Woman sent to prison over dog obesity charges

Introduction

A new Zealand woman has been sentenced to several months in prison for allowing her dog to become so obese that he can no longer walk. The dog, named Nuggi, weighed approximately 118 pounds, which isn’t considered overweight for certain larger breeds but Nuggi appears to be a medium sized mixed breed of some type whose optimal weight is probably less than half his current weight.

The Broader Issue

Nuggi’s severe case of dog obesity highlights a greater problem with cat and dog obesity which also heavily impacts pets in the US. In 2022, 61% of cats and 59% of dogs were estimated to be overweight or obese. Like their human counterparts, pets also suffer from obesity related health issues which include heart conditions, joint issues, etc., which can result in lower life expectancy and higher vet costs over the course of their lives.

Personal Experience with Dog Obesity

My dog, a 3-year-old European Doberman, ballooned up to approximately 115 pounds this spring while I was busy and didn’t have time to walk him as much as he needed. He wears that weight well and by most people’s standards he would like a solid but not overweight dog but his optimal weight, where you can see the bottom couple of ribs and he has an athletic contour with flared out ribs if you’re looking at him from the top, is about 95 pounds. (He is back to ~95 pounds now, FYI).

Recommendations for Weigh Loss

We’re so accustomed to overweight dogs that we don’t actually recognize what obesity looks like. The majority of my dog sitting clients have overweight dogs and the reason is pretty obvious: they’re overfed and under exercised. More people than you would think free feed their dogs, which is always tough if you’re trying to get feeding instructions. I do not free feed guest dogs while they are at my house and have been clear with owners that I need to have them on a schedule and try to get their buy in on how much their dog should actually be eating. I use the dog food bag as a guide and adjust slightly based on activity level/hunger level. Also, remember that dog treats are calories and factor that into their overall feeding plan.

Walking your dog is a great activity to make sure you’re dog is getting adequate exercise but it is slightly lower value than running and playing with new dogs or just sprinting in an open field for a few minutes. You’ll find that your overweight dog is going to tire quickly and that will keep them manageable for the rest of the day.

Conclusion

Obesity in dogs is slightly easier to solve in dogs than humans because we can control exactly how much our dogs eat and they generally are eager for exercise so plan your dog’s feedings, calculate their caloric needs, and make sure to give them plenty of exercise. Problem solved.