Two Million British dogs are overweigh.

[Gromit]

Are owners who over feed their dogs and do not take them for enough exercise, cruel and should they be banned from keeping a dog?

or

Just ignorant fools who are probably obese themselves?

or

Do you have another opinion...?

[robotics]

LOL the Animal Welfare Act was brought in to tackle this cruelty.....An obese dog is neglect IMO

and the owners are Just ignorant fools. killing there dogs IMO

[leelapops]

Both, Gromit. If a dog was as much underweight as some are overweight, then the law would be on them like a ton of bricks...
Overfeeding a dog is a failure to take into account its needs, and can have dire consequences for its health. Joint problems and heart strain are just a couple of examples. It's not fair to a dog to overfeed it; as owners, we are responsible for all a dog's needs. It can't feed itself, so we feed it, and we need to ensure we are feeding our pets correctly. So it might look at you yearningly when you are tucking into your roast dinner; it's no excuse for giving scraps, leftovers and in some cases buying whole meals just for the dog!

It's not a case of meanness; I treat Jack, sometimes with cooked meat, sometimes with gluten-free dog treats (due to his "condition"!), but I balance that by feeding him less at meal times if this is the case, so he is still taking in roughly the same amount. He also receives daily exercise.

As robotics says, owners who overfeed their pets are killing them with kindness. I carry a little extra weight (!) and this is MY fault, and MY concern, because I am responsible for what I choose to eat. My dog isn't.

Great question :) x

[ruby27]

I am reluctant to use the word cruel as this to me seems to indicate some intentionality which I don't think is the case. I think its due to people themselves enjoying food and probably not a lot of exercise, so like to 'treat' their dog to food as they themselves enjoy a treat.

Also, given many dogs do eat with such gusto, it is very rewarding to the human to see the dog eating up and apparently enjoying and appreciating what it has been given.

Additionally all my dogs have managed to look beseeching when I have been eating, so it has been difficult to resist giving that extra tidbit.

But, on the whole I think people are 'deaf' to the health advice for humans and play down their own health risks associated with their own obesity, so feel comfortable if all the family is well rounded with a hearty appetite as this is supposedly synonymous with being happy and content

However as robotics and leelapops point out, it is terribly harmful and any responsible person would curb their temptation and show true love by keeping the dog slim.

[leelapops]

ruby, you make a really good point! Overfeeding is much more a product of love than cruelty, which like you say suggests a level of maliciousness.

I just wish people could see what they do-just saw first night of Crufts highlights, and there was a "fit club" piece, with a small dog, aged 13, who had been 20 kg before losing weight. HOW had she got so big?!
I would love to give Jack treats and titbits all the time. I just have to be really disciplined. Much more disciplined than I in my own eating habits! In a way, it is fortunate that he is gluten intolerant, as it means I can't pass him sausage rolls as treats!

x

[lankeela]

This is one of my pet hates - particularly when insurance companies and veterinary product manufacturers sponsor competitions for dogs who lose lots of weight - prosecute the owners instead of rewarding them! What I cannot understand is how people moan about the cost of good quality dog food, then waste so much money overfeeding them what in most cases is a load of cr*p. Save yourself money and feed them well but less, then you won't have a problem.