Is My Dog Overweight?

One major factor in determining the health of your dog is to find out just how much your dog weighs.

Ensuring that your dog is well within the weight range of their given breed will not only make them healthy, but will extend the life of your dog as well.

In this article, we will show you what your dog should weight, and discuss what you should do if your dog is overweight, or underweight for that matter. Finally, will will offer some practical advice on how often you should feed them, which is determined by the age of your dog.

What Should My Dog Weigh?

To answer this question directly, below you will find your dog’s breed listed in alphabetical order in the left hand column. In the right column, you will find the healthy weight of your dog breed. If their is a difference between the weight of a male and female dog, the different weight for each will be displayed. If you find only one weight listed, that is the healthy weight for both the male and female of that given dog breed.

There are some instances where you will find “Toy,” “Miniature,” “Small,” “Mid-sized,” or “Standard,” listed in the WEIGHT column, and we have indicated as such for the purpose of clarity.

Please note that below this chart, we discuss what you can do if your dog is overweight, or underweight, and how often you should feed your dog.

BREED	WEIGHT
Affenpinscher	7-9 lbs
Afghan Hound	Male: 60 lbs; Female: 50 lbs
African Boerboels	154-200 lbs
Airedale Terrier	55 lbs
Akbash	Male: 90-140 lbs; Female: 75-105 lbs
Akita	Male: 85-115 lbs; Female: 65-90 lbs
Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldogs	Male: 70-90 lbs; Female: 55-75 lbs
Alaskan Klee Kais	23 lbs
Alaskan Malamute	Male: 85 lbs; Female: 75 lbs
American Bulldog	Male: 75-125 lbs; Female: 60-100 lbs
American Eskimo Dog	20-40 lbs
American Foxhound	55-75 lbs
American Staffordshire Terrier	57-67 lbs
American Water Spaniel	Male: 30-45 lbs; Female: 25-40 lbs
Anatolian Shepherd Dog	90-150 lbs
Australian Cattle Dog	35-45 lbs
Australian Kelpie	31-46 lbs
Australian Shepherd	Male: 50-65 lbs; Female: 40-55 lbs
Australian Silky Terrier	8-11 lbs
Australian Terrier	12-14 lbs
Basenji	Male: 24 lbs; Female: 22 lbs
Basset Hound	40-60 lbs
Beagle	18-30 lbs
Bearded Collie	45-55 lbs
Beauceron	65-85 lbs
Bedlington Terrier	17-23 lbs
Belgian Malinois	60-65 lbs
Belgian Shepherd Dog	Male: 55-66 lb; Female: 44-55 lb
Belgian Tervuren	Male: 55-65 lb; Female: 40-50 lb
Bernese Mountain Dog	Male: 90-120 lb; Female: 70-100 lb
Bichon Frise	Males: 11-16 lb; Females: 10-15 lb
Black and Tan Coonhound	55-75 lbs
Black Russian Terrier	80-145 lbs
Bloodhound	Male: 65-75 lbs; Female: 55-65 lbs
Border Collie	30-45 lbs
Border Terrier	11.5-15.5 lbs
Borzoi	Male: 75-105 lbs; Female: 60-85 lbs
Boston Terrier	10-25 lbs
Bouvier des Flandres	60-90 lbs
Boxer	Male: 65-80 lbs; Female: 50-65 lbs
Briard	Male: 75-100 lbs; Female 50-65 lbs
Brittany	30-40 lbs
Brussels Griffon	8-10 lbs
Bull Terrier	Male: 62-70 lbs; Female: 50-60 lbs
Bullmastiff	Male: 110-130 lbs; Female: 100-120 lbs
Cairn Terrier	Male: 14 lbs; Female: 13 lbs
