puppy obesity


Dogs are adorable and lovable, no matter their size, breed or sex. Despite this, we have to keep in mind that although a chunky dog might be cute, we’re setting them up for more health issues down the road. Obesity is the most common preventable disease in North American dogs, with over half of dogs being overweight.

Obesity shortens a dog’s lifespan anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. Obese dogs also have an increased risk of cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis and other chronic health conditions. 

You can monitor your young dog for obesity at home by learning how to assess their body condition. Viewed from both the side and the top, your dog should have a waist that tucks in. The ribs should be easily felt if you rub your hand along them, but they should not be visible. Your veterinarian will also perform body condition scores on your pet when they come in for appointments to monitor their weight. Your VCA care team is happy to review at-home body condition monitoring with you.

Even though your puppy may be very good at begging for food, you’re helping them by resisting those puppy eyes, even if they don’t appreciate it! Aside from monitoring your pet’s body condition, you can also prevent obesity by:

  • Avoiding free feeding: Free feeding is when you give your pet free access to a large amount of food. You may think they’re eating less because they sometimes appear to graze throughout the day, but without measuring how much they actually eat, you won’t know. Free feeding is one of the greatest risks for obesity. Instead, we recommend feeding at least two measured meals per day.
  • Limiting treats: Treats should not make up more than 10% of your pet’s calories. You can choose low-calorie treats or break larger treats into smaller pieces to provide more treats without overdoing it.
  • Restricting table scraps: Tables scraps can easily contribute calories to your pet’s daily intake. Not to mention, some table scraps can cause gastrointestinal upset, particularly if they’re fatty. Others, like grapes or foods containing onions or garlic, are toxic to dogs.
  • Increasing physical activity: Keep your dog physically active! Your pup makes an excellent walking or jogging buddy. A good game of fetch can really wear your dog out, too. Just make sure that you get your dog’s exercise plans approved by your veterinarian. Some dogs, especially giant breeds, may still have some activity restrictions while they’re continuing to grow. 
  • Asking your veterinarian for your pet’s calorie requirement: Food bags do have guidelines for what to feed your pet based on weight, but your veterinarian can calculate a target caloric amount that’s specific to your pet. 
  • Using interactive feeding toys: These toys require your pet to work for their food. Your dog will eat more slowly while being forced to expend more calories!

We understand that weight loss isn’t easy. If you have any questions about obesity in dogs or need support managing your pet’s weight, don’t hesitate to reach out to your VCA care team. 

Learn the “hand test” for monitoring your dog’s body condition score.