Body Condition Test

Right, we have an important task for you all. We want you to take a long hard look and feel of your dog(s) and compare it to this body condition chart. Please be completely honest with yourself for the sake of your dog(s).

Between us we are on a number of Facebook spaniel groups and are quite frankly horrified at the number of overweight Spaniels on them (and seen when out and about on walks etc). It seems to be the normal these days so everyone thinks it is OK. It really isn't and overweight dogs on the whole have a shorter life and far more health and joint issues.

We know how good it feels to treat your dog and how much they enjoy it. However they will eat as much as you give them without a thought of their health and overfeeding really isn't good for them.

Overweight dogs are at risk of diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, cruciate issues, incontinence and breathing problems etc all of which reduce your dogs lifespan

So please please do as we ask and if your dog falls into categories 6-9 do something about it now and help them get healthy. There will be a separate post on how you might do this.

You should also take action if your dog falls into categories 1-3 but we would suggest a vet visit in the first instance in this case to rule out any illness.

As well as a the body condition chart we have included a before and after picture of our lovely Bosun. He really brought home to us just how normal fat dogs have become.

When he came in we also had one of the skinniest dogs in we have ever had in rescue and when out and about with them everyone commented on how awful it was that Oscar was so thin but not one person mentioned how big Bosun was.

They are both now at their ideal weight but it is Bosun (who has lost over 10kg since he came to us) who has been left with the long term effects rather than the underweight dog.