# Show weight / condition



## Makino82 (Oct 23, 2009)

Does anybody have any photos they can post of 'good waist / hip' definition?? Our handler said after the last show she'd like to see about 2 lbs lost just so her hips show better. I've lessened her food (switched to adult also) and more exercise since then (a few weeks ago) and the next show is in 2 weeks. It's so hard for me to tell if she's changed that amount and it's easy to throw the scale off 2lbs with a moving dog and me struggling to hold her!

I can feel her ribs running my hand along them (and always could), I just can't figure out exactly how the waist should look!

Here's a current photo of her waist. Any tips for getting a great waist are appreciated LoL!!


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Hmmm. Novice here--never heard of trying to 'emphasize' the hips before. Why did the handler want to see more hips? Personally, I keep mine lean and active and don't worry about that!


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## Makino82 (Oct 23, 2009)

GoldenSail said:


> Hmmm. Novice here--never heard of trying to 'emphasize' the hips before. Why did the handler want to see more hips? Personally, I keep mine lean and active and don't worry about that!


I guess I'm just looking for how lean they should be?? She was feeling the hips and said about 2lbs need to go so you can see her waistline more defined. I guess I'm just looking to see how anyone else thinks she looks, as for me it's such a small change to notice and I have been trying to loose those 2lbs, but I can't tell if she looks ideal now or not??? lol


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

She looks good to me. Have you seen the Purina body charts?

http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/RateYourDog.aspx

http://purina.com/dogs/health/adultbodycondchart.pdf


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## brookshiregr (Feb 19, 2009)

You don't really want the hips to be more defined. A dog that carries extra weight can have a roll when they move or it can cause the topline to not look as good as can be. 
You want a nice outline. From her stacked picture she looks a little heavy through the shoulder so losing some weight would help with that as well.


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## MurphyTeller (Sep 28, 2008)

goldens87 said:


> You don't really want the hips to be more defined. A dog that carries extra weight can have a roll when they move or it can cause the topline to not look as good as can be.
> You want a nice outline. From her stacked picture she looks a little heavy through the shoulder so losing some weight would help with that as well.


That was my guess as well. How old is she? Some topline roll is expected with puppies, but is certainly a conditioning fault in an adult. I'd focus less on the weight-loss and more on some conditioning. A couple days a week of hill work would go a long way to fixing (or solving) the conditioning.
Erica (who REALLY tries to get her dogs out twice a week for hill work).


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## rappwizard (May 27, 2009)

I agree with goldens87 and MurphyTeller; she looks like a baby--well, I know she's not a puppy-puppy but she looks young. Depending on her lines, she won't have long, well sprung ribs (that in well conditioned or slender dogs will accentuate a "waist") for a while I would think. 

My golden is going through a similar situation--she is being shown tomorrow and she's in nice condition but my handler has told me she still needs to "body out" and develop rib spring and a more mature look. She's not yet 2, but she comes from lines where the bitches have not, for the most part, matured into their own until anywhere between 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 years old, so I'm not concerned yet. We've entered this small local show to have some fun--she enjoys the activity.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

I agree with what Linda says, she is a young dog with not a lot of rib spring. With more age and hopefully development in the rib she will naturally have a more accentuated waist.
I see a lot of goldens in the ring who are UNDERweight because less weight accentuates rib. If your dog is in lean hard working condition AND has adequate rib spring you shouldn't have to do any weight adjusting to make it look right.


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## Makino82 (Oct 23, 2009)

Thanks for the tips, and the charts!

She's 11 months old now, so yes still young! From what I'm seeing I don't want to lessen food anymore, as she seems to tuck up quite enough from the side view. Sounds like a little conditioning would be our best bet!


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## 3SweetGoldens (Feb 28, 2007)

I agree with the others, she looks in good weight, but could probably be best served using conditioning rather than actual weight loss, How much did she weigh when you too her, and the Vet mentioned losing the two pounds? My last litter of puppies are the same age, or close. They were born on April 15th, 2009.


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## mikeynote (Jun 30, 2009)

My Hazel was born on April 25, 2009 and I weighed her a couple of days ago and she weighed 58 lbs.


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## hvgoldens4 (Nov 25, 2009)

I agree-she looks to be in decent weight for a puppy her age. Just needs some more conditioning/exercise.


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