SkySoaringMagpie Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 (edited) A topic in rescue about a rescue sighthound has drifted into what is a good weight for a sighthound. For my breed the usually referenced standard is that you should be able to see the hip bones and the last three ribs. I also think you can't judge condition on weight alone, you need to look at muscle tone, coat condition, the age of the animal (younger tend to be skinny, older tend to be "well covered"). This little red girl was a rescue, this is shortly after she arrived. It's too light for me, but she is still shiny and she has muscles: This is shortly before she left for her new home, I was happy with this condition for a Saluki: For pictures of emaciation, and I don't suggest you click unless you feel up to it - click on the Electra rescue link at this site: http://www.stola.org Now for a fat Saluki, which of my girls do I insult, LOL! Edited to add - this is too fat, but she's still the best girl in the world Edited May 10, 2013 by SkySoaringMagpie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 but sighthounds come in different shapes and sizes, impossible to give a weight! General rule of thumb for greyhounds is last 3 ribs visible but only slightly. Sometimes you can see the hip bones, sometimes not. Fern is about 1 kilo overweight, no ribs visible, hard to feel, but I don't care, she looks fantastic! I don't consider Warrior overweight at all but it is hard to see his ribs with his stripes (brindle patches), can be easily felt. Plus it's coming into winter, a small amount of extra weight doesn't hurt as I work night shift and my dogs sleep outside while I am at work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podengo Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 I can't imagine being an Azawakh owner, I'm sure every second person you meet would be accusing you of starving your dog... I think they (and all sighthounds) are gorgeous though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkySoaringMagpie Posted May 10, 2013 Author Share Posted May 10, 2013 but sighthounds come in different shapes and sizes, impossible to give a weight! Agree! :) General rule of thumb for greyhounds is last 3 ribs visible but only slightly. Sometimes you can see the hip bones, sometimes not. Fern is about 1 kilo overweight, no ribs visible, hard to feel, but I don't care, she looks fantastic! I don't consider Warrior overweight at all but it is hard to see his ribs with his stripes (brindle patches), can be easily felt. Plus it's coming into winter, a small amount of extra weight doesn't hurt as I work night shift and my dogs sleep outside while I am at work Good points re winter and coverage. I often have to up the food a bit in winter, and they are not outdoors all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 read the thread that led to this one. :D some people have no idea what a sighthound should look like and should educate themselves a bit better before opening their mouths and showing their ignorance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 General rule of thumb for a Whippet is 3-4 visible vertebrae. I'll post examples tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podengo Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 From the FCI Azawakh breed standard His bone structure and musculature are transparent beneath fine and lean tissues (skin)Hip bones : Distinctly protruding and always placed at an equal or superior height to the height of the withers. Ribs : Long, visible, slightly and evenly curved down to the sternum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackJaq Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 (edited) I think sometimes the level of fitness can also change the overall look of a dog. For example, a 25 kg dog with no muscle tone may look pudgy, whereas the same dog at 25 kg but with several hours of exercise a day might look almost too lean to some people, as fat will cover most bones more evenly than muscle tone. Ribs don't usually have that much muscle tissue on them so they may be more prominent on a very fit dog than an unfit dog at equivalent weight. Personally I have to agree that many show dogs I have seen seem to carry too much fat and I'd like to add that I've seen many examples of my own breed (as well as others, of course) with very poor muscle tone as well. I find the lack of muscle tone in a show dog just as bad as an excess of fat since an active working breed should look the part, especially if you insist on changing them from a purely performance bred breed in their country of origin, to a show and pet dog. Edited May 10, 2013 by BlackJaq Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_PL_ Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 With those long stretchy legs and back do they get health issues if they get really chunky? I admit, it's a completely different look to what I'm used to so they all look skinny, it's rare that I meet anyone other that a pet greyhound and around here they aren't all that lean. Those Elektra rescue photos are appalling btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizabella Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Thank you for sharing the photos SSM, it's very helpful. I've always thought Bella is quite skinny, as she's always been thinner than any Saluki I've come across (I don't see many here in Adelaide!). From what I've been told, she's just about right though. She's definitely filled out as she's grown up. I think her condition is similar to your foster girl in the second picture. I get a fair few 'don't you feed it?' comments when I take Bella out! I guess people just aren't used to what sighthounds look like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 (edited) To me sighthounds are lean, have long flat musculature, tight skin, minimal body fat and some visible ribs unless hidden by coat. I am less bothered by one that is a little too thin, especially if is a youngster, than I am by one that is too fat. Muscle tone, coat quality, and energy are much better indicators of good nutrition and health than body index in animals born to be thin. I have been told at times by 'the man in the street' that my dogs are too thin, usually as teenagers. My response is simply 'You haven't got a clue mate'. I am not going to let someone's ignorance influence me to keep my dogs at an unhealthy, fat, weight. Edited May 10, 2013 by Diva Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizabella Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Recent-ish