People With Fat Dogs

[mumof4girls]

We have friends that have a fat Labrador he is actually obese poor thing can hardly walk and they always comment about my guys being sooo skinny ! I just say my guys are their ideal weight, lean and beautiful ... I've had the fat talk but they don't want to know but still go on about my guys being skinny.. I find it quite odd..

[Ren]

My dog is overweight, I don't get offended when people mention it, I know.

I struggle to get the weight off him though. When I adopted him he was overweight, managed to get a bit off, but it came back on over winter again. He's getting old and doesn't seem to have as much energy that he had even a year ago, I'm finding it hard to get the weight off him.

And weight loss tips, I'm all ears for!

I don't know if it's the same principal as weight loss in humans, I've always been naturally thin so I dont know much about it, vet was usless too. Ive just been going by the idea of "eat less, exercise more". What else can help?

[kelpiecuddles]

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/home/obese-dachshund-obie-once-35kg-loses-impressive-23kg-after-year-of-diet-treadmill-and-cosmetic-surgery/story-fngwib2y-1226738682612

[Dogsfevr]

We tell our clients who come for boarding/grooming.

We are tactful but if they don't like it doesn't worry us they can't say they weren't told.

We board alot of dogs with issues because there owners thought fat wasn't an issue until it all goes wrong & then they do the poor me sob .

We see so many diabetic dogs these days that its scary & all because in most cases the owners where to selfish to realize there slowly killing there so called beloved dog

BUT making any comment before this should involve a basic chat to make sure there isn't a history there .

Like we say to people they don't get fat on thin air so if no one is over feeding then they must monitor for health issues .

Although the funniest i hear is the people who comment about fat dogs because there barrel chested ,they just see round & presume fat ,they don't think what the chest shape should be for some breeds .

Then there are people who say some dogs are to lean many of the lean to extreme are very long in loin .We board a JR who is very long in loin,vets have told them every visist it needs fattening up,the dog is a good weight if it wasn't so long in loin but because it is it looks skinny & no amount of feeding up will make it look fat

[BlackJaq]

I've been battling with 2 of my dogs to lose weight. If I drop there food intake anymore I moswell not feed them. I get comments on how fat Rascal my chihuahua is all the time, till I tell them how much he is getting feed and exercise then they change there tune. Rascal is lucky to get a tablespoon of food a day and 40-60 minute walks most days depending on weather. Shelley my golden retriever is lucky get 1 1/4 cup of food a day, is runing on and off during the day in the yard plus 40-60 minute walk most days (...)

With a dog that is not loosing weight despite minimal food and good exercise I would definitely check with a vet. Cushings and a number of other diseases will make an animal (or person for that matter) look fat, when they can actually be retaining fluid or have other health issues.

[RiverStar-Aura]

I don't know about any of you guys here but every yearly check-up my guys get, I always ask the vet if they think my dogs are a good weight -- not just if they're too fat, but if they're too skinny as well. I understand that owners can have rose glasses when it comes to weight so I'm happy to discuss weight with my vets. They're always telling me each year that I worry too much that going by my guys' weight histories, they fluctuate by only 100g or so.

I've cut Zeus's food down by half again as he's gained a kilo and looking a bit rounder in the chest than I'd like but he's still anything other than fat -- he still has an amazing waistline (one I'd kill for!).

Kirah on the other hand has been sitting at 6.4 kilos for 1.5 years so I've got her food well balanced but I still like to check.

I guess for me, I'm very overweight myself and I really don't want that for my dogs -- I often say that they eat much better than I do and their weight is much better maintained and supervised than my own!

[~Anne~]

My dog is overweight, I don't get offended when people mention it, I know.

I struggle to get the weight off him though. When I adopted him he was overweight, managed to get a bit off, but it came back on over winter again. He's getting old and doesn't seem to have as much energy that he had even a year ago, I'm finding it hard to get the weight off him.

And weight loss tips, I'm all ears for!

