Dog Weight

Young puppies are still developing physically, so strenuous or exhaustive exercise is out. However jogging with a dog is a great way to keep owner and animal in tip top shape.

What Age Can I Start Jogging With My Dog?

Generally, dogs are able to run for longer periods after the age of 7 months old.

Ideally you should speak with your vet and have your dog health checked.

For your dog to start jogging they'll need firm pads, this will come as they do more roadwork.

When jogging with your dog you should never let them run free if you intend to go to near busy roads, similarly it's always advisable to be extra vigilant early on with a dog new to jogging to ensure they are comfortable at the pace you intend to jog.

12 million UK pets are being fed too many fatty treats, including takeaways, cheese, crisps and cakes, often on a daily basis, which is fuelling the UK pet obesity epidemic. That is the finding of the biggest national pet health Report conducted by leading veterinary charity, PDSA. 
 
What is even more concerning, according to the animal health and welfare charity, is that 50% of owners say they think treats make their pet happy with just 2% confessing to feeling any guilt about feeding naughty treats. And with just one cube of cheese* given to a medium sized dog the equivalent of us eating four shortbread biscuits, half a margherita pizza, or one and a half burgers, PDSA is urging owners to give their companions’ diets a health MOT to prevent long-term, life-threatening illness for the nation’s pets.
 
In response to these worrying statistics, PDSA is launching its annual search to find the UK’s most overweight pets with the worst diets and help them slim down and get fit as part of its pet slimming competition, Pet Fit Club. People can enter at www.pdsa.org.uk/petfitclub.
 
Dogs, just over six million of them, are fed the greatest amount of junk food with 90% of dog owners admitting that cheese, toast, crisps, biscuits, takeaways, cakes and other fatty treats form part of their doggy’s diets. Cats have the second worst meal plans with 43% being given fatty treats (over five million). Rabbits have the least amount of junk foods (26%) but even so, this still equates to over 430,000 bunnies eating a diet that includes toast, biscuits, cake, cheese and crisps – a far cry from the hay, fresh greens and rabbit nuggets that they should consume.
 
The groundbreaking PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report**, the largest of its kind ever to assess and measure the health and welfare standards of dogs, cats and rabbits, was produced in conjunction with YouGov and involved 11,000 pet owners. The Report lifts the lid on all aspects of pet wellbeing, and when it comes to what our pets are eating, millions of pets are set to develop obesity related, life-threatening illnesses if their diets don’t improve.
 
29% of owners admit to feeding treats, often on a daily basis, which suggests pet waistlines are set to continue to expand. Dog obesity levels are now higher than human obesity figures. Data from the Department of Health show that a quarter of Brits are now overweight. But dog obesity is much higher and currently stands at around 35% (one-in-three), which is a rise of 14% over the past four years***.
 
Regional overview:
Overall, pets in Wales and the North West fare the worst with 67% fed on unsuitable foods. In contrast, pets in London have the least fatty treats (53%).
 
When it comes to assessing dog, cat and rabbit diets individually across the regions, dogs get the most fatty foods of all the species assessed across the UK; the worst diets are fed in Yorkshire and Humberside where 92% are given junk food on a regular basis. Londoners feed the least amount of fatty dog treats but the figure is still a staggering 88%. 
 
Yorkshire and Humberside cats are in need of the biggest diet overhaul with 48% lapping up junk food. The least fatty feline diets are in London and the East Midlands (39% & 40%).
 
Bunnies in the East Midlands (30%) hop in with the worst diets, while those in Yorkshire and Humberside are likely to be a bit healthier with 15% fed on fatty treats.
 
According to PDSA, the PAW Report provides the most compelling evidence to date that too many people are sharing junk food with their pets and putting their furry companions’ long-term health at risk.  PDSA Senior Vet, Sean Wensley says: “With so many pets being fed inappropriate diets, the effect on their health is devastating. Many owners may think that their favourite treats are harmless to pets. This is not the case. Pets need diets that are suitable for their species, age and body-size. As in humans, unsuitable diets containing lots of unhealthy food items are linked to medical conditions including diabetes, arthritis and heart disease.”
 
Dr Alex German, leading animal obesity specialist at University of Liverpool Veterinary School says:
 
“PDSA’s Report reveals some very worrying findings. The use of inappropriate treats is particularly concerning, especially the frequency with which these are being given. Although there are many contributing factors to pet obesity, inappropriate feeding habits, especially the use of unbalanced foodstuffs as treats, is a major concern in the ongoing rise of pet obesity.”
 
PDSA’s current pet slimming champions are Labrador, Lucky (5) from Cardiff and Rottweiler Maddison (8) from Liverpool. With PDSA’s help these two pets have lost around 25kg, the equivalent weight to around eight Yorkshire terriers. Both hounds were morbidly obese when they started PDSA Pet Fit Club back in December 2010.
 
