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Location: Co. Durham, UK
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11,213
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27-11-2010, 01:13 AM
Originally Posted by Dobermann 
But if you know they have just had half a pork pie you just can feed less that night to compensate
I have no problems controlling my own dogs weight when left to my own devices, but as someone else said training your own family can be a different ball game entirely.
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Location: england
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,440
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27-11-2010, 12:41 PM
Originally Posted by Vicki_Ann
How many people have gone out on a search for a food with a different nutritional analysis to combat weight problems without drastically cutting down food?
I went on a search a while ago and found a food low in fat, low in protein but bulky and with all the vitamins/minerals for the dogs. Well, there are lots out there when you start looking and comparing, but it meant my dogs don't got hungry.
I also think it works well with very hungry dogs to split their meals to several times a day. I also think soaking dry food makes it seem/feel more bulky when eaten. I know my dogs seem satisfied with less if I soak it all first.
There is a big difference between obese and a few extra kilos, but just wondered if anyone would be offended if a vet, not intimately knowing your dogs' home life/diet, mentioned that your dog was a few kilos over the ideal and what do you feed etc?
The VN (sorry can't remember who on here) is dead right in that vets should now be using a system of body condition scoring, using touch. It's important to note that dogs, like people, carry weight differently and it's possible for one dog to have more of a waist than another but actually be more overweight because it's actually got a thick layer of fat over it's ribs!
Body condition scoring works to look at various different areas and indicators on a dog, and assess from those what BCS the dog has, and whether it is overweight or not.
Coat should definitely not affect the BCS.
We have replaced a lot of their food with carrots which helps but after 3 large carrots a day for a week or two Mollie tends to get a bit fed up and as she is 10 now we find it hard to say to her it's carrot or nothing.
I know the thoery of being cruel to be kind and I can easily apply that to humans - not so much to dogs as they have no choices and don't IMO understand the notion.
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Location: In an English country cowpat
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,810
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27-11-2010, 03:08 PM
Originally Posted by Tupacs2legs
cos most vets dont have a clue when it comes to body-weight(well all but one that ive worked with)... you stick to your guns
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Location: East Lothian
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 531
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27-11-2010, 03:11 PM
My mum has a lab who is a bit overweight..not hugely, but bigger than she should be. But my mum doesn't see it cos most of the labs round her way are walking barrels so she thinks that her dog is ok as she isn't like them. It's been the cause of arguments but I think I'm finally getting through to her!
Dee
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Location: London, UK
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 445
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27-11-2010, 05:04 PM
Originally Posted by Tupacs2legs
..... oh dear Dobermann ,dont get me started on obese cats!!
good job this is dogsey
She went on a cat forum about it, and everyone there said that vets don't know what they're talking about (I'm a vet student) and cats are supposed to have a big flap of skin on their tum that swings when they walk
Scary no?
That was part of the reason for me posting, it's not so bad with dog owners but with some other species (horses being another) owners just have no idea what a healthy BCS looks like, and they take it as a personal insult and say nobody is qualified to comment when it's gently pointed out to them.
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Location: Fife, UK
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 4,695
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27-11-2010, 05:09 PM
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Location: london.uk
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 8,012
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27-11-2010, 05:18 PM
Originally Posted by Dobermann
They should have a 'skirt' so that would be right. If they get fat they tend not to have that. Its not their actual tum, its between their tum and legs when viewed from the side, no idea if I described that right !
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Location: UK
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,497
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27-11-2010, 05:39 PM
I did a case with DA goldie recently, I though he was overweight but the owners thought he was fine, I'm sure they thought my collie was too skinny!
Adam
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Location: Nottingham
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,477
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27-11-2010, 06:16 PM
I have been told that he is overweight, very recently in fact and I have to say it does annoy me. People automatically assume that if your dog is overweight then you feed them too much and it hits a raw nerve with me since I do my best to get the weight off but it's almost impossible.
I keep a regular check on each dogs weight at the pet shop, feel their ribs etc on an almost daily basis, am obsessed about what they eat so I reserve the right to be hacked off if somebody glibly tells me my dog is fat.
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