Dog Owner's Manual › Chapter 8: Dog Health Care › Measuring Your Dog's Heart Rate ›

Measuring the Dog's Heart Rate

A normal, alert dog’s pulse can range from 60 to 140 beats per minute. If it falls outside this range, contact your veterinarian immediately.

  1. Encourage the dog to lie down, then roll it onto its right side.
  2. Bend the front left leg, drawing the elbow back until it touches the chest.
  3. Place either your hand or a stethoscope over this spot.
  4. Count heartbeats while looking at the second hand of your watch. Count for 60 seconds. Alternately, count for 6 seconds and add a zero.

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Chapter 8: Dog Health Care

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count for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 is poochy is antsy... I'm a nurse and I've never heard of the count for 6 seconds and add a 0, too short and unreliable if you ask me!

barked by Rachel on Jan 19, 2009 AT 9:02 am PST
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Quirk BooksThe Dog Owner's Manual is a basic guide to dog care.
The book was written by a celebrated veterinarian and an acclaimed author. It provides dog owners with well-researched and helpful information presented in a lighthearted manner. The creators chose to write the book in a style similar to what you'd find in "operating instructions" for a car or computer. Of course they--and we--respect the fact that our beloved pets are not products or machines!