Over weight dogs

[B725]

I nipped in the vet's today to have the pup's glands cleaned out, I've never seen so many over weight dog's mind you some of the owner's had a right truck end on them so it's hardly surprising. 

[WalkedUp]

I know and yet RSCPA only prosecutes skinny dogs not these ones being fed to death. I posted a picture on the weekend of my dog, slightly overweight but can still see her ribs and muscle. Very rarely see a fit Labrador. 

[Lloyd90]

5 hours ago, WalkedUp said:

I know and yet RSCPA only prosecutes skinny dogs not these ones being fed to death. I posted a picture on the weekend of my dog, slightly overweight but can still see her ribs and muscle. Very rarely see a fit Labrador. 

 

Your dog is deffo not over weight   ... he might not be match fit / end of shooting season fit but he's still one of the best looking Weim's out there I reckon! 

 

I state of most of them it is bloody cruelty. The owners always say the same nonsence too ... "It's all muscle! Feel him? It's all solid!". 

 

Are they really that deluded? 

[Agriv8]

I got told off for my dog underweight according to the vet ( when I explained it was the 2 nd of Feb ) and she had worked hard on 4 out of the last 5 plus a bout of sickness that was going through the dogs on the shoot days at the end of the season I think she grasped that she was a proper working spaniel ( rather than the type she  normally saw ) and switched to enrichment of diet before working her.

Nipped her back the week after and vet said fantastic- perfect weight 

My pip at 2.5 still not overly food oriented!

but fat dogs especially those prone to hip issues is a real shame especially the cost of them these days !

Agriv8

[clangerman]

think it’s just as bad to see a working dog clearly under weight shot with a few who wonder why their bag of bones is flagging after just half a slab land rover won’t run on empty why should my dog 

[WalkedUp]

8 hours ago, clangerman said:

think it’s just as bad to see a working dog clearly under weight shot with a few who wonder why their bag of bones is flagging after just half a slab land rover won’t run on empty why should my dog 

I have honestly never, ever seen an underweight dog on a shoot that wasn’t a veteran at the end of its life. I’ve only been shooting for 20 years. I also can’t believe that an underweight dog would tire more quickly. Who is going to win a marathon or spirit between Mo Farah and Barry White? 

[Dave at kelton]

And it depends on a dogs metabolism and physique. Of my four working one is skinny no matter how much he eats, another is a lump if I am not careful and two in between. Yes there are very overweight dogs , belly’s scraping on the ground, but it is difficult to generalise. Mine will also all carry a little more weight now than when they have had a few weeks on the hill in September. That is fine by me as it is their off time.

[holloway]

I have an old springer that I can no longer work because of arthritis, his excercise has been restricted under veterinary advice so he has been getting a little stout lately although his food has also been reduced accordingly he still has good quality of life and seems happy,my other dog a lab Springer cross is an absolute nightmare to get food into ,a year old and she has no interest in food at all I have tried everything food changes etc ,she is to my eyes too thin but looks a picture of health with bright eyes and glossy black coat .

I like to think that I do my best for them but if you didn’t know there own personal problems you might come to the wrong conclusion about there health.

[Walker570]

Had ....oh I can't remember.. maybe 14 -15 dogs over the years from corgi cattle dogs, sheep dogs, working labs and viszlas and non have ever been overweight even in old age.  Good food in right quantities and regular pleantyful running around enjoying themseleves.  The old adage..." They often grow like their owners "

[Agriv8]

3 hours ago, Walker570 said:

Had ....oh I can't remember.. maybe 14 -15 dogs over the years from corgi cattle dogs, sheep dogs, working labs and viszlas and non have ever been overweight even in old age.  Good food in right quantities and regular pleantyful running around enjoying themseleves.  The old adage..." They often grow like their owners "

Wallker 570 I hope not ( last sentence) I am suffering middle age spread and a beer belly. They have been a battle of mine for the last few years ! 
mrs Agriv8 recons this is contentment but I would like to disagree on a number of areas !

I will add that mine gets accused of being skinny the only time she runs out of steam is when it’s a long & cold (snow ) wet hards day ( mentally and physically) and most days I am bloody knackered as well !

Agriv8

 

[B725]

A lot of spaniels will fade if too cold and wet, a couple of years ago we were beating in really wet snow and it was bitterly cold by 1pm the spaniels were giving up to the point of a couple of them had to be carried back to the car's and these were fit dog's that would go all day even the guns had enough and called it a day. 

[Walker570]

Love that dog. Who couldn't with eyes like that.

[Agriv8]

10 hours ago, B725 said:

A lot of spaniels will fade if too cold and wet, a couple of years ago we were beating in really wet snow and it was bitterly cold by 1pm the spaniels were giving up to the point of a couple of them had to be carried back to the car's and these were fit dog's that would go all day even the guns had enough and called it a day. 

B725 - it’s a bit like lambs wet ok  dry cold again no problem but when she’s wet and cold working in an  icy wind she can’t restrain body heat. Plan to try feeding some pasta the night before if the weather looks wet and cold. She needs to be in shape as we need to see keeper of bingley moor as I’d like to take her beating there next August  ( very close to home ) . 

