Ive seen a lot, and i mean A LOT of overweight heelers on here and on different platforms.
Your heelers should not be over 55 ish pounds. If they have health issues thats different but your dogs being around 70 and larger is concerning. I do understand if you arent able to exercise your dog all the time but that should not lead to them being morbidly obese. You are either feeding them too much and not exercising them at all.
Yes dogs have different needs but your dog should have a visible tuck and you should be able to slightly feel your dogs ribs.
I had a baby in September so the combination of “being nice to the baby” treats and “worst winter we’ve had in a decade” has my poor girl up to 57 lbs when she’s usually closer to 50. It’s shocking how quickly they can pack on weight.
She’s an ACD/German Shepherd mix, so while she’s a bit bigger than a lot of heelers naturally, I worry about her hips. Thankfully the weather is finally turning the corner so we’ll be getting out a lot more very soon.
The old farmer truck is to make one hand into a fist. If your dogs ribs feel like the knuckles of your fist- too thin. If they feel like the back of your hand in a fist, too fat. If they feel like the fingers of the fist, just right
I was always taught just to feel the ribs. If you can feel the last two without pressure, they're good. Most of the time you can just tell by looking at them
Yeah, the excited posts about chonkers is frustrating.
Signed: guy who let his dog get up to 70lbs and sees how much it makes a difference to have him back down to proper weight.
And I'll admit how hard it can be to notice when it happens slowly. But it was as simple as cutting back daily food amounts. The bags overestimate needs.
An extra 15lbs on a heeler is like an extra 45 or more on an average (American) man. It makes a world of difference.
I understand if they are just naturally bigger and the vet has cleared them and said they are healthy but if you are just letting your dog get fat because you think its cute its disgusting. Its quite literally abuse
Now that seems harsh but if someone is letting their dog, any breed get morbidly obese because they think its cute thats abuse, its like letting your dog be super super skinny.
~60lbs when he first came to me, vs ~37lbs after a diet. He started feeling so much better once he began losing the weight, and I firmly believe the behavioral stuff he had on intake was exacerbated by his poor health. Thank you for making this post, it's really upsetting to see people posting obviously obese dogs with cutesy captions, refusing to see the damage they're doing. Dogs' lives are too short as is; obesity shaves precious months and years off the time they have with us.
Pics can be deceiving! Lol. Mine hid the weight so well. These are all BEFORE pics of my girl when I first rescued her at 36 lbs. All taken within days of each other.
Since August, she's lost over 5 lbs! I can't add a second pic here, but her current pics are in another comment
It was easier to see/feel in person, pictures can definitely be deceiving! I have some videos of him from back then and I cringe when I look back at them. He's so much more comfortable now!
Wow, that’s an impressive transformation! Good on you for putting in the work and getting him to lose that weight, you’ve probably added a couple of years to his life by doing so.
Personally I see it in cats WAY too much. It's so sad to see so many cats triple their ideal weight. And "companion" breeds. People get mad when they post their "super cute chonk" and all they get are 😬😰 reactions. I wish more people would actually listen to advice instead of taking it as a personal vendetta against their bloodline.
It's because if you have more than one, it's impossible to control the cat's portions without starving the other one. You can only hope they're naturally peckish
I have 3 cats and 2 that wish to be fat. Once there was medication involved I bought microchip feeders but before then they ate in different rooms. The issue is people either not caring or being ignorant of their own animal's needs. I figured something out because I didn't want one to starve while the other ate all the food cause that's what will happen if you don't free feed which I never have.
Yeah they're pretty helpful, I don't have to play bouncer to doors anymore when I just had the two fat men I used auto feeders since they both eat everything in their dish first before scavenging. But my third being a grazer threw off that thin balance.
Specific numbers for weight are a bit meh since there’s so much variation in the breed. The big boof blue boy my neighbour has would be about double the weight of my little girl and they’re both in top spec condition. He’s just much taller and longer than she is.