Canaan Dog	Male: 45-55 lbs; Female: 35-45 lbs
Cane Corso	88-110 lbs
Cardigan Welsh Corgi	Male: 30-38 lbs; Female: 25-34 lbs
Carolina Dog	30-65 lbs
Catahoula Leopard Dogs	40-90 lbs
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel	13-18 lbs
Central Asian Ovtcharkas	Male: 121-176 lbs; Female: 88-143 lbs
Cesky Terrier	16-22 lbs
Chesapeake Bay Retriever	Male: 65-80 lbs; Female: 55-70 lbs
Chihuahua	Not to exceed 6 lbs
Chinese Crested	5-12 lbs
Chinese Foo	Small: Under 20 lbs; Medium: 21-50 lbs; Large: 51 lbs and up
Chinese Shar-Pei	45-60 lbs
Chipoo	3-12 lbs
Chow Chow	45-70 lbs
Clumber Spaniel	Male: 70-85 lbs; Female: 55-70 lbs
Collie	Male: 60-70 lbs; Female: 50-65 lbs
Coton De Tulears	Male: 9-13 lbs; Female: 8-11 lbs
Curly-Coated Retriever	60-70 lbs
Dachshund	Miniature: 11 lbs and under; Standard: over 11 lbs (usually 16-32 lbs)
Dalmatian	40-60 lbs
Dandie Dinmont Terrier	18-24 lbs
Doberman Pinscher	65-90 lbs
Dogue de Bordeauxs	Male: 110 lbs; Female: 99 lbs
English Bulldogs	Male: 50 lbs; Female: 40 lbs
English Cocker Spaniels	Male: 28-34 lbs; Female: 26-32 lbs
English Foxhound	55-75 lbs
English Setter	Male: 60-65 lbs; Female: 50-55 lbs
English Shepherd	Male: 45-60 lbs; Females: 40-50 lbs
English Springer Spaniel	Male: about 50 lbs; Female: about 40 lbs
English Toy Spaniel	8-14 lbs
Estrela Mountain Dogs	Male: 88-110 lbs; Female: 66-88 lbs
Field Spaniel	35-50 lbs
Fila Brasileiros	Male: 110 lbs; Female: 90 lbs
Finnish Spitz	Male: 47-53 lbs; Female: 40-47 lbs
Flat-Coated Retriever	60-70 lbs
Fox Terrier (Smooth)	Male: 17-19 lbs; Female: 15-17 lbs
Fox Terrier (Wire)	Male: 17-19 lbs; Female: 15-17 lbs
French Bulldog	Not to exceed 28 lbs
German Pinscher	25-35 lbs
German Shepherd	75-95 lbs
German Shorthaired Pointer	Male: 55-70 lbs; Female: 45-60 lbs
German Wirehaired Pointer	45-75 lbs
Giant Schnauzer	Male: 60-105 lbs; Female: 55-75 lbs
Glen of Imaal Terrier	Males: about 35 lbs;  Female: less
Golden Retriever	Male: 65-75 lbs; Female: 55-65 lbs
Goldendoodle	Miniature: 15-30 lbs; Medium: 30-45 lbs; Standard: 45 and over lbs
Gordon Setter	Male: 55-80 lbs; Female: 45-70 lbs
Great Dane	Male: 130-180 lbs; Female: 110-150 lbs
Great Pyrenees	Male: 115 lbs; Female: 85-90 lbs
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog	Male: 105-140 lbs; Female: 85-110 lbs
Greyhound	Male: 65-70 lbs; Female: 60-65 lbs
Harrier	Male: 45-60 lbs; Female: 35-45 lbs
Havanese	7-13 lbs
Hungarian Vizsla	Male: 45-66 lbs; Female: 40-55 lbs
Ibizan Hound	Male: 50 lbs; Female: 45 lbs
Irish Setter	Male: about 70 lbs; Female: about 60 lbs
Irish Terrier	Male: around 27 lbs; Female: around 25 lbs
Irish Water Spaniel	Male: 55-65 lbs; Female: 45-58 lbs
Irish Wolfhound	Male: at least 120 lbs; Female: at least 105 lbs
Italian Greyhound	7-14 lbs
Jack Russell Terrier	14-18 lbs
Japanese Chin	4-7 lbs
Keeshond	Male: about 45 lbs; Female: about 35 lbs
Kerry Blue Terrier	Male: 33-40 lbs; Female: less
Komondor	Male: average 80 lbs; Female: average 70 lbs
Kooikerhondjes	20-24 lbs
Kuvasz	Male: 100-115 lbs; Female: 70-90 lbs
Labradoodle	Miniature: 26-40; Medium: 40-55 lbs; Standard: 55-77 lbs
