When is it okay to tell someone that their dog is fat? Is it ever okay? Is it not a big deal at all? Is it the same as telling someone that their child is fat? As I think about this, I remember one time, on a walk with Wyatt and Maverick (my second dog at the time), a man was walking towards us and made a comment about Wyatt's weight. Though I can't remember it verbatim, it was something to do with him not going hungry and ended with "plumpy." Plumpy? Now, admittedly, at the time, Wyatt was plumpy. He is technically a pit bull - American bulldog mix and was kind of a rolly-polly fellow. I fed him high-quality food, never fed him "people food" or excessive snacks, he got at least two hours of exercise EVERY day, either walking or running, and played ball like a mad man, so I truly thought that the bulldog in him lent that "sausage" shape. What could I have been doing wrong - he was the fittest dog I knew? Well, when he was 5 or so, he started coming up lame on his hind leg. I had just lost my lab Maverick to osteosarcoma (bone cancer) which had presented in the same fashion, so I was quick get Wyatt's issue diagnosed and treated. Thankfully, it wasn't cancer, but it did turn out that he has severe hip dysplasia. One of the first things the vet, who was new to me, told me was that Wyatt needed to lose at least 10 pounds so as to relieve his hips of the extra weight. 10 POUNDS?? I couldn't believe it. I plead my case, explaining that he was just a plumpy sausage by nature and that there was NO WAY I'd be able to shave ten pounds off of him. At the time, Wyatt was about 76 pounds and the vet was telling me that his ideal weight was more somewhere in the range of 63-65 lbs. He asked me how much I fed him: I was feeding him a total of three cups a day. He told me that I was over-feeding; that a good rule of thumb is to feed 1 cup for every 30 pounds of dog - IDEAL weight, that is. According to this new information, I was feeding for a 90-pound dog, when I should have been feeding for a 65 lb dog (give or take a pound). So, I cut back from 3 cups a day to two (and he told me that those cups could be heaping since he didn't need to be right at 60 lbs.) Who would have thought that one measly cup of food (less actually, since I went ahead and fed heaping cups) would make that big of a difference?? In less than three months, he weighed 64 lbs. The vet had been right - he HAD been fat! I couldn't believe how much extra weight Wyatt had been carrying around. It's three years later and Wyatt is still under 70 pounds, usually coming in around 67 pounds or so. I am so thankful for that vet's advice - between dog-trainers, doggie websites, and feeding guides on the backs of food bags (PLEASE DO NOT EVER FOLLOW the feeding guidelines on the back of the bag without consulting your veterinarian as they are almost always way off), it is almost impossible to figure out the right amount to feed. The 1 cup for every 30 pounds of ideal weight is a rule I will follow with every dog of mine in the future.
So, back to my original question.. is it okay to tell someone that their dog is fat? In my case, it came from a vet so it didn't upset me. It was, in fact, information that was critical to my dog's health so I was fortunate to hear it; no previous vet had made mention of Wyatt's weight. The guy on the street telling me my dog was plumpy? Actually, that didn't bother me either. Truth be told, it made me laugh - my friends and I referred to Wyatt as Plumpy from there on out. I know, however, that this can be a touchy subject for some. Tonight, I told my brother and his wife that their 10-month-old puppy was fat. As soon as it came out of my mouth, I felt bad because I know how defensive this can make people. Yet, I felt it important to discuss; she is a large breed dog, which makes her more susceptible to joint problems, so keeping her weight in check is important. My brother and his wife took it in stride, laughed a bit and had a couple of questions, and I know that they trust me and trust that I know what I am talking about. However, I worry that as they drive home tonight, they may talk about what a bitch I am for calling their dog fat... Is it okay to tell someone that their dog is fat? I don't know...
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