# Are senior dogs naturally plump?



## GSDkid (Apr 19, 2011)

Plump as in their weight. My trainer fosters/rescues many seniors or injured GSD's. She currently has 3 seniors in her care and they are PLUMP! Huge! This is the first dog I've ever owned so I apologize for my reaction. These dogs look like they'd easily be categorized as obese! I did notice throughout all of her dogs, the younger ones are very fit and lean but as you looked through the ages, they got bigger and bigger. My brother's girlfriend's brother-in-law has a GSD and is about 5 years now and is a little bigger than Abby too! 

This is a dumb question and again, I'm sorry that I have to ask because this is my first time owning a dog. Is this normal?


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## nitemares (Dec 15, 2005)

I have noticed that a lot of older dogs tend to be plump, but i think this is due to the fact the the older the dog the less active they are yet they are given the same amount of food. could be the reason why. I usually notice it in smaller dogs though.


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

Many dogs will start losing some of that puppy energy and maturing around 1-3. They will also start filling out and losing the lanky look around this time which can make them look heavier. Older dogs will be prone to hip, joint, elbow, spinal issues which reduces their exercise capabilities. Owners don't compensate by reducing food for their dog's reduced activity and metabolism which can lead to weight gain as the dog gets older. Much like a human. Think about what happens as we develop from child to adolescent to adult to senior. Kids and teenagers can eat tons and be thin as a rail. But when we hit our 20s, we start putting on the weight, aren't as active, continue to eat like we did, weight is harder to get off as you get older because metabolism slows down and you end up with an overweight adult.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Dogs shouldn't be plump no matter what the age. We have a 12 1/2 yr old Boxer and it's all about adjusting intake to output.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Their bodies change, they start to slow down and the owner feeds the same amount of food, adjustments should be made and the food descreased.

My partents senior mix breed gained alot of weight, I had not seen her in like six months and was shocked when she came waddeling towards me. I think my shock was apparent because my mom noticed. In a nice way I suggested just cutting back on her food daily, my parents did and she safely shed pounds. They also started walking her, short walks that increased. They have alot of property that's fenced in and thought she was getting alot of exercise, again kindly reminded my parents that she doesn't go outside and run laps around the yard. LOL

I'm proud of them, they broke habits they had with feeding her and she looks great!


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Rocky has gained 3-4 pounds in the last 5-6 years. With a young dog, I'm kind of a nazi about being able to see their last couple of ribs, see their ribs when they run, etc. With a senior I feel that may be a bit too lean, but he still definitely has a noticeable waistline with a nice "tuck" I have cut way back on his food as he's slowing down and he still gets appropriate exercise; he just lays on the couch a lot more than he did when he was younger.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Emoore, Rocky looks great


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## GSDkid (Apr 19, 2011)

Oh man! Then those senior dogs are waaaaaay overweight. I could see that their hips were really sore. They wanted to sit so bad but were too excited when they saw my girl. My trainer said one was 12 and the other was 15 and they're both rescues. Not sure how long she's had them though. Emoore, Rocky looks great compared to these 2 dogs I was referring to.


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## Clyde (Feb 13, 2011)

It is even worse for a senior dog to be over weight because of all the stress on their joints and they lose muscle mass so even worse for them to be carrying excess fat. People just don't understand they need to decrease food as the dog starts to put on the pounds.

It is not just a senior dog issue though seeing dogs come through a pet store I would say at least half the dogs I see are obese and the majority of the other half are over weight and their owners don't even realize it.

I saw a young dog with a blown knee whose owner was complaining that she thought this only happened to fat dogs. Well her dog was a good 10lbs overweight and she had no clue. You would think the vets would tell people but they are not.

Also a 20 month old Doberman whose owner was complaining that he has to feed more than is recommended on the bag. Well his dog is overweight!!! And then he says that his vet told him it is normal for Dobermans to not have solid poops. Ya think excessive feeding might have something to do with that

Really some people just have no clue.


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## GSDkid (Apr 19, 2011)

Clyde said:


> It is even worse for a senior dog to be over weight because of all the stress on their joints and they lose muscle mass so even worse for them to be carrying excess fat. People just don't understand they need to decrease food as the dog starts to put on the pounds.
> 
> It is not just a senior dog issue though seeing dogs come through a pet store I would say at least half the dogs I see are obese and the majority of the other half are over weight and their owners don't even realize it.
> 
> ...


Well, it definitely is bringing more business to the vets. That's for sure. lol. I hope the vet's are just forgetting to mention it. I notice they'll give their input only if you ask for it.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

I believe I have read that older dogs who are lean are more likely to bloat. Bloat and Bloat, the Mother of All Emergencies | The Bark Which is just something I like to have tucked away in my brain, but I still keep my dogs lean because it is so much better for their overall quality of life. 

Like people, their metabolisms slow down, and dogs can develop thyroid issues, which I think should almost be a routine screening for seniors who show any signs. Hypothyroidism in Dogs (tests: Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health and HEMOPET.HTM for two places to test). 

But no dogs should be overweight or obese if we are doing our jobs for them. 
Pet Obesity Prevention

And as I type this, I have one smaller dog who just turned 8 and who is needing to drop about 1-2# (which is something for a 36# dog) through exercise mostly - because it looks like that kind of weight.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Jax08 said:


> Dogs shouldn't be plump no matter what the age. We have a 12 1/2 yr old Boxer and it's all about adjusting intake to output.