Labrador Retriever	Male: 65-80 lbs; Female: 55-70 lbs
Laekenois	55-65 lbs
Lakeland Terrier	16-17 lbs
Lancashire Heeler	6-13 lbs
Lhasa Apso	13-15 lbs
Löwchen	8-18 lbs
Maltese	4-7 lbs
Maltipoo	5-20 lbs
Manchester Terrier	Under 12 lbs (usually 6-8 lbs)
Maremma Sheepdogs	66-100 lbs
Mastiff	175-190 lbs
Miniature Bull Terrier	25-33 lbs
Miniature Pinscher	8-10 lbs
Miniature Poodle	4-8 lbs
Miniature Schnauzer	13-15 lbs
Neapolitan Mastiff	Male: 150 lbs; Female: 110 lbs
Newfoundland	Male: 130-150 lbs; Female: 100-120 lbs
Norfolk Terrier	11-12 lbs
Norwegian Buhunds	Male: 31-40 lbs; Female: 26-35 lbs
Norwegian Elkhound	Male: 55 lbs: Female: 48 lbs
Norwich Terrier	Around 12 lbs
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever	Male: 45-52 lbs; Female: 35-42 lbs
Old English Sheepdog	Male: 70-90 lbs; Female 60-80 lbs
Otterhound	Male: 115 lbs; Female: 80 lbs
Papillon	4-9 lbs
Parson Russell Terrier	13-17 lbs
Peekapoo	4-20 lbs
Pekingese	Not to exceed 14 lbs
Pembroke Welsh Corgi	Male: 27 lbs; Female: 25 lbs
Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen	25-35 lbs
Pharaoh Hound	45-55 lbs
Pit Bull	30-60 lbs
Plott	Male: 50-60 lbs; Female: 40-55 lbs
Pointer	Male: 55-75 lbs; Female: 45-65 lbs
Polish Lowland Sheepdog	30-35 lbs
Pomapoo	3-14 lbs
Pomeranian	3-7 lbs; preferably 4-5 lbs
Poodle	4-8 lbs
Portuguese Water Dog	42-60 lbs; Female: 35-50 lbs
Pug	14-18 lbs
Puli	25-35 lbs
Rat Terrier	Toy: 4-6 lbs; Mid-sized: 6-8 lbs; Standard: 12-35 lbs
Redbone Coonhounds	45-70 lbs
Rhodesian Ridgeback	Male: 85 lbs; Female: 70 lbs
Rottweiler	Male: 85-135 lbs; Female: 80-100 lbs
Saint Bernard	120-200 lbs
Saluki	35-65 lbs
Samoyed	Male: 45-65 lbs; Female: 35-50 lbs
Schipperke	Male: 12-16 lbs; Female: 10-14 lbs
Schnoodle	Toy: 6-10 lbs; Miniature: 13-20 lbs; Standard: 20-75 lbs
Scottish Deerhound	Male: 85-110 lbs; Female: 75-95 lbs
Scottish Terrier	Male: 19-22 lbs; Female: 18-21 lbs
Sealyham Terrier	Male: 23-24 lbs; Female: 18-22 lbs
Shetland Sheepdog	About 20 lbs
Shiba Inu	Male: average 23 lbs; Female: average 17 lbs
Shih Tzu	9-16 lbs
Siberian Husky	Male: 45-60 lbs; Female: 35-50 lbs
Silky Terrier	8-11 lbs
Skye Terrier	Male: 35-40 lbs; Female: 25-30 lbs
Snorkie	6-14 lbs
Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier	Male: 35-40 lbs; Female: 30-35 lbs
Spinone Italiano	Male: 71-82 lbs; Female: 62-71 lbs
Staffordshire Bull Terrier	Male: 35-40 lbs; Female: 30-35 lbs
Standard Schnauzer	Male: 40-45 lbs; Female: 35-40 lbs
Sussex Spaniel	35-45 lbs
Swedish Vallhund	19-30 lbs
Thai Ridgeback	Male: 40-60 lbs; Female: 35-55 lbs
Tibetan Mastiff	Male: 90-150 lbs or more; Female: 80-110 lbs
Tibetan Spaniel	9-15 lbs
Tibetan Terrier	18-30 lbs
Toy Fox Terrier	3.5-7 lbs
Toy Manchester Terriers	under 12 lbs (usually 6-8 lbs)
Toy Poodles	4-8 lbs
Vizsla	45-65 lbs
Weimaraner	55-90 lbs
Welsh Springer Spaniel	35-50 lbs
Welsh Terrier	20-22 lbs
West Highland White Terrier	15-21 lbs
Whippet	15-30 lbs
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon	50-60 lbs
Xoloitzcuintle	Toy: 5-15 lbs; Miniature: 15-30 lbs; Standard: 25-40 lb
Yorkie-Poo	4-15 lbs
Yorkshire Terrier	Not to exceed 7 lbs

