Your Dog’s Weight

Just like us, it’s not difficult for our pups to pick up a few pounds, and the consequences of of being overweight or even obese can be hugely harmful to your dog's health, increasing their susceptibility to diabetes, respiratory conditions, cardiovascular disease, arthritis and even behavioural problems.

It can be easy to lose sight of the fact that keeping weight in check is just as important for them as it is us - and a huge 35% of dogs in the UK are overweight as a result! Though sneaking your pup snacks and sharing your food with them might seem irresistible once they give you the eyes, even the smallest of scraps can be the equivalent of a huge meal. For example; 1 piece of toast for your pup can be the equivalent of a bag of chips for us. And that’s a lot!

Muscle mass and body fat are also factors to consider when weighing up your dog’s health, and just like we use the BMI chart, dogs have a Body Condition Score (BCS) which similarly helps to measure where your dog is on the scale. This is a visual and touch based assessment judged by how easily the ribs are felt, their waist shape, excess fat under the skin and muscle mass.

Spaying and neutering, which can affect dogs’ metabolism, their calorie intake and exercise levels all play their part towards your dog’s physical health, and it’s important to remember that a dog being underweight can also entail problems. To begin the process of assessing your dog’s weight, ask your vet to determine their BCS, then work together with them to determine the appropriate course of action. As with us, weight loss or gain mustn’t be rushed, and patience, consistency, education and dedication to your dog’s health is, as always, of utmost importance.

K9 Anytime has seen many success stories with pawrents keeping their pups’ weight in balance, who have even thanked K9 Anytime for keeping their dog's activity levels up and helping to reach their goals. As well as the enormous behavioural and social benefits of exercising and playing at K9 Anytime, it very simply keeps your dog active. Our off lead environment gives dogs true freedom to run, roam and bound around to their heart’s content!