Yes because 90% of dogs in the US are at least slightly overweight to obese.

 

I love your response. you should say it next time! I bet it shuts them up.

 

Pft, I get that all.the.time, especially in regards to Piper, who looks like this currently:

Granted, she could stand to gain a couple pounds, but someone once told me to put 15lbs. on her! Uh.. I like her not looking like a big blue hippo, thanks.

Had a vet tell me that Wilson needed to gain 10lbs. once too.. ugh.

 

I think she looks very fit, with all the obvious muscling.

 

Lol my newest girl is a foster failure and when she first got here I planned to take a couple pounds off her, my sister came over to meet her and asked if she was neglected because she was so thin. I get the same thing from her with my cat all the time because hers are like 10 pounds overweight and mine is kept lean so she must be starving.

 

Drives me nuts. And I'm literally laughing out loud from "big blue hippo" LOL

 

LOL, glad it was good for a laugh. But really, a lot of the American Bully type dogs (which is what Piper is) really look like hippos! It's disgusting.

Piper is stunning and has excellent body condition!!! Lean, muscular...what would you want to change about that?!

I don't understand logic when it comes to dog body weight. We live in a society where thin, muscular people are idolized and looked up to...something we normal people strive for LOL.

But when it comes to dogs...most people who see lean and muscular dog think that it needs to gain weight.

Just doesn't make sense AT ALL!

Thanks!

I've never thought of it that way, but what you said makes a lot of sense.

Try having a sight hound at "proper" weight. Not only do you get questioned, but sometimes accused of neglecting/abusing your dog.

I can't even imagine.. I was at an AKC Match show recently and there was a group of Afghan's there. Quite a few people (spectators, no one that was showing) were whispering on the sidelines about how "skinny" the dogs were.

 

Piper is stunning and has excellent body condition!!! Lean, muscular...what would you want to change about that?!

I don't understand logic when it comes to dog body weight. We live in a society where thin, muscular people are idolized and looked up to...something we normal people strive for LOL.

But when it comes to dogs...most people who see lean and muscular dog think that it needs to gain weight.

Just doesn't make sense AT ALL!

 

Try having a sight hound at "proper" weight. Not only do you get questioned, but sometimes accused of neglecting/abusing your dog.

 

You are right people just don't get it with dogs. My greyhound is carrying a bit of extra weight, you can still see outline of his ribs but from the top looking down at him he is a bit sausagey and two greyhound owners have told me so I have cut back on his food slightly and we'll see what happens. Yes here too I see far too many chubby dogs waddling around, especially labradors, they seem to the worst for some reason.

 

Because labs will eat anything and everything until they explode. They never stop being hungry.
When Knight was much younger (though not a puppy) I got the joy of cleaning up around 60 cents in change that he'd vomited up.
If they can eat it, they will. All of it.
(and people take this as "he's hungry, feed him more!")

 

I agree with the labs being the worst thing. Same around here too. I have never seen a fit, lean lab. I think it's probably because most people get them thinking they are such adorable puppies and such beautiful dogs but don't realize how much exercise they need. In one of Minnie's classes now, she has 3 labs.....only a year old, and hugely obese. It's sad.

I don't know how many times I have been asked about Minnie's weight. My sister even told me that a fatter dog means it's loved more... and why don't I just feed her a cheeseburger from Burger King? :suspicious: :shocked:

People.

 

I agree with the labs being the worst thing. Same around here too. I have never seen a fit, lean lab. I think it's probably because most people get them thinking they are such adorable puppies and such beautiful dogs but don't realize how much exercise they need. In one of Minnie's classes now, she has 3 labs.....only a year old, and hugely obese. It's sad.

What people don't realize is that for a breed like labs, which are prone to joint issues anyways, carrying even 5 lbs of extra weight can be devastating to the dog's joint health. Most people I know like their labs a little chunky because that's the way they think they're supposed to be. Especially the owners of the English or bench bred labs...they'll say "He/she is English, he's supposed to be shorter, stockier and heavier." Ah yeah....NO. Both of my girls are English labs-they're shorter, yes. They're stockier and blockier, yes. But they're not heavier. It's so unhealthy for them to carry any extra weight....

Here's my fit, lean lab Moka....she's 2 years old, 17" talland weighs 50.4 lbs:

And here is my other fit lab, Java. She is 20.5" tall and weighs 58 lbs at 2 1/2 years old:

I do agree with you though...the majority of the labs I see around us are overweight and as a lab lover I find it so sad.
Many of those lab owners do comment on how "skinny" my girls are. My girls are bench/English labs, so they're supposed to be shorter and stockier, which people point out. Shorter and stockier does not mean FAT though...

 

I think a really interesting example is Abbie's sister.


Dunno if any remember but last week I think it was, I posted how Abbie reunited somewhat randomly with her littermate from Arkansas. The dog is a hippo. ABbie is GORGEOUS imo. Lean, muscular....her sister is 68lbs. Abbie is 32. They are the same height or pretty damn close to it!

 

I have gotten that alot with my puppy Barney. The vet said he could gain a few pounds but not much.I can see the look in people's eyes when they rub his rib cage. My vet said people do not even know what puppies should look like they think rolly polly means healthy.

 

I get it a lot. Usually by people whose dogs look like this...

...so I can hardly take them seriously.
But when other people have fit dogs, they compliment... it's always nice to see dogs in good body condition.