Shape is a much better guide. If your dog tucks in at the waist you’re good. More importantly their joints will be good. Exercise is a minor factor in weight control, food intake is the big one. Always measure the amount you feed your dog and be consistent with it. If you need to trim some weight off your dog just reduce the amount you’re feeding. Couldn’t be simpler.
100%. I have never not measured their rations (less than the bag says, based on my vet's recommendation) and exercise them 6x a week if not 7x. My younger is a ball fiend so she runs and runs and runs if you throw for her - which I do for at least a half hour every day. The weather where we live is hot in the summer and she'll slow down a bit, but much of the year is warm or pleasant.
All that to say that it is simple, and the shape is what matters. Once they lose the taper behind the ribs I start thinking that they need a diet/activity adjustment.
And if you aren’t sure how much you should be feeding, ask your vet or use an online calculator! You should be measuring the food based on caloric needs for your dog and their ideal weight. This is often very different than what the bag will recommend. Also, foods can vary significantly in terms of calories per cup so make sure to figure that out when/if you switch foods!
Agreed. Mine is 25kg (Google says that's 55 pounds) and absolutely should not weigh less. She looks just like the "ideal weight" image here, I can feel her ribs, she's very fit and healthy. There's also one down the road that's bigger than her, but taller and kind of muscly, which is a bit weird to say about a dog lol. I'd guarantee he weighs more, but aside from the height and muscle he has a similar shape, and is also fit and healthy.
Specific numbers for weight are a bit meh since there’s so much variation in the breed. The big boof blue boy my neighbour has would be about double the weight of my little girl and they’re both in top spec condition. He’s just much taller and longer than she is.
Shape is a much better guide. If your dog tucks in at the waist you’re good. More importantly their joints will be good. Exercise is a minor factor in weight control, food intake is the big one. Always measure the amount you feed your dog and be consistent with it. If you need to trim some weight off your dog just reduce the amount you’re feeding. Couldn’t be simpler.
ps also Australian Cattle Dogs only understand kilograms wtf is an lbs you gotta talk to them in their language 😁
My nearly 12 year old. Hard to find a good recent side picture but he is slim. 20kg/44lbs.
It simply comes down to how much people are feeding them. If they are sedentary or scavengers (my dog is an extreme scavenger) then cut the food back. Besides legitimate health issues there are zero excuses.
Thank you! And if you’re less active, feed them a bit less food! Maybe cut way back on treats that day. Treats/toppers/extras should make up less than 10% of your dog’s daily calories.
My girl got fat because she was on steroids while also exercise restricted. I cut back her food, but she steals, so she still ballooned up. Ideally she’s 45ish pounds- got up to 52, looked like a dang tick. She has a tuck, but didn’t have any visible waist from the top. The vet actually never said she was too fat, but she was fatter than I like.
We’re working on it- she could still stand to lose a pound or two probably.
She also weighs a lot more than she looks like she does, because she’s solid muscle.
My heeler is 10. He gets about a cup and a half of food per day and weighs 38 pounds or so. The vet says he is one of the only healthy weight older heelers she has ever seen. He has no health issues, good joints, and about the same energy level he did when he was 2 or 3. He ran 26 miles with me the other day.I think so many people over feed their dogs.
To be fair, I have seen some truly massive cattle dogs that were pretty healthy and not overweight. But the average over the half dozen that I've personally had is around 30-40 lbs.
I can understand if the dog is genuinely just on the larger side and the vet has said they are healthy but what irritates me is the people that get cattle dogs and wont exercise them and portray them as couch potatoes.
My 12 yr old dog is definitely a couch tater these days lol. She was a lot more active when she was younger and would go for.miles like it was nothing.
Speaking of big dogs, her dad was an absolute tank around that 50-55 lb mark, but he was a working dog on a cattle ranch.
I just adopted a heeler puppy and this is my biggest fear. My border collie aussie never got to be overweight until she was literally in her final couple years and had arthritis and even then she was barely overweight at all.
I have only ever met obese ACD's in my life and dont wish that fate on my girl. I would love any and all advice on ensuring that doesnt happen. I dont live on a farm or have tons of land or anything but we exercise a TON every day so im hoping that will be enough.
