When it comes to pooch plumpness, some dog breeds are more likely to be overweight than others, according to a recent study.
Researchers at Texas A&M University measured ‘food motivation’ by surveying more than 15,000 dog owners on their pets’ eating behaviours, as well as analysing veterinary records of each pupper’s weight.
So, a high food motivation score indicated that a dog liked to eat food (a lot) and was judged to be overweight by a vet.
The study found that sporting breeds – that is, spaniels, retrievers, setters and pointers – were 10 per cent more likely to have high scores, compared to mixed breed dogs. Most of the dogs in this category were labradors or golden retrievers.
Hound breeds came second, with a 5.3 per cent increased risk of high food motivation, versus mixed breeds. This group included greyhounds, dachshunds, beagles and basset hounds.
In contrast, non-sporting breeds were likely to have low scores; 4.1 per cent less likely than mixed breed dogs. The non-sporting category included a wide range of dogs, such as poodles, bulldogs, dalmatians and terriers.
“Overweight dogs are prone to numerous health problems, including skin disease, diabetes and arthritis,” said study author Dr Kate Creevy, chief veterinary officer of the Dog Aging Project and veterinary professor at Texas A&M University.
“It is imperative that veterinarians develop a better understanding of canine obesity and whether it may be linked to social, environmental or demographic factors so that we can give every dog the best possible quality of life.”
It wasn’t just a dog’s breed that made it more or less likely to be overweight; larger dogs were more likely to have high food motivation scores, compared to smaller dogs.
City-dwelling dogs were also more at risk of being overweight compared to their rural counterparts.
And dogs that lived in households with multiple canine family members were more likely to be overweight than dogs in single-pet households – and Creevy said this might be due to a lack of individual attention from their humans.
“It’s likely that these factors influence the amount of exercise that dogs get in addition to their access to food,” said Creevy. “Some dogs may seek food out of boredom, which may increase in environments where exercise and enrichment are less available.
“Additionally, owners with multiple dogs may choose certain feeding practices – including free feeding – out of convenience, which can lead to more food being available.”
To calculate each dog’s food motivation score, dog owners filled out a survey that measured their pets’ food responsiveness, fullness, pickiness, and interest in food.
This information was combined with veterinary records about each dog’s ‘body condition’, which is where a vet assesses a dog’s weight by feeling areas like its ribs and hips and judging how much fat has accumulated relative to its size.
This assessment helps the vet determine a dog’s body condition score (BCS).
“A BCS plays a key role in helping veterinarians communicate with owners about their dog’s weight, which is why we need to continue increasing use of these scores,” said Creevy.
So, if your Irish setter is a bit heavyset, what’s the solution? Well, it might take a bit of thought. Creevy said that canine weight loss interventions can often fail because the vet and owner are not on the same page.
“And given what we learned from this study, it’s also possible that some breeds require even stricter feeding practices,” she said.
That’s why the researchers advised talking to your vet, to get tailored recommendations for your furry friend – including the best kind of food, exercise routine and schedule to help them improve their health.
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