10 hours ago, Walker570 said:

Love that dog. Who couldn't with eyes like that.

She a bu66er for pulling that one the clever so and so. She will bring you here water bowel if empty and she is thirsty.

 

[12gauge82]

On 22/04/2022 at 07:05, WalkedUp said:

 I also can’t believe that an underweight dog would tire more quickly. Who is going to win a marathon or spirit between Mo Farah and Barry White? 

An underweight dog is no better than an overweight dog, it would simply matter by what degree. 

Quality of food makes a huge difference to, especially if they're fed a rubbish kibble like wagg and nothing else. 

[WalkedUp]

8 hours ago, 12gauge82 said:

On 22/04/2022 at 07:05, WalkedUp said:

 

An underweight dog is no better than an overweight dog, it would simply matter by what degree. 

That speaks like a man who doesn’t run a dog on a moor! A lean dog will work far better than a fat dog. Go watch a moorland field trial or the spring pointing, or even best yet go on a grouse count as an observer. Once you have worked dogs your eyes will be opened to so much that as a gun you simply cannot see. Same as how professional photographers can see the photograph not the image. 

[12gauge82]

4 minutes ago, WalkedUp said:

That speaks like a man who doesn’t run a dog on a moor! A lean dog will work far better than a fat dog. Go watch a moorland field trial or the spring pointing, or even best yet go on a grouse count as an observer. Once you have worked dogs your eyes will be opened to so much that as a gun you simply cannot see. Same as how professional photographers can see the photograph not the image. 

I'm not talking about a lean dog, you said an underweight dog. All the dogs I work are lean and in perfect condition, the dog I've got at the moment, every vet that's seen it has been amazed at how fit it is. 

An underweight dog is not fit and a seriously underweight dog would obviously be abuse and a medical emergency. 

[holloway]

As anyone who has worked with racehorses will know there is a massive difference between a fit horse (dog) and a thin horse (dog).They should not be confused.

[12gauge82]

2 hours ago, holloway said:

As anyone who has worked with racehorses will know there is a massive difference between a fit horse (dog) and a thin horse (dog).They should not be confused.

Sums it up perfectly 👌

[Lloyd90]

3 hours ago, holloway said:

As anyone who has worked with racehorses will know there is a massive difference between a fit horse (dog) and a thin horse (dog).They should not be confused.

Bang on 👍🏻

[WalkedUp]

I’ve seen plenty of skinny horses, but how many underweight dogs has anyone ever seen on a shoot?

[holloway]

2 hours ago, WalkedUp said:

I’ve seen plenty of skinny horses, but how many underweight dogs has anyone ever seen on a shoot?

Does it matter ?

[Lloyd90]

2 hours ago, WalkedUp said:

I’ve seen plenty of skinny horses, but how many underweight dogs has anyone ever seen on a shoot?

I’ve only really seen 3 over the years that  were looking thin to the point I had to say something.  
 

2 we’re at once, both the keepers dogs, both ran on the shoot 7 days a week, when they weren’t beating they were dogging in.

Covering many many miles every day,  they were what I would call too thin, and being out so much without sufficient time to rest up they were matted with scabs on their ears where they just keep nicking them in cover day after day. 

 

Me and my mate (who’s also a keeper) fed them our lunch. 
 

I would imagine the amount of work they did made it difficult… but anyone with that amount of work I’d like to think would swap between dogs to give them a well deserved day off. 
 

My mate who’s a keeper / pro dog trainer had a word and told them they want to sort it out

 

 

The other was a Labrador where it seemed quite clear the food being given to it was not agreeing with it. 
 

It was like it was spraying water out of its rear. When I commented to the owner he may want to try raw feeding or something else he commented that he couldn’t be bothered with it and would carry on with the cheap food he was already feeding. 
 

You can’t help some people. 

[Dave at kelton]

It really is a matter of balancing several things of which food is only one part of the equation. The others are activity levels, off time for R&R, weather, working terrain to name but a few. I noted it in particular when I moved up here to Scotland and started working my dogs on the hill, a very different and more demanding terrain to the manicured estates of the SE of England, for us all.

Not only did I have to change the way they worked but also their welfare standards. They were working more through a longer season in difficult and energy sapping terrain. It was wetter, colder and more demanding. All of the above had to be taken into account and including changing to a food that sustained them better and kept them in condition from 1 September to 29 February.

Some people simply do not understand, or have sufficient knowledge to balance all these points

[12gauge82]

Great Post above by Dave. 

Another one to add is bloat, it always amazes me the number of people unaware of the condition, even among the shooting community and the danger of feeding, particularly a large meal too close to strenuous exercise or work. I've known a handful of dogs succumb to it in my time and it's not a nice way for them to go, not to mention completly unnecessary. 

[worrall26]

On 20/04/2022 at 19:28, WalkedUp said:

I know and yet RSCPA only prosecutes skinny dogs not these ones being fed to death. I posted a picture on the weekend of my dog, slightly overweight but can still see her ribs and muscle. Very rarely see a fit Labrador.