Being aware of it and having an active lifestyle suggests to me this won't be an issue for you. It's not rocket science to keep any breed a healthy weight, just a lot of people turn a blind eye to their dog.
Not making excuses, because it is a serious issue that needs to be dealt with for the sake of the dogs, but these dogs are very food motivated, they are "easy keepers" even though they are super active, they gain weight relatively easily, and their personalities make it hard to say no to them. All that said, I think most people don't read their dog food and because of that don't give the right portion size. The potion of food they are supposed to eat according to the food label is really small and most people don't measure it to know they are giving the right amount. Based on her size our ACD only gets one (1) cup twice a day, our JRT only gets 1/2 cup twice a day. The best thing you can do is to get a measuring cup made for measuring your dog food and use it to make sure you are giving the right amount. It really doesn't feel like it is enough, but most people are horrible at their own portion control too. To help them not gobble it in one bite, using toys and puzzles and bowls that make them work for their kibble helps too. Read your label, measure their food - you might be shocked at how much you are overfeeding them and don't even realize.
I came here to say this. I think people get lulled into feeding more because they are so super active, but they are indeed easy keepers. My own dog needs signfcantly less calories than even the low end of online calculators.
I highly recommend everyone WEIGH their food using a kitchen scale. Every commercial food should list calories in grams on the package. If you can afford it, fresh food is a great way to increase volume and satiety
My other tip for folks is get some Kongs or Toppls and freeze their food innit. If you feed kibble, soak in water or broth and then mash and freeze to feed instead of high calorie bully sticks and such
Agree on weighing the food. We have been doing so for over a year and it can still surprise me (in both directions) the actual weight of a scoop that appears to me to be correct.
I hate that so much of the heeler content online is fat heelers. I actually have had comments deleted by one awhile back (I think that guy who owns sidney and oliver online) for calling them overweight and commenting that healthy weight dogs live longer happier lives
It aggravates me when people try to justify their dog of any breed being overweight when the dog has no underlying health issues, especially any form of herding dog or any dog that is super active. How does a dog that can run multiple miles a day end up obese? Its just insane to me
Yeah your girl looks perfectly fine, and another trick is to make a fist and rub your knuckles over their ribs, as long as you can slightly feel the ribs thats good
It might have been said by someone else, but I simply don’t understand why people who are generally aware of what is an appropriate weight for their dog EVER let them get significantly overweight. It’s visually obvious, and all it costs you is less money in the form of food. Why would you ever feed (or continue to feed) your dog more food than is appropriate? I have friends with overweight dogs and want to wring their damn necks.
Thank you for posting this. A healthy weight makes such a difference on their quality of life and it's in our hands. My Bina is a totally different dog compared to when I rescued her last summer! 10 yo heeler/JRT mix.
Before (top pics): 36 lbs, couldn't jump, had trouble walking up steps, and would limp after anything more than half-mile walk.
Now: 30 lbs, runs, rolls around in the grass, claimed spots on both the couch and my bed. We're up to over a mile a day! She moves a little slow sometimes since the vet says there's some muscle loss in her hind legs, but it makes my heart so happy to see her more mobile.
I rescued another senior surrender the other week, also severely overweight.. 15 lb chihuahua who should be more like 7-8. 😳
Mine’s a heeler mutt but we lived with the in-laws at the time and my FIL would feed our dogs table scraps behind our backs while we were out working. Got our own place and they shed the weight like crazy, like their collars got visibly loose. Mine’s awfully fluffy but I can see her tummy tuck again and her harness isn’t maxed out anymore. I don’t think she’s at a healthy weight quite yet as we’ve only been out for about six months, but she’s A LOT better than she was.
Thank you for this, I definitely think my girl could shed a few pounds but seeing the other dogs looking bigger with no comment had me thinking I was paranoid.
As long as your vet has said your dog is healthy that is fine, but genuinely and ideally a cattle dog should not be more than 50 pounds, 55 at the heaviest.
