Did anyone see the episode of Its Me or the Dog where the woman had the fattest beagle? He was more than twice the weight he should have been and the owner said that "he comfort eats".

That is the sort of ignorance that people need to dispel. How can a dog comfort eat?

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I think there is a vast difference between overweight and obese.

There are various factors that will affect a dogs weight. Its not just dietry related.

From the dog's point of view, yes its cruel. But unlike with starvation, its not willfull neglect on the part of the owner, but ignorance and a blindness to see the truth and damage that it can cause.

I think in such circumstances, owners should be supported and offered help and guidance rather than the weight of the law brought down on them. Only if they are unwilling or unable to do anything should the animal be removed from their care. A dog warden has more legal clout than the RSPCA (who have none) and there have been some circumstance where they have seized dogs under the Animal Welfare Act.

Growing up i worked in boarding kennels, and the owners elderly aunt had a smooth coated dachsie. She was so obese she looked more like a seal. She couldnt even stand up at one point and the family intervened and took the dog. She came to the kennels and was placed on a strict diet. Within a few months she was trim and running around, and the owner decided to rehome as she didnt feel she could cope. I was quite attached to her, and my mother agreed we could take her on. The week before i was meant to bring her home, she lost use of her hind legs. X-rays showed that the weight had caused lesions along her spine, and at just 3 years of age, she was PTS. All because someone fed her too much.

Most vets run weight clinics, and i think some people just need that extra bit of support, and maybe some shock tactics to wake them up the the danger they are placing their dog in.

There are some people who just cant see what the rest of us see though. They lie to friends and family, and they lie to themselves.

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just enough to bring you down

on the topic of fat doggys, the neighbours dog escapes and ends up coming over to our garden ALOT he dosnt seem all that bothered, the poor girl is HUUUUUGE shes a lab, very friendly, although once when the had her out and i walked past with sophie she kinda went for sophie a little so i dont want to have them both bump into each other.

if we got on better with the neighbours i would love to walk her, i dont think she gets much play time and thats why she keeps escaping, poor girl.

Medical conditions etc aside, I dont like to see fat dogs of any kind - there is no excuse whatsoever in my mind.

Lots of people tend to have rotties overweight, thinking they 'need' to be heavy. I have lost count of the times folks have said, 'my mates got one of them but its bigger than yours - he weighs 15 stone' blah blah

I got one of my own rotties back last summer for re-homing and he was verging on the edge of obesity We soon got him sorted out though and now he is fine.

And the amount of people who dont even now their dog is overweight, convo I had recently -

'that dog is overweight'

'really? I never noticed'

'erm, yes, the shoulders are overloaded and look at the wrinkles on the withers and look at the waistline'

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I don't think they comfort eat but I do think they boredom eat. . . when my boy dog died my girl became depressed and she still is. .. and she eats a hell of a lot more now than she did when he was alive and she seems to want food just out of boredom . . . like I used to leave them a bowl of dried food all day and they barely touched it just ate their meals (they were and are small yorkshire terriers) but after he died she would stand there eating the biscuits when she clearly wasn't hungry so I had to take them away and now she only gets her meals. . . .she begs for food a lot more now too. . .because she had no one to play with she is bored . .no matter how much attention we give her

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I have had the same experience as Ceearott, now I know Chance is still underweight, that's not my fault but i don't appreciate you telling me I'm starving my dog and your going to report me *le sigh*

Now with Harvey he is a perfect weight for his build, has a lovely waistline, nice tuck and so on. Yet people tell me he is dangerously underweight for a staff and that he needs to put alot of weight on as staffies should have a uniform shape (a barrel basically) and you shouldn't be able to see his waistline, yet you then look at their dog who is waddling along, panting really hard after a gentle walk

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Chance - american bulldog (rescue)

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