How does owner behavior relate to dog obesity?

According to statistics, 40% of dogs in Western Europe suffer from obesity. There are no such statistics in our area, however, veterinarians share their observations that the number of overweight dogs is also growing in our country. Obesity of a dog is often associated with the behavior of the owner. In what way?

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Breeds prone to weight gain

There are certain breeds that tend to gain weight a little more than others:

• Cocker Spaniels.
• Labradors.
• Long haired dachshunds.
• Beagle.
• Basset hounds.

Of course, this is not a sentence. A Labrador can be slim and active, while a German Shepherd can be obese. It all depends on the owner.

There are also peculiarities in the thinking and behavior of the owners, which become the reason that even a dog not predisposed to gaining excess weight begins to suffer from it.

How does owner behavior relate to dog obesity?

What are these human factors “causing” obesity in dogs? A study was conducted (Kienzle et all, 1998) that established a link between human attitudes towards dogs and obesity.

1. Animals gaining excess weight is facilitated by excessive humanization of the dog. Very often this applies to single owners, for whom a pet is “the light in the window”, “the only joy in life”. And what else to please the most beloved creature, if not yummy?
2. Low level of activity of the owner himself, short walks.
3. Frequent feedings, while the owner is moved by watching how the pet eats.
4. Frequent food changes leading to overeating.
5. Constantly stuffing your pet with treats. Of course, it is possible and necessary to treat a pet, but it is important to choose the right treats and take them into account when compiling a daily diet.
6. Ignoring the fact that hunger and begging are not the same thing. By the way, overweight dogs beg more often than dogs in normal condition.
7. Excess weight makes representatives of some breeds of dogs “cuter” in the eyes of the owners. For example, pugs or French bulldogs are very fond of “a little fattened up” so that they are “chubby”.
8. The dog is fed by several family members, while it is not specified whether she has already eaten. Or a kind grandmother feeds the “eternally hungry dog.”
9. Paradoxically, the low income of the owner is also often the cause of obesity in dogs. There is a hypothesis according to which this is due to the fact that dogs are fed poor quality products, trying to compensate for the quality with quantity, while there is no way to make a balanced complete diet.

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Of course, not a single sane owner wishes the dog bad and only wants to bring good. However, it is important to remember that being overweight is not good at all, because it can cause many health problems and worsen the quality of life of a pet.