Getting way to common.

[ewarp]

Kennelmom, I'm right there with you with my Basenji.

Now, at 8 years old, is the first time I've not been able to see her ribs easily. She's always been a trim little girl, and people would accuse me of starving her!

[britishbandit]

Wow, I don't like seeing dogs super super thin either, but some dogs you are supposed to have their ribs show slightly. The thin dogs don't seem to be an issue around here, besides some that come in as strays at the humane society.

[oc_spirit]

There''s that prolem around here too. So many overweight dogs that can barely make it around the block!!! It kills me inside when people offer me their 30Lbs overweight Sibe because they think she''ll make a great sled dog since she pulls so much on the leash when they walk her which isn''t much because she pulls and she can''t go that far anyways. Ya I try to understand it too....Uf!

[Pippinislove]

I volunteer at a shelter and see a ton (quite literally it seems at times) of grossly overweight dogs. I always feel so bad for them. =(

[doharty]

There aren't many overweight dogs here, most are healthy (and very obidient, I get intimidated) and in all over good condition. Our dalmatian, Checkers, used to be grossly overweight. It all started when my grandma from Belgium came over to our house for 3 months. She eats buttered bread with jam for breakfast every morning and felt the need to give the dog a slice as well. My mother and I couldn't stop her since she doesn't speak english (Flemmish) and my dad didn't see the harm. Then he'd been feeding her steak off his fork for awhile and continued after... Once he moved out she slimmed down a lot. She's actually pretty lean now, but when she gets playful and perks her ears up (she's still a lazy dog) she looks great. =)

My dad came over the other day and told me not to feed Lindy from the table. I stared in shock.

[theGOOCH]

What did the owners look like? Overweight people tend to have overweight dogs

[britishbandit]

Some of them, yes, but not all of them, I would have to say maybe half of the owners. Four of the dogs had owners that were bean poles.....the Bernese, GSD, Weim, and a Lab. The Bernese and the Weim shocked me the most, they were just grossly overweight, I felt so bad for them. The weim, after seeing so may pics from Novel of her dogs and others at shows she attends, and how they are supposed to look, this one honestly looked like a grey cow, extremely overweight. The Bernese, despite being a long coated dog, looked terrible. This one actually went in for a trim at the groomers in Petsmart, and at first I hoped that it was all fur, but no, our table was set up by the grooming window, and after the trim the dog actually looked worse. I swear the width and length ratio of the dog was about 2:3.......terrible.

[theGOOCH]

I used to work with a woman who told me she had a Dobie that just died. She was telling me all about him and mentioned that he weighed 120 lbs. I couldn't believe my ears, then I saw his pic. Nothing looks worse than a fat Doberman It looked like a big blob with two pointy ears sticking out

[Pippinislove]

Originally Posted by theGOOCH

I used to work with a woman who told me she had a Dobie that just died. She was telling me all about him and mentioned that he weighed 120 lbs. I couldn't believe my ears, then I saw his pic. Nothing looks worse than a fat Doberman It looked like a big blob with two pointy ears sticking out

Ugh, I agree! Dobermans are a breed that look so HORRIBLE when overweight (not that any dog looks good overweight, but Dobermans just seem so much worse.)

[Cassiepeia]

Originally Posted by theGOOCH

What did the owners look like? Overweight people tend to have overweight dogs

Untrue.
Both thin and overweight people have overweight pets. Being overweight does not mean they're more likely to have overweight pets.

Having little knowledge of the proper care of animals makes people more likely to have overweight pets. You can't pigeon hole all people with a weight problem into that catagory.

Cass.

[Dog_Father]

It is very sad that people don't realize the harm they are doing to their pet's health by allowing them to get heavy.

I know it can be tough to say no to such big hopeful eyes, but... I have seen mini pin that looked like a small beach ball with pointy ears..and you are right some dog breeds just really does not hold the extra weight well.

Though if look around, the tend is moving toward being over weight for well: most people, their kids and their pets.

[theGOOCH]

Originally Posted by Cassiepeia

You can't pigeon hole all people with a weight problem into that catagory.

Cass.

I didn't. That's why I used the word "tend." It stands to reason that people who make bad health decisions for themselves tend to make bad health decisions for their children, pets etc.


It's funny this whole issue came up here. About a week ago I was visiting my cousin in Indiana and his girlfriend commented about Blitz "It's unusual to see a dog that is actually at its approriate weight" LOL how true

[mulroony]

It really does shock me to see some of the butterball dogs out there. I can see 5 or 10 pounds on a medium or large breed (he had a heck of a time getting weight off Jackson and keeping it off), but these dogs that are as round as they are wide are scary.

The really horrible ones are the short legged breeds such as doxies... It is one thing to see a fat dog it is another to see them dragging that fat on the ground (yes I have seen it before..)

[knewlon]

I am new to owning a doxie but I heard that after they are fixed all they want to do is eat and eat. Which results in obesity and causes them to have back problems along with other health issues. I may be overly cautious but I measure all my puppies food and keep a record of his eating habits and bm's too. Lol, yeah I know...

[britishbandit]

That's a big myth IMO kewlon. That spaying and neutering makes pets fat. I think that's a bunch of phooey, for me, spaying and neutering won't make our pets fat, over feeding, and lack of exercise will.