Canine obesity is more complicated than dog sees sausage, dog eats sausage. A recent study has found that plump pooches owe their rotund physiques to a perfect storm of factors that includes breed, owner choices and the presence of other dogs in the house.
Around half of all dogs in the UK and US are either overweight or obese. This can increase the risk of developing health problems, such as diabetes and osteoarthritis, as well as shortening the dog’s lifespan.
Researchers wanted to find out why some dogs are more likely to pile on the pounds than others, so they turned to a mixture of owner questionnaires and data that had been collected for the Dog Aging Project, a large study following the progress of tens of thousands of dogs as they age.
Lots of factors were examined, including breed, living conditions and how motivated by food the owner thought their dog was.
As expected, dogs that were highly motivated by food were more likely to be overweight, as were dogs with owners that don’t carefully monitor their pet’s diet.
Popular sporting breeds, such as retrievers, spaniels and setters, were more likely to be highly motivated by food, and so more likely to be overweight. Whilst non-sporting breeds, such as poodles, bulldogs and terriers, were less motivated by food, and so less likely to be overweight. Big dogs too, were more likely to be highly motivated by food, than smaller ones.
- 10 healthiest dog breeds – according to a veterinary surgeon
- 10 unhealthiest dog breeds – according to a veterinary surgeon
Factors in and around the home also played a role. City-dwelling dogs were found to be more at risk of becoming portly than dogs living in rural areas. And dogs that lived in houses with other dogs were more likely to become chubby that dogs that live in single-pet households.
- Help your dog lose weight with these expert tips from PDSA vet nurse Gemma Renwick
- How much should I feed my dog and how often? All your dog nutrition questions answered
“It’s likely that these factors influence the amount of exercise that dogs get in addition to their access to food,” says Kate Creevy from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, who was part of the study.
Some dogs may seek food out of boredom, which may increase in environments where exercise and enrichment are less available. Additionally, owners with multiple dogs may choose certain feeding practices, such as free feeding, which can lead to more feeding being available.
“It is imperative that veterinarians develop a better understanding of canine obesity” says Creevy, “so that we can give every dog the best possible quality of life.”
