The Importance of Weight Control for your dog

As pet owners, it’s our responsibility to ensure our companions live long, happy and healthy lives. This responsibility reaches beyond regular visits to the vet and keeping up with vaccinations, as a pet owner it’s up to us to ensure our best friends maintain a healthy weight. Just like their human counterparts, carrying extra weight can be detrimental to their physical and mental health. As your resident Lakewood dog training experts, we are here to help you raise and care for your dog. If your pup is overweight, or has a propensity to overeat, we encourage you to take note of today’s post!

Did you know that 50% of dogs and cats in North America are overweight or obese? Recent research indicates that carrying even just a bit of extra weight can shorten a dog’s life expectancy by as much as 2 years.* Now that’s reason to help your pup get back into shape!

Osteoarthritis (OA)

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common side effects in obese or overweight dogs. Associated with chronic pain, OA can negatively impact your pup’s quality of life. Older, larger dogs are at an increased risk of suffering from pain and inflammation from OA. Carrying excess weight places additional pressure on joints exacerbating discomfort levels. In addition to placing added stress on a dog’s skeletal frame, excess fat tissue secretes chemicals and hormones that contribute to inflammation.

Is Your Dog Overweight or Obese?

In order to determine if your pup is overweight or obese, you will need to examine 3 areas of the body:

• Place your hands just behind your dog’s ribcage where the lower back begins, you should find an obvious indentation.
• Place your fingers behind your pup’s shoulder blades, you should be able to easily feel individual ribs.
• Observe your pup’s abdomen. It should appear to be tucked inward. From the end of the breastbone to the pelvis, there should be an angle ranging from 30° to 45°.

If your dog meets these criteria, they are most likely in good health. It’s always best to consult a veterinarian if you are concerned about your dog’s weight. If you find that your pup needs to lose weight, your vet can help you select a food and exercise program. Before you know it, your fur baby will be looking and feeling younger. Check out our article about dog nutrition tips. 

Lakewood Dog Training

At Sit Means Sit, we not only provide award winning Lakewood dog training services, but we work to educate our clients. If you would like to discover how we can help you raise a happy, healthy, confident and obedient dog, we encourage you to schedule your free, no obligation consultation today.

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*http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pet-health-information/article/animal-health/overweight-obesity-and-pain-in-dogs-overview/6651