How CUTE indeed. Smooch! The vet is correct but not helpful. Almost every dog will overeat if you let them. That means you should let them. I would think he'd be cautioning you about fat dogs rather than saying it's okay. Some vets tend to pacify fat dog owners b/c it becomes a personal issue tied up with our own self body images. I know a lot of people that get furious when someone calls their fat dog fat. They wouldn't react near as strongly to your dog is ugly. So I think it's irresponsible of the vet to not tell you to stop. Obesity kills dogs just like it kills people.
A lean puppy (not skinny) is a healthier puppy, fat puppies are not healthy puppies. Leaner dogs live longer and are healthier and have less disease during their lives. To allow extra weight at a young age can cause a lot of musculoskeletal disease and strain, diabetes, organ distress and failure, infections of skin and stressed joints, organs. You read every day about kids getting acid reflux, diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol?? The same is true for a dog. A lean puppy, not skinny, will have less chance of getting cancer and many other diseases. I would up the exercise, feed less, and/or feed a better quality food that is more nutrtioous and lower fat. Puppies need 15% fat only to grow healthy.
Take action now and your dog will live many more happy healthy years with you. A fat dog is abusive IMHO because it is actually painful for them. Since they do not have the ability to self monitor their weight it's 100% your responsibility. That's why it's 100% solvable starting today.
The longer it's there the harder it is to get it off and the more long term effects it will have. It won't just go away just like it didn't just get there without being over fed to start. Don't feel mean or bad. All dogs will always look for more no matter what and how much you feed them. I'd love to eat cheesecake and chocolate all day long but I can't or I would be very unhealthy very fast.
:dogtongue2:
http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/dogdiseaseso/a/dogobesity.htm
Just google dog obesity related disease and you'll see a lot of things to think about.
(him 3 months ago)
