The Purina Life Span Study has shown how proper nutrition fed in proper quantities over a lifetime can help extend a dog’s life.
As an owner, keeping your dog in ideal body condition starts by choosing a 100 percent nutritionally complete and balanced dog food like Purina® Dog Chow® brand Dog Food.
Then, you should work with your veterinarian to evaluate your dog and come up with a plan to maintain your dog at ideal body condition. An ideal body condition rating is based on the Purina Body Condition System, which has been updated and refined based on the findings of the Purina Life Span Study.
The Body Condition System is a 9-point scale used by veterinarians. Evaluation is made by visual observation and by feeling the dog’s body. As a rule, dogs should be maintained at a 4 or 5 on this scale. Unfortunately, many dogs in America today are too heavy, and many owners tend to think their dogs are leaner than they actually are. That’s why it’s important to work with your veterinarian to evaluate and develop a feeding plan for your dog.
Ideal Body Condition
Lean or ideal body condition refers to the evaluation of body physique in pets as an indicator of their overall health and well-being, generally falling into three categories: too heavy, ideal and too thin. But how do you know?
Read on to see examples of dogs at different points on the Body Condition System scale, and see how your dog compares.