Canine obesity affects over one third of pet dogs in some countries, causing joint pain, reduced lifespan, and multiple chronic diseases that significantly reduce quality of life.
Canine obesity is a welfare crisis driven by human decisions about feeding. An overweight dog carries additional load on joints already predisposed to arthritis, breathes with more effort, tolerates heat less well, and develops metabolic diseases earlier. The welfare harm is chronic and progressive. Many owners genuinely do not recognize obesity in their dogs because overweight bodies have become normalized. Veterinary guidance, owner education about body condition scoring, and replacing food-based affection with activity-based bonding are the keys to addressing this widespread welfare problem.