BlackJaq Posted October 12, 2013 Author Share Posted October 12, 2013 (edited) I have another question: Is there a point where you would report a dog for being too fat? I guess people report skinny dogs all the time, but not fat dogs? How fat would a dog have to be for you to consider reporting it? And if you wouldn't, then why not? Edited October 12, 2013 by BlackJaq Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison03 Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 I find it really odd when people have said that many vets don't comment on weight. Maybe I am just lucky with my vet. Every dog is weighed when you are in the waiting room and the number is stored on computer. You can do this for free and anyone can come in and weigh their dog. The very first thing my vet would do, even if I went in for a nail clip would be to do a quick review of her weight history and a feel of the ribs. Over the 14 years we went there my dog was only ever slightly up or down. On these rare occasion the vet would get me to up or down the food intake accordingly. It beggars belief that all vets don't take the same care with their clients when obesity is probably the number one cause of many common life-shortening conditions. As far as me as a dog enthusiast...I would never dream telling a person - good friend, acquaintance or otherwise, that their human child is fat and carries a much higher chance of serious health problems, likewise I wouldn't offer any unasked for comment on their dogs weight. Its the same at my vets too, you weigh your dog in the waiting room and the weight goes in her records, you can pop in at any time to do a weigh in. My vet does the same weight review, so I assumed all vets did the same thing. I would never comment on someone else's dog being overweight either, unless they brought it up, no more than I'd comment on the person themselves being a bit chubby, I have had people with chunky dogs tell me my dog is too thin, which I think is a bit rude, I took it up with my vet who assured me she was a good weight for her breed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hankodie Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackJaq Posted October 12, 2013 Author Share Posted October 12, 2013 (edited) 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 Yep and I find that often people with chubby dogs will be quick to point out that they find a dog too skinny. Often they fail to recognize a fit dog or a dog in good but lean condition. I try to refer them to body condition charts but usually when they report back, they have learnt nothing and scored their own dog incorrectly, even after studying the chart... It remains a mystery... Also, and this may be offensive again, I find often people who are noticeably obese will also have obese pets, children and sometimes even partners... In that kind of situation even I recognize the futility of even trying to comment... Edited October 12, 2013 by BlackJaq Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison03 Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 I have another question: Is there a point where you would report a dog for being too fat? I guess people report skinny dogs all the time, but not fat dogs? How fat would a dog have to be for you to consider reporting it? And if you wouldn't, then why not? Golly good question, I don't think I'd report a portly dog, I mean it would depend on how big it was of course, if it was obviously not very well, huge and suffering , I'd assume it had some kind of illness that wasn't being attended too, I think I'd talk to the owner first though, something along the lines of "Is your dog ok, he doesn't look very well". Just reporting it could be a bit unfair if the dog had some kind of condition. A friend of mine has a dog with allergies that is on prednisolone which makes it look a bit puffy sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weasels Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Whenever I spend time with dogsports people they are quite willing to offer unsolicited opinions on my dogs' weights :laugh: It's never offended me, I let Weez carry a bit more weight because he is a ground-dwelling creature (he still has tuck, just in 'pet condition' rather than working/agility condition). Chess I keep pretty skinny because she runs and jumps a lot and I am more concerned about her joints. She still varies from being able to see most of her ribs in winter to more padded in the lazier summers. I've always been happy to have a sensible discussion with anyone who brings it up since I am mindful of their weights and don't see it as anything to take personally Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 (edited) How to really offend ... but only in your dreams. Try, 'Your dog could lose some weight & so could you.' (A joke, I'm not saying do that! :) ) Research from reliable sources in The Netherlands: they found a tendency for overweight dogs to have an owner who's that way, too. But, interestingly, relationship not found with cats & their owners. http://www.onehealthinitiative.com/publications/Obesity%20paper.pdf Edited October 12, 2013 by mita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee lee Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denali Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 I admit that i am a bit touchy when people tell me my dog is too skinny. But thats because he is actually at a perfectly healthy weight and the thing on the end of their leash resembles a pot-bellied pig. So its only that aspect of it that gets to me. I did have a fat dog and i didn't mind if people commented on that. Because i knew he was, and i would then just tell them that we're working on that. But as a rule i don't tell people their dogs are fat unless they comment on it first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denali Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 I have another question: Is there a point where you would report a dog for being too fat? I guess people report skinny dogs all the time, but not fat dogs? How fat would a dog have to be for you to consider reporting it? And if you wouldn't, then why not? They are good