Elementary 

I mean if a dog isn't running around as much, cut it's food back!
My Libby has been 38-40lb. for her entire life - it's all about measuring the food out and matching it to their bodies - if she is looking a tad "fluffy" (ier than usual that is) we cut it back a hair more. She eats 2x a day - 3/4 c. of food, either "heaping" or just under the cup edge, depending on the time of year and how active she is being.

I say this all over the board, but basically, dogs are just like people. Unless they have a metabolic issue like Cushing's or a thyroid issue, weight is directly related to their intake and how active they are. If they take in more calories than they expend, the result is an overweight dog.

It helps tremendously to measure with an actual measuring cup, and I believe too many people just dump the food in the bowl, or worse yet, keep the bowl full at all times so the dog can nibble throughout the day.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

GSDkid said:


> Well, it definitely is bringing more business to the vets. That's for sure. lol. I hope the vet's are just forgetting to mention it. I notice they'll give their input only if you ask for it.


My vet isn't afraid to mention it. It's funny, my Buddy is a lot more furry than his brother and he has never had the traditional GSD shape. He was a little taller and a little longer than his brother and is just more solid. They were exactly the same weight. She always told me Shadow looked great and she always tells me Buddy needs to drop a few pounds. At least until she examines him and can feel his ribs under the fur.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

I see more fat dogs at the clinics we use. No, vets don't forget to mention it, but people are brainwashed to think 1/4 c. of food is too miniscule. For a larger dog, 1c. 
It looks pathetically small when you see it in a 4 c. + bowl. So they feel sorry for it and add more. 
Or feed table scraps - every day.
You know how it goes.


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## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

We have a 10+year old male who still looks like working dog. I noticed recently that he was putting on a bit of weight so cut his food back. This is probably the 2nd or 3rd time we've cut his food back in the past few years. As of now he gets 2 1/4 cups of Instinct, his "normal" weight is about 72 lbs. To compare, my 16month old female, who probably weighs about 63lbs gets 3 1/4 cups of the same food and my 2.5yo male who weighs 84lbs gets 4 cups a day. If there is no medical reason (thyroid for example) then the only reason a dog gets fat is because the being with the thumbs allows it . 
I tracked the female this morning, so I will probably cut a cup out of her dinner tonight to compensate for the food she got in training this morning.


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## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

msvette2u said:


> Or feed table scraps - every day.


I feed tablescraps and/or canned food mixed with my dogs regular food and none of my dogs have ever ended up fat. Even Zoey, who is not only a senior but hypothyroid, is a healthy weight. Regardless of what food your dog consumes, it's all about calories.


















:wub: My senior! <3

As for vets, I think they're more worried about offending and then losing a client if they say something about weight. Sure, some are in it for the money they'll get over problems from an overweight dog but many are just worried about offending someone. It's a touchy subject with most owners and I know from experience, even the nicest suggestion that their dog is a little too "well fed" can end up in you getting chewed out by the owner.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

While it's not going to harm a dog to feed 'tablescraps' short-term, I know a lot of people who do so or did so and their dogs are not healthy due in part to the increased sodium in 'people food', and they are also overweight. 
The smaller the dog, the less it takes to make them chubby


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

msvette2u said:


> While it's not going to harm a dog to feed 'tablescraps' short-term, I know a lot of people who do so or did so and their dogs are not healthy due in part to the increased sodium in 'people food', and they are also overweight.
> The smaller the dog, the less it takes to make them chubby


Yeah, "tablescraps" aren't good because the standard American diet isn't good. If you're eating burgers and fries and pizza, you shouldn't give table scraps to the dog. In our house, table scraps are eggs, yogurt, chicken, lean pork, veggies, fruits, etc.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

I'd stress lean meat...fatty foods and rich meat can give dogs pancreatitis, too. 
But you're right. Americans use too much fat and salt as a rule, to make their scraps "good" for dogs


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

Except for my cocker who had a weight problem all his life, I've never had an overweight senior!!! In fact I'm trying to put some weight on 11-1/2 year old Mac right now since he's too thin.


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## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

Zoey has eaten -everything- in her lifetime. Fatty foods, fast food, sugar laced foods. We have a picture of her when she was a puppy, laying on her back holding a slightly opened coke can in her paws, drinking from it. (I really need to find that pic! I'll have to see if my mom knows where it's at. ) She grew up "raising" 4 kids, needless to say she got at least a bite of everything we ate...These days I feed more healthy foods, mostly raw meats/bones. But she gets leftovers a couple days a week. Her favorites are potpie and chicken and dumplings but she's not too picky. 

Again, she's not overweight and besides a thyroid problem which is managed by medication, she's healthy. (Which didn't pop up until she was 11, just so happened to be a couple months after her spay, but with that being her only problem I have little to complain about)

Just as it's not ideal for us, it doesn't mean it's GOING to kill us if we eat these things in MODERATION. And yes SHE IS A SMALL BREED DOG. A whole 13lb. She's alive and well. We've always fed our dogs tablescraps and it's never caused problems.


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