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.