 

I get comments ALL the time. I actually think Deeken could lose about 3 pounds but people are so used to seeing obese labs that I guess he looks too skinny in comparison even when he needs to lose a few. This is him at 64 lbs (I prefer 61ish) and according to one lady last week, "I'm starving him to death "

 

I get it all the time with both Ziva & Zoey, shellie too sometimes, and they are all at a good 'lean' body weight. I haven't taken them to see the new 'vet' I work for yet, and am pretty sure they will tell me Ziva & Zoey need to gain weight....Ziva fluctuates but Zoey doesn't need an oz on her. Shellie is hard to keep lean due to low thyroid.

 

No one would ever say my dogs are too thin, dang it. But I am looking forward to the day when someone says that!! I will take it as a compliment.

 

I'm already battling with my parents to stop feeding Tucker so much. When I left for school there was a 1/4 cup scoop in his food bin. I come home and there is a 1/3 cup scoop in the bin. I switch it, tell mom the wrong scoop was being used, and remind her how much he should be getting (1/4 in the evening, 1/8 in the morning, both mixed with wet food). The next day I go to feed him and the 1/3 cup is back in there *sigh*. He's by no means fat, but he certainly isn't ideal, I should be able to feel those ribs a lot easier. My parents think he'll be hungry, they forget the reason I cut back on his food originally was because he wouldn't touch his breakfast and took forever to eat dinner. He doesn't even act hungry before a meal. But they still feel bad.

I get regularly accused of starving Willie, as you can see he's wasting away:

 

I get regularly accused of starving Willie, as you can see he's wasting away:

Looks quite like my cat's body shape! She is quite lean (when scratching her back you can feel her ribs and hip bones easily, just can't see them coz of the fur), and I love her that way, instead of being a big fat pudgy cat. But it's not really my doing - she free feeds lol so just never over-eats, so good for her lol

As for Duke, he's a lot skinnier than most labs I know, and I'm trying to lean him down a bit more. When I get him to a body shape I'm happy with, I'll try get some good photos to show how a big furry lab can look lol

 

Yes I get it all the time. Avery was playing with his buddy Bella and I just had to ask how much she weighed because she is just now starting to look a bit pudgy. The response was 67lbs...67lbs?!?! The vet actually told her she would fill out more and that its the "bulldog" in her.

Bella and Avery are nearly the same size in height and length...heck I think Avery is taller than her. Avery is only 53lbs and granted he probably should be closer to 60 than 50....but 67lbs and still gaining. Do vets make any sound recommendations anymore????

And of course she said something about Avery being thin...

 

"Your dog is too fat!"

 

My sister gets this A LOT. They have a pound pup that they strongly suspect is a Saluki mix. His hip bones stick up, ribs show but he has muscle, looks great other wise, eats his food and has a shiny coat. I'm pretty sure he is just built that way.

People are always telling her "you need to feed your dog"

My other sister has a pug. She always gets compliments about how "it's nice to see a fit pug" or "he looks so athletic". He does look pretty good compared to all the butterball pugs I've seen. He has a tuck up and a waist. Good muscle and a great coat.

 

Yes, every single walk. I have a dog who is skinny:

BUT... she has a fair amount of muscle, too.

 

"But.. why does he look all, skinny? You can see his ribs and feel them and stuff.." Because Hunny, he isnt obese like your dog. "Oh well I just meant he doesnt look all pudgy and stuff, he looks to skinny" *facepalm* He is healthy, look at how he can walk and not pant and get tired.. now look at your dog. "Yea well at least I love mine" :twitch:

And Bear is a little chubby for my liking..

 

idk ive got various responses about wisntons weight two people have told me he's skinny, but ive heard from others that ''he definitely doesn't miss his meals'' frankly i am shocked winston is only 105 pounds he looks just as big as any of the 160 pyrs on youtube

 

A friend of mine (a new friend who actually does stuff with their dog and is switching to PMR! yay!) and I were discussing this last week! I especially get comments with Bambi as she's quite lean. The vet said she looks great but could gain another lb (I actually tried but she self-regulates her food). He said it's fine if her weight is stable, though (it is).

Luckily, the Cockers are usually fluffy enough that it's not easy to tell anyway .

When I was younger I remember getting upset thinking that my Dachshund, Rocky, was too skinny. He was extremely muscular but had lost some weight and looked skinny to me...probably from seeing so many overweight Dachshunds. I brought him to the vet, an older guy, and he was thrilled! He said something along the lines of "He looks perfect to me and the first Dachshund I've seen in years that isn't overweight!"

 

I don't know how you would tell if a Great Pyrenees was skinny or fat. I saw one in PetSmart and he was all hair

And I believe it about the dachshunds because of Snorkels, but there are two that go to our dog park that are absolutely perfect. They run alot, too.

 

The more I think about this, the more it infuriates me. If you want to see a skinny dog...google image search "emaciated dog"

Maybe all of us who get accused of starving our dogs should carry pictures like one below around to prove that in fact we DO feed our dogs enough and that there ARE truly dogs starving out there. That maybe those people should put their efforts elsewhere, rather than bullying people who DO take exceptional care of their dogs...maybe even donate their money to a worthy cause????

It only takes the simple look of someone with half a brain cell to see that these dogs have NO muscle build at all. Dogs who are starving or even actually too "thin" have trouble keeping good muscle tone.

 

Dogs who are starving or even actually too "thin" have trouble keeping good muscle tone.

THANK YOU x a million!

This is my emaciated Boxer. According to one woman at the dog park, I really ought to feed her. According to a snob at a pet expo, If I love her, I'd get some weight on her poor bones. According to MANY I've run into, she's just far too thin.

Just so you know, I NEVER feed her, she has NO energy.. and really lacks muscle tone. [sarcasm]