with said that he looked a bit 'Skinny'!!
We Compared with his bitch a Weimy and yes you could see his last 2no. ribs on his cage, which is what we have come to believe is his 'Happy' medium/weight ???
He is quite a large 'boy' for the bread at about 30kg, about 65/66 lbs.

Would like to hear your thoughts on your personal preferences regarding your dogs, I do understand that there are differences between 'Showing' and 'Hunting'. What's your preference if any?? 


Hobbsy


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## texasred

As long as mine have a waistline ( thinner just past the ribcage) and don't tire easy on runs I don't worry about it.


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## Mischa

The waistline is where I look too. Sometimes ribs show, sometimes they don't. 
If their body is a big long sausage, they're overweight to me.

You should clearly see their little-man pecks and arms, and good muscle tone in their hind legs.


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## Ozkar

A dimple on most V's or pointers above the tail usually means they are a little tubby. But, that's not all dogs. I like to see the ribs when the body is turned and also see one or two if they are just standing. 

I allowed Zsa Zsa to get a dimple and it has taken 4 months to get her back to her proper weight. Even now I would like maybe 200 grams less for her to be what I would consider fit. 

I would err on the skinnier side more than the other way. It's better for their little hearts in the long run. 

As Texasred says, as long as they have the energy and stamina, then they should be fine.


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## finch

This is a perfectly timed post b/c I have been thinking for the last week that maybe Finch is too skinny. She eats as much as our 90lb lab + more treats than him but she runs it off and is around 42lbs. It sounds like, from commentary here, that she is just the perfect weight... compared to our 2 labs, who probably have a little more weight on them than they should, she just seems teeny by comparison!


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## redrover

Just curious...what does this dimple look like? I have never heard of this before.

I was told to look at your dog from two directions. From the side, you should be able to see a nice "tuck up," which is where their ribs end. And from the top you should be able to see a waistline.

I find the ribs tricky. Sometimes I can see Jasper's, sometimes I can't. If he's standing perfectly straight and holding still, no ribs. But if he even turns an inch, whoops! Out they pop. So I tend not to rely on the appearance of the ribs. Running my hands along his sides, I can feel the ribs, but not in a way that indicates he's too skinny.


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## datacan

When turning you should see the ribs, otherwise if ribs are visible all the time, they are either too fit, muscular or under stress, skinny. 
I don't like a too skinny dog, cold in Canada.


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## Moose

Moose used to be an 80lb V....needless to say, he was overweight. 

We changed his food, and the amount we were feeding him and he's slimmed down to 68lbs. Some people now tell us he's too skinny though-I can't win! 

Although, we can see his spine when standing , and a bit of his ribs, not concave or anything, but you can see some definition. 

lately he's seemd ravishing when it's time to eat though- the second we grab his food scoop he's a running faucet [he doesn't drool otherwise] and eats the food in record speed as though he's worried it might not be there if he takes a breath. He gets treats throughout the day, of carrots, lettuce leaves [his FAVOURITE] , sometimes banana {leftover from the kids snack} and depending on what I'm cooking, I'll share some meat with him- he got some turkey dinner this weekend [turkey, mashed potatoes, squash, carrots ]


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## hobbsy1010

Just an update on the original post regarding 'Ribs & Dimples'....

We think we have got his food portions down to a more realistic size. He still gets his 'Portions' twice a day, which he still Woof's down in record time 

Here's a shot of him 'Tucking In'....         ;D ;D ;D ;D ;


Hobbsy


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## datacan

He eats the whole box ??? 

That looks yummy, almost like my breakfast cereal... Captain Crunch.


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## hobbsy1010

Yep twice a day.....

The chicken carcass has allready gone from this shot :-[


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## datacan

I do 1.5 cups twice daily, mixed with 1/2 can of cat food and some food supplements the breeder recommended. Additionally Sam also eats 1/4 or 1/2 chicken raw, turkey or lean ground beef...

As long as they eat they are healthy, that's what the breeder told us.


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## born36

Mac has ribs that show when turned plus his last ribs show when standing. He eats loads! Yet is still trim an 11 month boy and gets 1 1/2 cups of Arden grange puppy 3 times a day plus soft food kongs twice a day plus treats plus bully stick or cows ear once a day. He is an eating machine but also a running machine so in great shape.


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## mswhipple

My personal preference is NOT to see a dog's ribs. It just makes me sad. I feel like they must be a little hungry all the time. A long time ago I suffered from an eating disorder (anorexia), and I can tell you from personal experience that when my ribs were showing, I was hungry. 

Anyhow, I think you should be able to FEEL the dog's ribs, but not see them. And from above, you should be able to see a waistline. I just don't care for the look of a "ribby" dog. Give the poor thing some food!! Just my opinion, of course.


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## born36

mswhipple said:


> My personal preference is NOT to see a dog's ribs. It just makes me sad. I feel like they must be a little hungry all the time. A long time ago I suffered from an eating disorder (anorexia), and I can tell you from personal experience that when my ribs were showing, I was hungry.
> 
> Anyhow, I think you should be able to FEEL the dog's ribs, but not see them. And from above, you should be able to see a waistline. I just don't care for the look of a "ribby" dog. Give the poor thing some food!! Just my opinion, of course.


