Size Matters
Our inspiration for this article is the 2014 Westminster Dog Show's "Best in Breed" Labrador retriever. Her fat-rolls jiggle splendidly when she plumply trots. She is unable to maintain a jog for more than a few yards without panting heavily from the effort.
"But that dog looks pretty normal," the reader exclaims. "I see Labs like that everywhere I go!"
That's no surprise, since it's estimated that over half of American dogs are overweight. Fat is the new "normal". I have completely surprised people when I gently mention that their dog is overweight. One friend said he had been under the impression that it was all muscle!
Granted, neither of these dogs are as short and ungainly as the current AKC preference for Labradors. But there is no breed of dog so "big-boned", "stocky", or "broad" that it's normal shape is "sausage". Not even a dachshund.
"I don't care what my dog looks like, I love her anyway!" the reader exclaims. "I don't want to starve her!"
Food is great. I'm not advocating malnourishment. But just like so many great social projects, what we intended as help can end up causing all sorts of undesirable side effects.
Chronic diseases. Healthy blood sugar levels, blood pressure, kidney health, and heart health are compromised earlier and more often in overweight dogs. Studies have found that being overweight shaves about 2 years off a dog's life. Cancer risk is also higher.
The type of kibble you feed also makes a difference. Avoid high-carbohydrate (AKA sugar) feeds that have a lot of grain or potato. Choose a food that has meat as the first ingredient. Learn about quality ingredients at http://dogfoodadvisor.com
Exercise is also important but should be increased very gradually, and with minimal stress on the overloaded joints. Don't just decide one day start biking with your 100 lb, 8-year-old Labrador. All that extra insulation over the dog's internal organs, plus the effort needed to haul extra weight, will drive a brave dog into heat exhaustion just walking around the block on a hot day. Swimming is a great low-impact activity, followed by brisk walking. Mental as well as physical exercise burns calories. Hide the ration of kibble around the house and have the dog go hunt for it.
(Shasta Dogs is not affiliated with and does not receive financial gain from any company or product mentioned or linked on this page.)