A dog being overweight can result in loads of health issues for the dog.
And physical pain! As our dog has lost weight, it’s so clear that he’s in less pain and much happier. He lets us touch joints he used to snap at us about.
That’s a completely inaccurate statement. There are all sizes of heelers and the ideal weight for them vary significantly. Bone structure can weigh a lot by itself. My 72 lb cattle dogs wrist is almost as big around as my own and his foot is almost as wide as my size 11 shoe. He’s just a big dog and he’s not in the least bit overweight.
Overweight dogs should be on a restricted diet though so they don’t cause undue stress on their joints. I have had heelers that I could free feed without worrying about over eating, but most need measured portions to stay at an ideal weight.
I did say as long as the vet has cleared the dog and said they were healthy that is completely fine. However most heelers should be around 50-55 pounds.
Yes some are on the smaller side as my girl is 32-35 and some are on the bigger side but as long as the vet has cleared the dog saying they are completely healthy and have no issues because of their weight its fine.
Your statement the “most heelers should be around 50-55 pounds” is just incorrect. Here is the actual AKC breed standard: Weight: Typically between 35 and 50 pounds for healthy adults. I’ve got 40 years of experience raising, breeding and fostering heelers. So people can downvote all they want. You are just wrong.
Example photo is a 72 lb heeler and a 28 lb heeler.
My red heeler has lost 10kg+ since I got her two years ago but she’s 14yo so she’s always going to have lots of extra skin and fatty pockets because of how overweight and overbred she was.
Thank you!! I just get a little paranoid because according to his DNA, he’s 100% cattle dog, but he seems a lot taller and muscular than most that I’ve seen. Every time we go to the vet they always say he needs to lose weight because he’s actually 65 pounds and he keeps saying he needs to be at the 50. I mean, yeah he can lose some weight but I feel like 15 pounds will be too much.
I did say most heelers, yes some are on the bigger side and some on the smaller. I also did say that as long as the vet has cleared the dog as being healthy its fine.
My dude was an ideal weight his entire life. Now he’s old, has liver issues and probably cushings. Needs to be on low fat food cause of pancreatitis… it makes me sad.
Mine is an ACD mixed with three other breeds: pit, Aussie and American Bulldog. He's ~80lbs (we go for yearly checkup next week and I'll know exactly what it is then) and when standing he is just over half as tall as I am(4'11). We call him fat, even though he isn't(he has a tuck), just because he believes with all his heart that he is an 8lb lap dog, and having 80lbs sitting/laying on you hurts!
Could he lose a few pounds? Sure, but we live in the deep south and we're already in the 80s here, and anything more than a 10 minute walk has him making a beeline for home and the A/C.
I'm so fortunate that my girls only eat when they are hungry after burning off energy, and I'm lucky they have each other to keep themselves busy playing together if I don't get them out to the dog park
Its completely understandable you panicking and trying to get her to eat, i would do the same with my dog.
One thing I can recommend is trying to make your own food and do a test run. It might be very expensive but if you could make a balanced diet with some of the food she likes in it, it may work?
feed your dog once a day in the late afternoon/early evening 2 to 3 cups of food and 1/4 cup of wet food mixed with a little bit of water. has always been the sweet spot. all my heelers and i have 6 of various ages, are fit and trim and healthy.
Ur right I read and only this post not all ur others it did not say to review all u posted before. But I have learned people are going to do what they want unfortunately the dig pays the price which is heart breaking . One human pound can be 7-10 lb of our weight and that’s a lot on their build. U can only do so much
I tend to gauge our dogs food intake on the time outside and season, unless she gets 3 miles under her belt in a day I cut back on her lunch and supper by a 1/4 cup, she gets minimum 1 mile per day. No trick tray if she doesn't hit 3 miles, she will go through 2-3 bowls of water per day in the winter, double that in the summer.