I know what you mean it took me ages to get into a mind set where I was okay with seeing ribs on a dog. I have to say though that I don't how I could make Mac's ribs not show. If I fed him anymore he would have loads of diarrhea. It simply a case of he runs and uses so much exercise he food can't keep up. He is still young so hope his metabolism slows in time.


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## Looney

hmmmm...

i was told that you aren't to feed RAW/KIBBLE together?
i always thought that cat food was off limits because of.....ash content or something?


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## born36

Looney said:


> hmmmm...
> 
> i was told that you aren't to feed RAW/KIBBLE together?
> i always thought that cat food was off limits because of.....ash content or something?


Mac is on kibble but as my neighbour is a butcher he give me as many raw bones and chicken wings as I like or should I say Mac likes. Never had any trouble with him having kibble but also raw bones and chicken wings.


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## Moose

your pup eats that whole box of food...twice a day?? and a chicken carcass?? that seems like a heap of food....if he's still really thin, maybe he has a tape worm?


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## kiminboonton

My girl has all her ribs showing, in addition to her hip bones and some vertebrae. It makes me crazy me when people tell me to “feed that dog”. My dog simply runs and burns as much or more calories than she takes in, and she is not food motivated at all. I feed her a mix of raw and kibble, with supplements and I even have included raw goats milk since it has some good probiotics and its high in calories, but she’s still a skinny girl!


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## hobbsy1010

She's a 'Good Looker' in my book   

Well defined and quite muscular in the stance in that photo 

hobbsy


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## kiminboonton

She's a 'Good Looker' in my book 

Well defined and quite muscular in the stance in that photo 



Thanks Hobbsy! She is quite muscular, I just with I knew how to add that muscle over those ribs and back. Her chest and legs are rock solid though. She's a marathon runner for sure.


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## hobbsy1010

We used to have similar situation with Brook our boy with his appearance, spine showing,ribs on show etc...
He's always eaten very well, never been fussy with what he eats really and we can regulate his weight within a couple of weeks if we feel he looks a bit on the 'thin' side :-\
I think I've written on a previous post somewhere that while out walking him once a lady stopped us and said how nice it was to see a vizsla with a 'bit of COVER' on him! Now we know she meant that she saw our boy as slightly over weight :-\

With regards to trying a variation in their food, you could try Pork bones/cuts in addition to the kibble (a fattier meat in general). Our boy believe it or not enjoys a raw pigs trotter/foot 
once or twice a week from our local market! ???
I'll try and post a photo next time he gets one 
Sheep's hearts are another nice cut of high protein he seems to really enjoy.
Try and up the kibble by a couple of ounces per day as a bit of an experiment over a two week trial and see how she fairs.

I think she looks great as she is, fit as a 'Butchers Dog' in my eyes 

Hobbsy


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## hobbsy1010

Moose that picture earlier in the post was me taking the p...! Sorry, couldn't help it ;D ;D
The photo opportunity came and i snapped him taking a 'Sneaky' when i had my back turned changing his water!! 

He has a cup full and a chicken wing twice a day on the whole.

The tub in the photo when full lasts him about a month.

Apologies again for the wind up ;D

Hobbsy


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## Ozkar

Finally got rid of the last of Zsa Zsa's excess weight.. ribs now showing, bum dimple gone .... All is right with the world again!


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## hobbsy1010

Oz,

Was wondering why she took to tearing your sofa up!!!!

Now we 'ALL' know, poor Zsa Zsa was 'STARVING' ;D ;D ;D ;D

Hobbsy


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## Ozkar

Yeah........ the bitch did it two hours after breakfast......  

I honestly think losing the weight has both increased her energy and also increased her obedience


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## serena

My Ruby looks too skinny to me, all her ribs show, she is 16 weeks now.
We leave a bowl of food avaible to her 24/7, but its not until I prepare a hot dinner that she actually eats well, so when I cook for us, she will have a potato and a raw egg and some veg mashed into her dried food and shes happy with that.
Im aware that at this stage she should be eating 3 times a day, so should I be concerned?


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## born36

serena said:


> My Ruby looks too skinny to me, all her ribs show, she is 16 weeks now.
> We leave a bowl of food avaible to her 24/7, but its not until I prepare a hot dinner that she actually eats well, so when I cook for us, she will have a potato and a raw egg and some veg mashed into her dried food and shes happy with that.
> Im aware that at this stage she should be eating 3 times a day, so should I be concerned?


Have you tried pouring over some warm water on the food???


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## serena

Yes, it made no difference.


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## Looney

I had to "doctor" Laszlo's food too! i hated it...he hated it....

i was planning on swapping to the RAW diet eventually anyways so i just moved that along.....

he eats 1.5lbs of ground chicken thighs/gizzards/hearts/.....vit c and some kelp. mixing in an egg every other day and some rice, my wife says he needs his carbs so i give him brown rice.


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## serena

I mix cooked brown rice and pearl barley into her dinners too. I posted pics on a seperate thread of her, most of her ribs show.


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