Dog BMI Calculator

< X Underweight

X – Y Normal weight

Y – A Overweight

A – B Obese

What is Body Mass Index?

BMI (Body Mass Index) is a measure of how a person’s body mass compares to their height. The dog BMI calculator uses the same formula as that of humans.

The resulting BMI of your dog is an indication of their ideal body classification.

How do I measure shoulder height?

Measure from the ground to the withers. The withers is the highest point of a dog's shoulder blades.

My Dog Is Overweight

There are a number of different reasons that your dog’s weight is above the average. These can include:

Exercise: Dogs require physical activity as much as we do. They need to be taken out for walks at least once per day, and long enough that their energy levels are spent appropriately. This will of course contribute to the overall weight of your dog.
Nutrition: If you over-feed your dog, the excess of energy gets stored as body fat. In combination with lack of activity, this could cause an increase in doggy weight.
Age & Breed: Some breeds gain weight much easier than others. Also, as dogs get older, their energy levels begin to drop, whilst their hunger continues to increase.
Neutering: Neutered dogs could be less energetic than they are before.
Disease: The most visible symptoms are diseases or hormonal imbalances, as well as their genetics.

If our calculator indicates that your dog is overweight, we would suggest that you contact your vet and arrange a checkup. If your dog is healthy, here are some tips on helping cut some of the weight:

Reducing doggy treats: There is a variety of “healthy” doggy treats, but consider cutting them back completely.
More exercise: Try and take your dog out more often, maybe an extra walk per day, for a while. As an extra help, consider visiting a dog park for some more activity, through fun play with other dogs.
Quality food: Much like in our diet, better quality food can keep your dog full for longer.

My Dog Is Underweight

If your dog is underweight, again, we would suggest consulting a vet to check up on any health conditions. If healthy, here are some tips on helping it gain some weight:

Increase diet: your dog needs to be eating enough. Increasing portion sizes or accounting for any increase in activity they have done will help you see a difference.
Age: As your dog gets older, their muscle mass tends to reduce
Diseases: There are many diseases that may cause weight loss. If your dog feels nauseous or unwell, they will eat much less. Your vet will be able to provide a better diagnosis, as well as any treatment needed.

If our calculator indicates that your dog is underweight, we would again suggest that you contact your vet and arrange a checkup. If healthy, here are some tips to help your dog gain weight.

Talk to your pet shop about higher calorie food.
Take your dog out for exercise more often.
Feed your dog larger portions, or smaller portions but more often.
Treat them more often with delicious treats like peanut butter, small bits of cheese.