Happy New Year!
As we jump into the new year and start thinking about healthy habits for 2026, I want to share two simple tools you can use at home to support your dog’s long-term health: body condition scoring and body mapping. These require no special equipment—just your hands, your eyes, and a few minutes each month.
And before we dive in: if you discover your dog’s body condition isn’t what you thought, please give yourself some grace. Managing weight through habit change is hard, and the fact that you’re reading this means you’re trying to do the best for your dog. That’s what matters.
Body Condition: What It Is and Why It Matters
Body Condition Scoring (BCS) assigns a number to your dog’s muscle and fat stores. Two scales are commonly used:
1–9 scale, with 5 as ideal
1–5 scale, with 3 as ideal
I prefer the 1–9 scale because it offers a bit more detail, especially when tracking progress.
A few important notes:
A typical pet dog is healthiest at a BCS of 5/9.
Canine athletes may sit closer to 4/9.
A breeding female may be purposefully increased to 6/9 prior to pregnancy.
As dogs age, body condition often drifts (up or down) from the ideal due to decreased mobility or metabolic changes.
Unexplained weight changes over weeks to months (up or down) are always worth discussing with your veterinarian. Not an emergency, but don’t wait months.
How to Perform a Body Condition Score
BCS is hands-on. When done by someone experienced, it looks a lot like petting with intention. You’re checking for the presence or absence of fat over key bony landmarks.
Ribs:
You should be able to feel the ribs easily without digging your fingers in.
If you must press firmly enough to blanch your fingernail, your dog is likely carrying extra fat.
If your fingers sink between ribs or ribs are clearly visible, your dog may be underweight.
Lumbar spine (lower back):
You should feel the central bony ridge with muscle along each side.
From above, this area should gently narrow between the chest and hips to make a waist.
If the waist is as wide or wider than the chest/hips, your dog is likely overweight
If the waist sharply narrows with prominence of the spine, they may be underweight.
Abdominal tuck:
Viewed from the side, most healthy dogs show some upward tuck behind the ribcage.
Deep-chested dogs (e.g., greyhounds) may always look tucked, even overweight.
Broad-chested dogs (e.g., Labradors) may show only a mild tuck even at an ideal weight.
What matters is change over time in your dog.
Monitoring BCS monthly helps you catch subtle trends early. If you’re unsure how to interpret what you’re feeling, ask your veterinarian at your next visit.
If weight changes suddenly or significantly without any lifestyle changes, please reach out to your veterinarian before adjusting diet or exercise on your own. Slow, steady changes are safest; rapid weight loss can stress the body.
Body Mapping: Tracking Lumps and Bumps
If you’ve ever gone to show your veterinarian a lump you’ve felt a hundred times at home, only to have it vanish at the appointment, you’re not alone. That’s why body mapping is so helpful.
A body map is simply a drawing of a dog where you mark the location, size, and characteristics of any lumps or bumps you find.
How to Make a Body Map
When you discover a new lump, mark its location on the diagram and assign it a number.
In a side note, record:
Date you found it
Size (length × width × depth or comparison to a pea, grape, etc.)
Whether it’s soft or firm
Whether it changes size over hours to days
Whether it has a scab or open area
Before a veterinary visit, you can gently mark the lump on your dog with a colored Sharpie (silver for dark-coated dogs; avoid red on light coats).
This helps ensure nothing is missed at the appointment. Groomers also appreciate knowing where lumps are so they can avoid nicking them.
When to Have a Lump Checked Promptly
Any new or changing mass warrants evaluation, but lumps in certain locations are especially important to assess early:
Face or mouth
Neck or throat region
Legs or tail
These areas have limited extra skin or contain critical structures, making early diagnosis and small surgical margins very important for successful treatment if cancer is suspected.
Remember: not all lumps are cancerous. But early evaluation gives your dog the best options if something concerning is found.
You’re Doing Great
Your commitment to understanding your dog’s body, and noticing changes early, truly makes a difference. These simple monthly habits can lead to earlier diagnoses, easier treatments, and better long-term outcomes.
Wishing you and your pets a happy, healthy New Year.
Dog Sense contains information related to veterinary health care. This is intended as educational and does not replace the advice of your veterinarian. If you have concerns about your dog's health it is recommended that you seek your veterinarian’s advice. Dog Sense content is not individual advice and should be considered in the context of your dog’s individual health needs.
Dr. C, DVM - a veterinarian who has worked in private practice and animal welfare while occasionally donating her time to research to improve the safety of animal products. Working in animal welfare inspired her to pursue opportunities that foster open educational dialogue that meet people where they are in their lives. In her spare time she enjoys gardening, hiking, and cooking with her family.