Comments on: Time to move: Dogs and people getting fit together http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/12/14/dogs-and-people-getting-fit-together/ Blogging by a team of pet-care experts. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:26:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Dr. Tony Johnson http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/12/14/dogs-and-people-getting-fit-together/comment-page-1/#comment-480216 Dr. Tony Johnson Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:24:52 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=10805#comment-480216 It is always amazing to me how many pet owners have no idea that their pets are overweight - and don't believe you when you tell them. People love to feed their pets, just like they love to feed their relatives during the holidays! Thanks for the good information and good work on the Dr. Oz show yesterday! It is always amazing to me how many pet owners have no idea that their pets are overweight - and don’t believe you when you tell them. People love to feed their pets, just like they love to feed their relatives during the holidays!

Thanks for the good information and good work on the Dr. Oz show yesterday!

]]> By: H. Houlahan http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/12/14/dogs-and-people-getting-fit-together/comment-page-1/#comment-480197 H. Houlahan Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:58:12 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=10805#comment-480197 I fear that American dog owners are much more prone to toss the dog out into the (generally larger) yard -- that's garden for you Brits -- and skip the walk for both parties. BTW, breed standards are absolutely useless for determining good body condition on an individual dog. (And relatively few give weight ranges anyway.) Once certainly doesn't want to use the "show condition" of breeds such as Labrador or Rottweiler as a reference for good health in those breeds. I agree that having a hard number to reference for ideal weight is important. It's also important to conduct weekly body-score checks -- hands-on for fluffy and cobby dogs. If you can't easily palpate all of the ribs while your thumbs are on the standing dog's spine, he's too fat. If a smooth-coated dog has no visible waist and abdominal tuck up, he's too fat. I fear that American dog owners are much more prone to toss the dog out into the (generally larger) yard — that’s garden for you Brits — and skip the walk for both parties.

BTW, breed standards are absolutely useless for determining good body condition on an individual dog. (And relatively few give weight ranges anyway.) Once certainly doesn’t want to use the “show condition” of breeds such as Labrador or Rottweiler as a reference for good health in those breeds. I agree that having a hard number to reference for ideal weight is important. It’s also important to conduct weekly body-score checks — hands-on for fluffy and cobby dogs.

If you can’t easily palpate all of the ribs while your thumbs are on the standing dog’s spine, he’s too fat. If a smooth-coated dog has no visible waist and abdominal tuck up, he’s too fat.

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