Does Lyra look too thin?

[lucidity]

I've been told by several people lately that they think Lyra is too skinny (including her breeder). She's currently 8.5 months old and weighs about 10.5-11lbs. She looks to be in very good shape to me, but then again, I'm very used to fine boned breeds like Papillons (who generally are a lot slimmer) than Cavaliers, so thought I would ask you all for your opinion?

Here's what she looks like now:







I honestly prefer dogs to be on the slim side than on the heavy side, especially with Cavaliers and their heart problems! It's just easier to keep weight off than to try and get a heavy dog on a diet, in my opinion...

[Kathleen]

Looks perfect to me.

[lindylou]

hi
yes i agree looks just perfect to me too her coat looks beautiful
my louie was weighed at the vet in september last year he was 7.2 klos
and he was 3yrs 4 months old then and he looked just like lyra

[ashleighelizabeth]

She looks good to me! I love her markings on her coat!

[Karlin]

Looks in very good weight to me as well. Depends on whether she has ribs clearly showing -- cannot really see from that angle. Ribs when you rub fingers across them should be easily felt -- feel kind of like if you put a dishtowel across the bars of a crate -- palpable but not prominent.

Cavaliers are definitely healthier on the lower weight end for their shape/size -- as almost every one will eventually get heart disease and extra weight, even small amounts, contributes significantly to poor heart health and the possibility of earlier onset and more serious levels of affliction. My Jaspar looks like Lyra (at and the vet recently remarked what fantastic shape and form he is in -- that this is the kind of weight they should be in. She is probably on the lanky side right now anyway as is common for a pup at her age.

[twinklepaws]

She looks perfect to me. Candy is the same, the vet said she was her ideal weight at her last check up.

[Kate H]

Because most people (including breeders) allow their Cavaliers to get overweight, they take this as the norm, so that to them a fit Cavalier looks underweight and skinny. Lyra looks fine to me, and if she's got plenty of energy and doesn't pick up infections easily, I reckon she's fit. Also I think that some lines of Cavaliers are skinnier than others - the first Cavaliers I met, back in the 1970s, were brothers and really skinny - but very fit and tireless.

Kate, Oliver and Aled

[BrooklynMom]

Brooklyn looks like this, so I would say fine. Just do the rib check as Karlin suggested....if you can see them visually (vs. Being able to feel them) she might need a tiny bit more weight, but it wouldn't be much.