questions :) I don't think i would report them without first pointing it out to the owners, educating them (politely) and trying to help. I would report it only if the dog was obviously uncomfortable, struggling to walk/move, difficulty breathing, heat stress etc. or if it was so obese that i just couldn't stand to look at it. I think overfeeding is just as bad as underfeeding. They are just killing them with kindness :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tara taylor Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 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. I'm doing my best to reduce her weight, but it is very hard when she is on steroids. It would make me sad if you pointed out her weight to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curly Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 I'm happy to gently point out when my grooming dogs are overweight, and even happier to discuss suitable feeding. Sadly, it usually goes in one ear and out the other. I have had to refuse to groom dogs because they're just too obese to manage. That goes down well! Occasionally you'll get a too-skinny dog, but not often. What's really sad is those owners who want their dog really fat. One told me she hates the look of 'thin' dogs, and wants them chubby. She had to find another groomer - that dog about broke my back. Another sacked her old groomer because she kept 'going on' about the dogs' weight - the dog whose belly literally touches the ground. Then there's the woman who adopted a polite little dog in perfect condition. He rapidly became so obese he could barely walk, developed a number of health issues, and recently died (not from his weight, but it certainly influenced the end) I reckon most people just don't know what a healthy dog looks like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 This is my Lab in her prime... at around 4 years old... She is now nearly 8 and is carrying about 2kgs more weight than in the above photo - so still nicely proportioned - but I tell her she has "booty" and think she's a bit chubbier than I'd like. Funnily enough no-one else thinks she's chubby... This is a photo taken around January this year - to me she looks a bit more portly than I'd like... T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison03 Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 This is my Lab in her prime... at around 4 years old... She is now nearly 8 and is carrying about 2kgs more weight than in the above photo - so still nicely proportioned - but I tell her she has "booty" and think she's a bit chubbier than I'd like. Funnily enough no-one else thinks she's chubby... This is a photo taken around January this year - to me she looks a bit more portly than I'd like... T. Wow great photo, what a beauty, especially in her prime, she looks like a happy dog to me and not what I'd call portly at all. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Much the same as my kelpie tdierikx, she's more portly than I would like now but still has a good shape. Mostly at the moment it's due to less exercise because of my husband being away and me working long hours and home in the dark over winter. I've reduced her food intake somewhat to compensate but she still needs to be run a bit more. I worry about people thinking my basset is too skinny, a lean basset has a very pronounced waist due to having broad shoulders and a broad bum so she looks very skinny in the middle as a result but as I can only just see her last rib I'm happy. I have had people who 'know' comment on how nice it is to see a slim basset rather than a wheezing over weight one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumtoshelley Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 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. Here's a most recent picture of Shelley she is 5 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumtoshelley Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 (edited) this is my chihuahua Rascal This is my whippet Missy Edited October 12, 2013 by mumtoshelley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesluvscavs Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Renae is overweight because of health issues, I would hate it someone started on at me about her. Everyone that knows her (and her vet) knows the reasons, no one else needs to know, its none of their business. The only time i have said anything about overweight dogs is if they belonged to people I personally know and then I just don't blurt it out, its been part of a conversation and said nicely. (when and if its been appropriate timing). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superminty Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 I only ever comment on weight in a professional capacity (they're paying for my opinion anyway) or on very good friend's dogs that I know are usually a healthy weight. I had a fellow trainer ask once whether I ever fed my dogs - both were in peak competition condition. Her dogs are, IMO, overweight. My comment was "clearly we have a difference of opinion on what a healthy weight is". Each to their own. If someone I knew commented that my dogs were over/underweight, and they kept their dogs at what I consider to be a healthy weight, then I would definitely take notice. Anyone else - not so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remarkabull Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 When I had Dobes my parents were always telling me that they were too skinny. I've had vets express surprise and pleasure at my small dogs as they are both lean and have an obvious waist. I now have Bulldogs and people often tell me how 'small' Simi is. I'll admit that when compared to the other dogs of her breed she is on the petite side but she is also lean which is very uncommon for her breed. Ivy seen plenty of pics of overweight Bulldogs as most people seem to think that that's just what they look like. It makes me sad and I worry about their hips etc. I've tried to add a pic of Simi but stupid iPad won't let me. I'll try later :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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