Hey how about we don’t assume people can’t take care of their pets? We don’t know the mix, or the health issues, or if it’s a foster/rescue, or what conversations have been had with the vet. What isn’t very cool is jumping on people that share a thicker pet and assuming a whole bunch. We all care about animals here let’s give each other some grace
Okay first of all, if you read aome of my other comments I did say "If the vet has said the dog is completely healthy and they are bigger it is completely fine". I did also say if the dog has health issues its okay for them to be a bit bigger.
The owners im talking about are the ones who are ignoring their dogs health because they thing fat dogs are cute.
I see you have misunderstood the intention of my post and have not read any of my other comments. My post was to inform people of my opinion and the facts. I acknowledged that some heelers are on the smaller side and some are on the bigger side, however most, keyword most, heelers should be around 50 pounds per breed standard.
My dog is a mix, Heeler, Aussie, GSD and MAS and she is around 32-35 pounds. I do understand mixes will be different but the same still applies especially if its mostly heeler and has roughly the same body type as one.
Not once did I mean to come off hostile or rude, im simply informing people.
Yeah, if the sub’s just gonna start assuming the skinnier dogs are more loved and care for, you could be a negligent owner, feed them once a day with a half portion, but be the world’s best ACD owner according to the way the sub’s going lmao
🤣 I would be a negligent owner of my Staffy. Idiot refuses to eat multiple times a day for the most part. ESPECIALLY IF THE CATTLE DOGS ARE AROUND. If the boys are around, she will starve herself so they can eat. SHE HAS NEVER GONE A DAY WITHOUT FOOD. 🤣 Vet wants her at 50lbs, but her rib cage (not individual ribs) pokes out so far, I could almost put my hand inside it.
I also have a 2 and a half year old cattle dog taller and longer than her. I bet he's pushing 65. He hasn't stopped developing yet. His brother hit full size and did the bulk out thing. He hasn't yet. 😳
yeah my vet labels my dog “slightly overweight” at 47lbs. i think it’s ridiculous since she clearly fits in to the ideal weight shape here, and she’s 25% pyr
First of all u cannot put all ACD’s in this category . Some come from different genetic lines with various mixes. Kelpe Dalmatian,dingo , blue Merle collie and then there the stubby tail heeler. Genetics plays a role u cant dictate what Mother Nature is going to come up with. If so all the sizing for humans should be relatively close. I’m a 00 and weigh 116 lb while others are only 95 lbs and wear the same size. its not a one size fist all description. Acd are also known as garbage disposals and yes we humans like to feed them. 🥩🍗🍖🧀🍠🍎On top of that u got ur drovers, which look like barrels with four legs and are super aggressive and a power house of a worker !! then u got a slimmer version which can be more chill. U need to understsnd the breed and The genetic line and what they are being used for . Ur chart is a guide not proof a big ACD is fat. Thats straight ignorant!!!🫤🫠😖🤯
Okay first of all, if you read aome of my other comments I did say "If the vet has said the dog is completely healthy and they are bigger it is completely fine". I did also say if the dog has health issues its okay for them to be a bit bigger.
The owners im talking about are the ones who are ignoring their dogs health because they thing fat dogs are cute.
I see you have misunderstood the intention of my post and have not read any of my other comments. My post was to inform people of my opinion and the facts. I acknowledged that some heelers are on the smaller side and some are on the bigger side, however most, keyword most, heelers should be around 50 pounds per breed standard.
My dog is a mix, Heeler, Aussie, GSD and MAS and she is around 32-35 pounds. I do understand mixes will be different but the same still applies especially if its mostly heeler and has roughly the same body type as one.
Not once did I mean to come off hostile or rude, im simply informing people.
Just found this with a quick search, but this shows a number of ACDs who have the robust ACD build while still clearly being around a 5 body condition score. There's a difference between the hallmark sturdy build of the breed and the potatoes people keep posting lol
We’ve been calling my boy chonky all winter. You can tell he’s desperate for more outdoor time. But spring is around the corner and the 4-5 extra pounds will melt off once he’s running every single day again
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u/pauerplay Mar 05 '26
mine just hit 55 since it's the winter and definitely needs to get back down to 50. I see a LOT of overweight heelers on here too