I don't know if it's the same principal as weight loss in humans, I've always been naturally thin so I dont know much about it, vet was usless too. Ive just been going by the idea of "eat less, exercise more". What else can help?

I'm not sure what breed you have or it's size... but think of it this way; a chic chip biscuit for your dog is the equivalent of you eating a hamburger. Most people think they are not over feeding their dog. They are, and then some!

My tips:

Do NOT feed anything over and above their regular feeding. That means NO snacks, and NO tidbits from what you or your family are eating. They will not die from the absence of snacks. They do no need treats, particularly commercial treats, or any other rubbish food.

If you feed twice a day, each meal should be HALF of what the daily recommended amount is. Most people tend to feed two meals that are equivalent to the daily total amount in each meal.

If you really think your dog will not get enough to eat and will look for more (in reality, he may look for more but he'll have had enough in his meal... it is the owner who thinks he hasn't eaten enough usually...) then make up the bulk with something like boiled cabbage. It's mainly water and it's filling.

Seriously though, just reduce the amount of food. You have to be firm. It's for your dogs benefit.

[Guest hankodie]

I've experienced the reverse situation, had someone tell me my golden puppy was too skinny. Her reasoning was that when she rubbed his side she could "feel his ribs", I tried to explain to her that I was trying not to overfeed him and being able to slightly feel his ribs was a good thing but she just looked at me like I was evil

Sadly you will find that most people expect Goldies and Labs to be overweight.

I used to get it a lot, especially when my dog was younger & her fur was a little shorter.

Don't listen to people telling you such things, it's really important for their joints & hips for them to remain light & fit.

Fit and lean Goldies are beautiful.

Hear hear :D

It's amazing how many fat labs & goldens I see around my neighbourhood alone, my vet says he sees more overweight retrievers than ones at ideal weight!

Hank is in pretty good condition at the moment, he gets a couple of cups of kibble a day and a raw bone. He does act like he's starving all the time but I hear that's a common golden trait :laugh: my other dog is on a really strict diet due to a health condition so I'm well versed on ignoring big pleading puppy eyes! Our house is like the Jenny Craig centre for dogs :laugh:

Edit: I use the knuckle test to gauge my dogs weight - http://successjustclicks.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/fit-fido-or-fat-fido/

Edited October 12, 2013 by hankodie

[kelpiecuddles]

We get a lot of people at my work looking for ways to reduce their animals weight. In most cases with a few questions it becomes clear the treats are the issue(usually it seems to be one member of a couple doing the treating and the other worrying about the dog's weight LOL). I have had a lot of people say they just can't stop their other half from giving the dog treats during the day, the problem then of course is that they are still getting a full size meal as well. I advise them to get a container and to put the dogs entire days ration of food in to that. if someone wants to give the dog a treat it comes out of that container, no outside treats allowed. At the end of the day whatever is left in the container is dinner, even if it's only a couple of bits of kibble. If the dog has eaten everything in that container over the course of the day then they don't need more for dinner!

[BlackJaq]

He does look great hankodie!

[hankdog]

Well Jakes probably a kilo overweight but it's behaviour before health in his case. Unfortunately the only thing that's worked to get him past other dogs is to let him lick peanut butter. So if anyone wants to have a go at me yep, no worries here's the lead, go for it. So far it's that or PTS. Rest of his food is given in training treats.

[denali]

Edit: I use the knuckle test to gauge my dogs weight - http://successjustclicks.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/fit-fido-or-fat-fido/

I love that knuckle test!

I had never heard of that before, thanks for sharing :)

[Dogsfevr]

My miniature schnauzer is overweight and it has been pointed out to me on a few occasions.

She is on prednisone for her bad skin condition. Her vet said that she would prefer her to be overweight than ripping herself to pieces with itchiness.

Being over weight from prednil is the lest of the worries its the other nasty health issues i would be more concerned about

What other methods has the vet suggested that has less health issues long term,To many just hand out prednil & do nothing else .

[sandgrubber]

Edit: I use the knuckle test to gauge my dogs weight - http://successjustcl...do-or-fat-fido/

I love that knuckle test!