Lucky’s owner, Alyson King, who also went on a joint weight-loss journey with Lucky and lost an incredible five stone in six months, says: “I’m sure if Lucky could talk he’d say how much happier he is now that he’s slimmed down and would urge other pet owners to help their pets get fitter too. Working with PDSA really helped me to stay focused and I would highly recommend anyone with an overweight pet to enter Pet Fit Club. It really could make the difference between life and death for your pet. As for me, I’ve got fitter too, so I hope our story encourages others to take part.”
 
PDSA’s pet obesity advice clinic – top tips:

    Preventing obesity is much easier than getting a pet to lose weight. A good diet when a pet is young is essential.  Young overweight dogs are one and a half times more likely to become fat adults****.
    Watch out for the treats: feeding a pet even a small treat can significantly increase their daily calorie intake. If you give your pet a treat, perhaps for training purposes, reduce the amount given in their main meal on that day.
    Weight loss requires a combination of the right diet and the right amount of exercise, so discuss an exercise programme for your pet with your vet. Build up exercise gradually, as a pet shouldn’t go from couch potato to marathon runner overnight.
    PDSA advises pet owners to speak to their vet about the right shape for their pet. A pet’s shape gives a good indication of the amount of body fat the pet is storing. Many owners aren’t aware of what a healthy shape is for their pet.
    PDSA offers owners advice and guidance on a correct body shape for their pet at www.pdsa.org.uk/obesity.
    Some owners are worried about seeking advice for their overweight pet for fear of being prosecuted. However, cases of prosecution for pet obesity are very rare and are usually a result of owners habitually ignoring advice from their vet over a period of time.
    In some pets, such as cats and rabbits, weight loss must be very gradual. If these pets lose weight too quickly, it can be fatal.

Government Barking Up The Wrong Tree On Fat Pets says Catherine O’Driscoll, Canine Health Concern

New codes of practice state that people who refuse to put seriously fat pets on a diet could be prosecuted under the Animal Welfare Act, facing a fine of up to £20,000 or 12 months in jail. Proposed legislation fails to take into account the role of the pet food manufacturing industry, which sells junk food laden with unnecessary grains and sugars. Junk food causes obesity in pets.

The result of poor quality junk foods are just the same for pets as they are for humans. You end up with obese but malnourished individuals, prone to chronic illness and early death.

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In the past few years drugs companies, TV shows and book publishers have all made moves into a rapidly emerging area of the British dog ownership market. All are keen to tap into a growing trend which has been expanding every year for the past decade. And expanding really is the best placed adjective to describe what’s happening. Britain’s dogs are getting fat, they’re dying and the cause is, quite simply, their owners.

Picture in your mind, if you can stomach the thought, an image of an abused dog.

What do you see?

A timid, cowering bundle of bones, wide eyed and frightened of its own shadow?

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Vet charity PDSA has today revealed the 11 supersized pets set to undergo a major transformation as they embark on the charity’s annual slimming competition – PDSA Pet Fit Club.

The overweight finalists, comprising five ‘huge hounds’ and six ‘mega moggies’, have been put on a strict diet and exercise plan by the charity’s vets to help them slim down to a healthier weight and improve their life expectancy.

The combined total of this year’s finalists excess weight amounts to nearly 87kg which equates to the weight of 290 tins of pet food, 19 average sized cats or 6 medium sized dogs*.

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Check the colour and odour of your dog's meat. Whatever type (fresh or defrosted frozen), it should be moderately bright in colour. It should not appear darkened, black or crusty. Nor should the meat appear weakly coloured, or look as though food colouring had been added, making it artificially red. Place the meat on a dish and check the "blood" collected at the bottom. The meat should be richly dark in colour with an invitingly fresh scent, not rancid of odour. If the meat you feed does not meet these standards, find another brand.

Simply because a canned food is expensive does not necessarily mean it is good. Meat should be palatable and nutritious. Some readily available products have little nutritional value. Foods that look palatable to you, and that your dog relishes, are not always the best to feed. Some of these canned products list, for example, carrots, peas and corn, which unprocessed are completely not digestible.

Cooked or raw, these vegetables exit your dog's system in the same recognizable form by which they entered. Also try to avoid those cans that have a high amount of cereal content, artificial food colouring and water. Some canned foods are approximately 70% water! This narrows your choice on your grocer's shelf. Generally select the commercially prepared foods packaged by reputable companies which are available nationwide.

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If you have a dog that suddenly develops a higher than normal thirst level or urination, it's important to keep a close eye for signs of diabetes.

Many people are unaware that diabetes in dogs is a serious and potentially fatal disease, but it can be prevented if the symptoms are recognised early.

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