The source of the information in the chart listed above can be found here.

Now, let’s discuss what steps you should take should you find that your dog is either overweight or underweight.

What to Do if Your Dog is Overweight

If you find that your dog is overweight, you have to ask yourself a few questions.

• Why is my dog overweight?
• How am I or members of my family responsible?

As much as we might not want to admit it, you determine when your dog eats, what he eats, and how much he eats. Fortunately, you have the power to bring your dog back into a healthy lifestyle. So let’s discuss the path to healthy living for your dog.

Step 1: Stick to a Schedule

In the United States, people eat at least three times a day, (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). If we were honest, we also snack between meals, and might have a heavy evening “snack” while watching TV at night. Is all this food healthy for us? More often than not, the answer is emphatically, “No.”

We tend to eat “comfort food” whenever we want. We don’t eat out of necessity, but rather, we eat because it tastes good. If it tastes really good, we will eat a lot of it.

Unfortunately, we have a tendency to carry this attitude over to the animals we care for. We let them eat when we eat, even if it’s not “meal time.” This, attitude, of course, is not specific to Americans, but as an American, I can tell you that most people in America think this way, and I’m betting that it’s a prevalent attitude in your community as well. Be consistent, and don’t spoil your dog with “snacks” that are designed for people.

Step 2: Stop Offering Your Dog People Food

People enjoy the taste of food far more than dogs do. This is because we have about 9,000 taste buds, while the average dog has about 1,700. Why then do dogs “beg” for food while we eat? They love the smell of the food that we are eating. They are not hungry, they just like people food.

The smell of the food tries to convince the dog that he is hungry. You can tell that they are not really hungry because chances are that when they “beg” for food, you can probably still find dog food in their bowl.

The real problem is that we tend to spoil our dogs and “feel sorry” for them because they sit patiently staring at us with their puppy eyes. That tactic has been used for thousands of years, but honestly, if you care about getting your dog back to a healthy weight, stop feeding them table food, or the snacks that you eat while sitting on the couch watching TV. Instead, offer them a chew toy or a dog bone that has some taste to it.

Step 3: Take Your Dog for Longer Walks

You have heard it said that people loose weight by focusing on their diet and exercise. The same is true for dogs. However, let me emphasize, the majority of weight loss (by far), is lost when you feed your dog healthy food on a schedule.

Walking your dog is good for him, but it is also good for you. Don’t just walk your dog down the street. Take him around a block or two. It will do you both good, and your dog will love it.

What to Do if Your Dog is Underweight?

Again, because you are responsible for feeding your dog, we have to ask the hard questions: Why is your dog underweight? Do you make it a priority? Do you forget to feed your dog? Who is responsible for feeding the dog each day?

Here are some steps you can take to bring your dog back to health.

Make Feeding Time a Priority

This is a discipline that requires consistency on your part. When you get up in the morning, before you go through your morning routine of getting ready for work, take your dog out to use the “facilities,” and then feed your dog.

While your dog is eating, you can go take a shower and get ready for work. By the time you finish, your dog will be ready to go out again, but this time, he will want to “do his business.”

When you get home from work, (assuming that your dog is over a year old), after greeting your dog, take him outside, as he will no doubt have to use the facilities. As soon as you come into the house, get his dinner ready, and then get your dinner ready. By the time you have finished dinner, he will probably be ready to go out again. This is a great time to take your dog out for an evening walk, one he will welcome and most likely take care of “business” once again.

Who is Responsible For Feeding Your Dog?

In most families, this responsibility typically ends up being Mom’s responsibility. Even if the responsibility is shared with other family members, it’s typically Mom who enforces the chores, the one who has to follow up to ensure that the dog has been fed.

If this responsibility is shared among family members, I would encourage you (yes you, because clearly you care about this as you are the one reading this article), to take ownership of this. Clearly, you care about your dog, so it makes sense that you own their feeding schedule.

How Many Times a Day Should I Feed My Dog?

Generally speaking, after your dog has reached 1 year old, you should only feed your dog twice a day. Once in the morning, and once in the evening . . . early evening. Be sure to take them out for a walk around the block after they have had time to digest their food. Keep in mind that puppies are going to need to eat more often because they are growing. How much and how often you feed them depends on the breed of dog and how old they are, so be sure to consult your veterinarian for your dog’s feeding schedule.

I knew of a woman who would regularly take her dogs through the McDonald’s drive-through to buy each of them a cheeseburger as a “treat.” Because she did this fairly regularly, her dogs were a bit chunky. Obviously, the dogs wanted the cheeseburgers, (wouldn’t you?), but that’s not healthy for the dog. Be consistent in what you feed them, and how often you feed them.

You, however, have to be disciplined with this. Your dog is always going to beg for food, but they don’t need it. Don’t allow your dog eat to more often than they should. Additionally, don’t allow your dog to eat more than they should at each setting.

When you feed your dog, be sure that you use some measuring device, be it a small cereal bowl, or a literal measuring cup. Give them the same amount of food every time, and don’t cheat.

Closing Thoughts

Are there times when you spoil you dog with a snack? Of course there are times when we spoil our dogs with a snack, (even people food), but for the health of your dog, let alone life expectancy, you can’t afford to feed them off schedule or constantly be sharing your food with them. The chart provided in this article serves as a general weight guide for your breed of dog. However, always respect the advice of your veterinarian.