A fascinating piece of research undertaken by Kienzle et al (1998) says the following:
“The results of this survey indicate that owners of obese dogs tend to interpret their dog’s every need as a request for food. It appears that this is due, in part, to a transfer of their own health and eating habits, including a certain laziness and a lack of appreciation of the dog’s nutritional and health requirements. In counselling these owners, they should be encouraged to respond to the dog’s requests for attention not always with food, but more frequently with physical activities, such as brisk walks or regular play sessions. There will be benefit for both dog and owner.”
For me, there is absolutely no excuse for obesity in companion animals. Even those that have an underlying physical condition can be kept at a healthy weight by good nutritional management. I agree with the researcher’s findings above that obese animals are normally suffering from some kind of emotional displacement of their owners, including denial!