pictures of Bella, showing her weight. I think she's about right. Bella by panGH, on Flickr Bella by panGH, on Flickr Arya and Bella by panGH, on Flickr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podengo Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 She is beautiful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackJaq Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 (edited) To me sighthounds are lean, have long flat musculature, tight skin, minimal body fat and some visible ribs unless hidden by coat. I am less bothered by one that is a little too thin, especially if is a youngster, than I am by one that is too fat. Muscle tone, coat quality, and energy are much better indicators of good nutirition and health than body index in animals born to be thin. I have been told at times by 'the man in the street' that my dogs are too thin, usually as teenagers. My response is simply 'You haven't got a clue mate'. I wonder if the RSPCA educates their officers on the body structure of various dog breeds.. I can imagine what an RSPCA officer would say at some of the photos posted here and you'd have a hell of a time getting the dog back if they decided to seize it Made me a bit worried back when my Weimaraner went through her skinny stages around 12-18 months, even though she had good muscle tone, some of her vertebrae were visible, along with most of her ribs and the top of her hip bones... She was shiny, healthy and well fed and gained more weight eventually (as per the photo I have posted in the other thread) but it certainly makes me twitchy every time somebody comments on her being skinny even though she is no longer ribby Edited May 10, 2013 by BlackJaq Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizabella Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 BlackJaq, I do worry about that happening if Bella were ever to end up at the RSPCA, I doubt she'd pass temperament tests as well, as she can be skittish when meeting new people. I'd like to think that RSPCA officers would be given some education with regards to the structure of different breeds. To me your Weim looks stunning, not skinny, just healthy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 When we showed our Greys they where covered like shown now.They weren't fat ,they where fit animals I do believe there are many Sighthounds shown under weight especially in Salukis . I think the problem is people interpret visible hip bones differently & some dogs are very hippy due to straight rears . Visible for me shouldn't equate to starving underweight ,if the dog is constructed correctly you will see it without having to keep lean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 (edited) To me sighthounds are lean, have long flat musculature, tight skin, minimal body fat and some visible ribs unless hidden by coat. I am less bothered by one that is a little too thin, especially if is a youngster, than I am by one that is too fat. Muscle tone, coat quality, and energy are much better indicators of good nutirition and health than body index in animals born to be thin. I have been told at times by 'the man in the street' that my dogs are too thin, usually as teenagers. My response is simply 'You haven't got a clue mate'. I wonder if the RSPCA educates their officers on the body structure of various dog breeds.. I can imagine what an RSPCA officer would say at some of the photos posted here and you'd have a hell of a time getting the dog back if they decided to seize it Made me a bit worried back when my Weimaraner went through her skinny stages around 12-18 months, even though she had good muscle tone, some of her vertebrae were visible, along with most of her ribs and the top of her hip bones... She was shiny, healthy and well fed and gained more weight eventually (as per the photo I have posted in the other thread) but it certainly makes me twitchy every time somebody comments on her being skinny even though she is no longer ribby 12-18 months can be a skinny time, the way their metabolism changes is interesting. My chiro-qualified vet has an expert eye for proper condition and pulls me up hard when mine gain a pound or two, quite rightly. A local general vet who didn't know what she was looking at did try to tell me my good-weight dogs were too thin and my old fat girl was OK - I just told her she was wrong and to feel for the muscles, and she changed her mind when she put her hands on them. I think groups like the RSPCA do generally understand sighthounds are meant to carry less weight. But it is a risk given the number of people who think all dogs are the same and that they are qualified to judge a dog's welfare just by looking at it, when in fact they are just deeply ignorant. Edited May 10, 2013 by Diva Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkySoaringMagpie Posted May 10, 2013 Author Share Posted May 10, 2013 The RSPCA is usually pretty familiar with Salukis. I can think of at least two cases where people called them, they visited, saw the dogs were Salukis and in the correct condition, and left again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkySoaringMagpie Posted May 10, 2013 Author Share Posted May 10, 2013 Thank you for sharing the photos SSM, it's very helpful. I've always thought Bella is quite skinny, as she's always been thinner than any Saluki I've come across (I don't see many here in Adelaide!). From what I've been told, she's just about right though. She's definitely filled out as she's grown up. I think her condition is similar to your foster girl in the second picture. I get a fair few 'don't you feed it?' comments when I take Bella out! I guess people just aren't used to what sighthounds look like. Bella has always looked fine to me in photos. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chequeredblackdog Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 salukibel Bella is GORGEOUS! I think she looks fabulous! I hate seeing fat sight hounds, they look like sausages on toothpicks we have quite a few whippets in my area and most are 'well covered'. Though there a couple who are lean and fit, it's nice to see. My Kelpie (though not a sight hound :p ) often gets comments about his weight, 'wow! He is skinny' and that I should 'feed him more' but from people who know anything about working dogs or what a healthy fit conditioned dog looks like, he gets lots of compliments Not the best pics....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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