Canine obesity affects over half of UK pet dogs and is associated with reduced lifespan, chronic pain, and diminished quality of life, yet is largely preventable with appropriate feeding and exercise.
Canine obesity is both common and serious, yet owners frequently fail to recognise their dog as overweight because they are normalised to heavy dogs in their social environment. The welfare consequences of obesity are substantial and long-lasting: chronic pain from arthritis exacerbated by excess weight, difficulty breathing and thermoregulating, and reduced ability to exercise and engage in natural behaviour. The single most welfare-positive intervention for an obese dog is effective weight reduction, which consistently improves mobility, energy, and apparent wellbeing. Owner education about body condition scoring and appropriate portion sizes is the foundation of obesity prevention.