I had never heard of that before, thanks for sharing :)

Great test. But does coat make a difference? I'd think a dog with a full coat and thick undercoat would feel a bit padded even when pretty scrawny. In my kennel days I was often surprised when I washed a dog that some apparently well filled out dogs became thin when wet.

[Guest Clover]

I have 2 that carry too much weight. My older BC girl has always been impossible to keep weight off. If I fed her any less then it would be cruel, she gets very minimal food as it is. And then the little scruffier is a scavenger so if he can find food he will steal it. I cracked it recently about the cat food being in his reach and extra "treats" being given.

I cannot stand the sight of fatty dogs at the hands of lazy owners . I had a Lab come into work recently that I would have said was 10+ and obese. Turns out when I asked how old he was he was only 2.5 years old . The poor bastard could not even stand up for a minute to attempt to fit a harness. I had to bite my tongue and not say what I was thinking.

[kelpiecuddles]

. I had a Lab come into work recently that I would have said was 10+ and obese. Turns out when I asked how old he was he was only 2.5 years old

I have strongly suspected for a while that the reason most people think my kelpie is so much younger than she is is due to her being quite lean. She's 9 1/2 but most people we meet are quite surprised when i tell them that and had guessed her age as being 2-5 years. It concerns me that the average person just assumes it is normal for a dog of Sascha's age to be fat.

[Guest Clover]

We get a lot of people at my work looking for ways to reduce their animals weight. In most cases with a few questions it becomes clear the treats are the issue(usually it seems to be one member of a couple doing the treating and the other worrying about the dog's weight LOL). I have had a lot of people say they just can't stop their other half from giving the dog treats during the day, the problem then of course is that they are still getting a full size meal as well. I advise them to get a container and to put the dogs entire days ration of food in to that. if someone wants to give the dog a treat it comes out of that container, no outside treats allowed. At the end of the day whatever is left in the container is dinner, even if it's only a couple of bits of kibble. If the dog has eaten everything in that container over the course of the day then they don't need more for dinner!

We get that quite a bit as well. It always baffles me when one partner complains about the other feeding treats but they then buy pig ears and all varieties of fatty treats. Hello just don't buy them.

We used to have a lady come in with a little Pom x and she would buy $50 worth of treats. The dog was getting fatter and fatter every time she would come in and a few of us had been gently trying to get her to cut back on the treats. But nope was not going to happen. We have not seen them for months now and I am worried that poor little dog has had something happen to her .

[Guest Clover]

Kc it was heartbreaking, I was that mad I teared up when I spent time with him. So bloody cruel.

I always make sure I compliment people on the good condition of their older dogs :).

[dancinbcs]

I wish more vets would say something to owners but it puts them in a difficult position. When I worked on reception for the AWL, I had a lady call to report her vet for cruelty. The vet wanted to take her Corgi in and starve him for a week, on fluids only. The dog was about 20kgs, so nearly double what he should have been. I tried to explain to her that it was a well known treatment for extremely overweight dogs and asked her what she fed the dog. She told me exactly what he got and it didn't sound much at all. I checked that no one else in the house, or the neighbours could be feeding him, definitely no. Then I asked if she was sure that was all he was getting for the entire day? She replied "no, that is his dinner, he has breakfast as well". What did he get for breakfast? - Goodos, how many? - A BOWL FULL, like they showed on the ad. I told her that two Goodos a day would have my dogs rolling in fat and they were twice the size of a Corgi. she had no idea she was feeding doggy junk food. She had omitted to tell the vet about the Goodos as well, so I sent he back to the vet to let him know and see if he could come up with a suitable diet, minus any Goodos, and not have to fast the dog.

[sandgrubber]

Another unhelpful thing here is the feeding recommendations on the back of dry food packages. If I fed my labs as much as they recommend, they would be beyond plump. I give carrots as treats and feed a couple eggs a week. But two cups a day is all it takes to keep their weight on, even with a fair amount of exercise.