Is My Dog Fat?

Obesity is one of the number one health concerns in America- and not just for humans.  Pets are also at a high risk for being overweight.

Pet owners tend to be sensitive about their pets' weight.  The most important thing to remember is, don't take it personally.  Nobody is trying to say you are a bad owner- on the contrary, owners of overweight pets either show their great love to their pets by feeding them treats and snacks, and/or they simply don't understand the health requirements of their pet.  Obesity is not a crime of neglect or poor ownership.  But it does have serious health ramifications, including diabetes and heart disease, which can be fatal, and so it is something that needs to be monitored and addressed.


So What Is Healthy Weight?

There are a few ways to determine healthy weight.  One, you should be able to feel ALL of your dog's ribs if you stroke down his side- without having to dig your fingertips in.  (On the other hand, it should never feel like playing a xylophone either!)  Second, when you look down on your dog from overhead, you should see an hourglass shape- wider ribs, thinner waist, wider hips.  If your dog is straight lines or bulges out to the sides, he is overweight.  Next, look at your dog from the side- the chest should be the lowest point of the body, just behind the elbows, and there should be a curve or "tuck up" so that the belly where it meets the hips is higher than the chest.

Healthy weight is never about numbers.  You can look at a dog, and feel a dog, and determine if it is a good weight.  The scale means nothing.

Healthy Weight vs Underweight

An unfortunate reality is that pet owners have decided that "chubby" is "cute".  Dogs are predators, they are designed for hard, lean muscle mass with very little body fat.  Some of the healthiest dogs in the world are decried as "skinny" or "malnourished" by the average pet owner.  As a result, owners plump their dogs up thinking they are doing them a favor, when in fact, they are harming them.  

This is unhealthy, underweight, malnourished, etc.  :

Notice the lack of muscle mass, that you can easily count ribs and vertebrae, the dog is not holding himself up well, etc.  This dog is not healthy.

Now observe this dog:

Though very lean, you can clearly see muscle definition, the spine and hips are completely covered over, you can only faintly see the rib cage definition, and the dog is holding herself in a happy, healthy pose.  This dog is not too skinny!  She's in excellent athletic shape.

Breed Myths

Some breeds have developed the perception that they ought to be fat or heavy- this is just people trying to ignore an obvious problem.  There is NO breed that should ever be fat- English Bulldogs, Pugs, French Bulldogs, are not mean to be roly-poly creatures, they can and should be well-muscled dogs with a highly defined waist.  Never fall back on the idea that your dog is allowed to be fat based on its breed.

Diet & Exercise

Just like people, diet and exercise are the foundations of a healthy dog.  If you are unable to increase your dog's exercise, strict feeding portions are a necessity to maintain healthy weight.  If your dog is able to get a large amount of good exercise, the feedings can be more lenient.  Quality food is always a good place to start.  You can refer to our blog entry The Great Debate to learn more about healthy food choices.  Just think of it this way:  a human COULD lose weight eating nothing but small portions of McDonald's every day... but is that really the best way to go?  Make sure you're starting with a healthy food source, it will make everything easier.

What constitutes good exercise?  For small dogs, no less than  30 minute walk daily is bare minimum.  60 minutes for large dogs.  Jogging or biking is always better than walking.  15-20 minute sessions of intense ball or frisbee throwing is also good.  Swimming is one of the best exercises out there, as it is low impact and good for all ages and breeds of dog.  More intense conditioning includes things like weight pulling, lure coursing, hiking, long distance biking, sledding, etc.  Again, don't be a slave to the breed myths!  Chihuahuas can pull hundreds of pounds in a harness and run for miles!    

Just remember to start slow!  If your dog is severely obese, a few weeks of dieting may be necessary to get some of the weight off before you can safely begin an exercise routine.  Start with short walks and build up the intensity as the dog's weight and condition improve.

Ready to See the Difference?

Anyone can tell you that all dogs can be fit and healthy- now, let's see it.

WRONG

RIGHT

One Last Thing

Pets can have diabetes, thyroid issues, heart disease, and a host of other health problems- if your pet is overweight, ALWAYS start with a visit to your vet to rule out any causes of obesity.  If your vet can't find anything wrong, then you can safely assume that the problem is diet & exercise, and put them on a path to success.

Don't Shave the Dog

It's springtime.  The weather is getting warmer, the pools are opening, the bugs are back and the ground is muddy.

For groomers, this means the return of the Spring Shave Down requests.  Many owners like to start the summer with a buzz cut for simplicity.  While this is a perfectly valid option for many dogs, it's important to understand that some dogs should never be shaved.

Hair vs Fur

There are 2 types of dog coats: hair and fur.  Hair is exactly what it sounds like- just like ours.  Straight, wavy or curly, it is a single coat of hairs that grows more or less indefinitely and sheds only when the individual hairs happen to actually die off.  And just like our hair, it will continue to grow back exactly the same no matter what we do to it.  Shaving these dogs is no problem at all.  Heavy long hair can and does trap heat during the summer months, so a shorter clip is actually advisable for these breeds.

Fur is different.  Fur frequently comes in double coats (guard/top hairs and undercoat).  It sheds.  And most importantly, it insulates the dog- from ALL weather.

It make sound counter-intuitive, but even though these coats are often thick and heavy looking, a fur coat is designed to keep the dog warm in winter and cool in summer- this is why some dogs "blow coat" or shed out heavily twice per year.  They are actually changing their coat out for a weather-appropriate one.

Shaving off this coat will make the hair shorter, yes.  That is all it will do however.  It will not cool the dog off- on the contrary, losing it's insulating layer will actually cause the dog to be more prone to heat stroke and sunburn.  Dogs do not sweat through their skin, so exposing their skin to open air actually does nothing to cool them.  Also, despite the common belief, shaving this type of coat will NOT reduce shedding.  The hair sheds just the same, it's just that for a while they shed the short, dead ends of the hair you've shaved, which are harder to see- but sharp and spiky, and frequently get stuck in skin and clothes causing itchiness.  Lastly, shaving this type of coat can damage it permanently, it may never grow back correctly again.

The best thing you can do for a double-coated breed is keep it properly groomed.  A good bath and brush out will keep the hair free of dead undercoat and fluffed up properly, which will keep the dog as comfortable as it can be it the hot summer months.  Regular grooming will also reduce the shedding and dandruff that many owners complain about.

If you have a longer coated breed such as a Golden Retriever or Chow, we can offer some trimming to help reduce the amount of hair you have to deal with- just don't shave them.

The longer "feathering" around the legs, belly, chest and rear are superfluous, and can be scissored down tight and neat to keep the dog cleaner and prevent matting without causing damage to the insulating layers of the coat.

This spring, talk to your groomer about the best summer grooming options for your dog.  Just because you've always done it one way, doesn't mean it's too late to find a better way!

A Sampling of Breeds You Shouldn't Shave:

Labs, Huskies, Golden Retrievers, Chows, Pomeranians, Akitas, Samoyeds, Shelties, Collies, German Shepherds, Pekingese, etc.