Weighing Your Lab

[YellaSadie]

Is there any way to weigh a lab on a regular bathroom scale? I'm starting my dog on a new diet and want to monitor her weight. I looked at dog scales on Amazon and they were very expensive. I suppose I could wait until her next vet visit, but I don't take her there that often.

[BaconsMom]

You could hold your dog (if you are strong enough) and get on the scale, then just subtract your weight. Either that, or if you live close to petsmarts, they have scales at their clinics that you can use. I also tend to pop in at the vet and weigh Bacon every 2 weeks or so.

[shellbell]

I have held mine and stood on the scale with them and then subtracted. But I prefer to just go to Petsmart and put them on the scale there.

[YellaSadie]

You could hold your dog (if you are strong enough) and get on the scale, then just subtract your weight. Either that, or if you live close to petsmarts, they have scales at their clinics that you can use. I also tend to pop in at the vet and weigh Bacon every 2 weeks or so.

Doh!!! Not sure why I didn't figure this out myself. Thanks.

[xracer4844]

That's what I do, I push his tail between his legs and hold his bottom and support his front with my other hand. Weigh him, weigh myself, subtract the difference.

[Annette47]

My vet is 2 minutes away and the scale is in the waiting room, so if I need to, I can just drop by there and weigh them - no need for an appointment. That said, I rarely do - I monitor their weight gain/loss by feeling for their ribs.

[beth101509]

My vet is 2 minutes away and the scale is in the waiting room, so if I need to, I can just drop by there and weigh them - no need for an appointment. That said, I rarely do - I monitor their weight gain/loss by feeling for their ribs.

How can you tell how much a dog weighs by touching their ribs? Or you just know what they felt like before and what they feel like now and can tell if they are gaining or losing weight?

[GrandeLSM]

I go for the weight them and subtract my weight. Sometimes i will take him to the vet (scale in waiting area) just to get him out for a car ride. I'm not too concerned, because like others who've responded, i prefer the look and feel method.

[BaconsMom]

How can you tell how much a dog weighs by touching their ribs? Or you just know what they felt like before and what they feel like now and can tell if they are gaining or losing weight?

You can tell if there are overweight/underweight by feel.

Overweight= to feel ribs you need to press considerably

Healthy Weight= Can easily feel ribs, but cant see them

Underweight= Can visibly see ribs

This isnt an exact science, but it gives us a good idea. Bacon's food intake changes with when he is hunting or not, so we check his ribs usually weekly, and weigh him bi-weekly.

[TuMicks]

Had this discussion with the pro we work with. For field dogs, we usually like to be able to see the last rib. If two ribs are visible, adjust food ration up. I'm trying to take about 3-5% off my gals over the next week.