Overweight is a global problem not just for humans, but for some pets as well. Meet dog breeds that get fat quickly.
Most of the time, dogs suffer from obesity, which negatively affects their health. And certain races are more prone to this than others. Meet dog breeds that get fat quickly.
Dog Breeds That Get Fat Quickly
Obesity is a big health problem for a dog and can have serious consequences, although sometimes it may seem like it’s not that serious.
There are certain breeds of dogs that are more prone to obesity than others, so if you are planning to have a dog, it is very important to know if they are at risk for developing weight problems.
In addition to inadequate or excessive diet, insufficient exercise is a key factor that makes some dog breeds more likely to gain weight than others.
This article lists breeds more prone to obesity than others, so you can take care of your pets and keep them healthy if they belong to one of them.
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1 – Pug
Dogs of this breed often gain extra weight due to their irrepressible appetite. Secondary causes of obesity in pugs can be:
- Hormonal disorders;
- Chronic stress;
- Endocrinological disorders.
Due to the peculiarities of the muzzle structure, they don’t run much, so a strict diet should be the only way to control weight. Pugs cannot eat treats.
If the obesity problem did not arise from overeating, the cause should be investigated by contacting a veterinarian.
2 – Basset Hound
These short-legged dogs do not feel full satiety and therefore want to eat constantly. Often family members feed them leftovers from their table, which is absolutely wrong.
Obesity in Basset Hounds leads to problems in the musculoskeletal system, which is associated with the special structure of their skeleton.
To avoid the problem of being overweight in these pets, owners need to feed them exclusively on dog food.
Dogs that get fat quickly: 3 – Dachshund
The Dachshund must be on the move to get rid of excess calories over time. Otherwise they will have spinal problems, in particular with the intervertebral discs.
Dachshund should not eat treats. It’s best to teach them to eat dog food, not to make them want to eat food from the owner’s table.
4 – Labrador: one of the dogs that get fat quickly
Excess weight in this breed does not always arise due to uncontrolled appetite or lack of physical activity.
In this case, hypothyroidism causes a slowdown in canine metabolism and contributes to the increase in adipose tissue.
Obesity negatively affects the activity and health of Labradors, which leads to the occurrence of several cardiovascular diseases.
To avoid these problems, you only need to feed the dog twice a day, as well as walk him every day for 1.5 to 2 hours.
5 – English Bulldog: one of the dogs that get fat quickly
Also, the cause of obesity in bulldogs can be stress, castration or hormonal disturbances and a sedentary lifestyle.
Being overweight can cause a range of health problems for these dogs, from diabetes to a weakened immune system.
To avoid these problems, English Bulldog owners should focus on the pet’s menu in the first place, excluding sweet and fatty foods.
Also, with these pets, you need to walk regularly and play outdoors.
6 – Boxer: one of the dogs that get fat quickly
For this reason, adults need to be fed twice a day, but for puppies and pregnant females, the number of feeds can be increased to 4-6.
You can prevent the problem of being overweight with regular exercise and systematic monitoring with your veterinarian.
7 – Rottweiler is one of the dogs that get fat quickly
Overfeeding and the predominance of fatty foods and carbohydrates in the diet, sooner or later, lead to obesity in these dogs.
With age, Rottweilers find it more difficult to engage in intense physical activity, so they just can’t get rid of the extra pounds on their own.
Furthermore, this breed is prone to hormonal disturbances, which are mainly associated with castration.
If you don’t adjust the Rottweiler’s menu in time and don’t pay proper attention to its health, you can unintentionally reduce the dog’s lifespan.
- Beagle
Despite the activity of this breed, Beaglesare usually overweight. First of all, this is due to your metabolism, which is somewhat retarded in nature. These dogs need frequent, long walks as they were originally bred to hunt small animals.
If you ignore active play and don’t allow the beagles to waste their energy, sooner or later they’ll start putting on excess weight. This, in turn, will cause a series of illnesses that will inevitably lead to a reduction of several years of life for the dog.
My dog is fat, what to do?
Canine overweight and obesity are one of the main chronic diseases that affect dogs today, causing arthritis, cardiovascular disease or decreased lung capacity of the pet, among many other pathologies.
Canine obesity is referred to when body weight exceeds the ideal by 20% or more.
Overfeeding and lack of physical activity largely explain most of the excess weight in our beloved pets. The calories you should spend on walking and playing accumulate in the body’s fatty tissues.
The first step we should take if our dog is fat is to take him to the vet.
Why? Because while lack of activity or poor diet are often the most common causes of dog excess weight, they’re not the only ones.
3 activity tips for obese dogs
Now that our dog has a proper diet, here are some tips to get him more active. Think that not only with food he will lose weight. It is also important that he exercise daily.
Before adding anything, know that exercise has to be progressive, especially in the first few days. Otherwise, he might even suffer from heart disease due to being overweight. Therefore:
- Start with short walks for the first few days, with a slow pace and a few minutes.
- As you see progress in your health and weight loss, increase your distance and travel time, and increase your pace.
- After the walk, let him play with something he likes, sniffing around and looking for things. In addition to serving as an activity, it will also help you to associate exercise with something fun.
How do you know that your dog is obese?
Over the years, pets lose their activity level and, as a result, reduce energy expenditure.
But age doesn’t just affect the animal, and so does its owner! Over the years, the owners have changed their lifestyle, increasing their sedentary lifestyle.
Adapting the quantity and quality of the diet to the energy needs of each case is essential for preventing overweight and obesity.
- That you are overfed: in addition to poor diet, even if you eat quality products, if you eat them in greater quantity than necessary, the feared excess weight can arise.
- Low qualityfood: low quality food, human food (very peppery and with a lot of salt for the dog), chemical snacks, etc.
- Lack of exercise:You may have little free time, but your pet needs to get out and get some exercise. Otherwise, not only will he gain weight, but he may also fall into depression, acquire bad habits, suffer from anxiety…
- Old age: As dogs get older, they have less energy to exercise, so they are less active and their weight increases.
- Animal Gender and Breed: In general, females are more prone to being overweight. There are also more predisposed races as we talked about earlier.
- Castration: Castration is another reason they can gain weight. By slowing down your metabolism, we have to adjust the diet to the new situation.
