Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
There actually have been cases of children removed from homes. The one I recall is a 65lb 3 yr old who the mother claimed just like to eat. She fed him fast food all day. Luckily, kid lost weight in his foster home and was able to run and play like a kid should.
And was it not possible to educate the mother re: her child's health? To implement a program that would ensure that the child lost weight without removing him/her from home? Was it really necessary to take the child away? Much as I don't agree with feeding a child fast-food, I think that there are serious, negative consequences for taking a child away from his/her mother. I also agree that it is a matter of education and that taking a child/pet away needs to be reserved for extreme and abusive situations; not feeding them nutritious food can certainly be construed as abusive or neglectful if that was the intent of the parent but a lot of it is also economics. And I don't want to support policies that state that only "certain people" can have pets or kids; we already have them. Sometimes they help children and pets, sometimes they don't. But many such policies--while I applaud their intentions--strike me as a bit fascist.
Moreover, as many other posters have stated, they have dogs that would be considered fat. Yet, I don't doubt that the dogs are well-cared-for. Does this mean that they should lose their dogs? Because they don't care for them in a prescribed manner?
There are so many factors outside the control of petowners and parents. I look at the dog in that picture and, yes, it is overweight but it does not look neglected or unhappy. I don't agree with it being taken away from its owner.
I have 9 dogs fed 1 time a day 3 that are fixed are fat others great shape. Always food left next day so they are not gorging themselves so portions are not the problem. They exercise also and have doggy door run and play outside when want. They are no so obese they cannot walk but they are healthy. What should I lock up the fat one's and give small portions and not let others go back and forth take a few bites and walk away?
I start free choice as soon as get on solid food so they know food be there and not have to pig out. These dogs go out on training sessions and 1 is a bird dog so out in woods quite a bit. They do not get excessive treats or table scraps so that is not the problem either. Treats are for training sessions and maybe 1 time every 2 weeks get a treat just because.
Interesting. All my dogs have been fixed and none of them have been fat. One of them is actually quite sleek and muscular.
I think the task of feeding 9 dogs sounds daunting! We have four and we put their precise portions down and watch them eat what's in their bowls. The minute they walk away, the food goes back up. So they get one chance and one sitting.
Interesting. All my dogs have been fixed and none of them have been fat. One of them is actually quite sleek and muscular.
I think the task of feeding 9 dogs sounds daunting! We have four and we put their precise portions down and watch them eat what's in their bowls. The minute they walk away, the food goes back up. So they get one chance and one sitting.
Mine are no way close to the ones that started the thread. My old neighbor had 2 like them though. What ever she had for supper the dogs did also. I am talking steak, chops everything. My dogs ever got that big they would be put on a treadmill until they got close to normal.
The one heavier one I am actually happy he is bigger as when got him hip bones, spine and all were all out. This is a hound that now weighs in at 119 and when got was 92 pounds. He looks good with a bit of extra weight though. I saw a lab last winter that looked like should been 2 in one body. Walked fine and all but put fingers on back could not feel a rib or spine and dog could still jump in back of pick up which surprised me as he had to go 140 or more. They told me on a low cal diet with 2 -1mile walks daily but think he was at butcher shop eating a cow a week.
Our friends and family think our dogs are deprived because they don't get treats or any people food.
If I want to give them a 'treat,' I give them a piece of their regular dry food. They love it so much, it's like a treat to them. But they are very driven by praise and play, so normally toys and attention and frisbee catching is 'treat' to them.
With Bear season approaching you see some of them hounds that run so much off look sick, but keep trim to run but some look like get starved.
When I was a kid we got a Collie from a friends parents that starved her. If they had a left over potato not feed to dog and this animal was skin and bones and they did not care.
Frisbee and such for treats is best! I have one dog refuses treats of any kind after a search whether food,toy anything she just wants praise as her treat. My dogs love when go to Horse arena in town and toss tennis balls around,they think that is the greatest. Then have people who only feed human food or carry bags of treats all times so dog looks at them they get a treat.
Just like us humans treats must be in moderation. I can feel ribs on my dogs not see them even on the fat ones. I cannot stand to see ribs sticking out of any of my dogs.Today the exercise is plenty do not know what got into them unless just because cooler they been running back and forth all day chasing each other. This been going on for a couple hours now.
Most of the extremely fat dogs I see are little purse dogs that are so spoiled get carried everywhere, eat better than my family does (steak and such as treats) and never get real exercise but sitting up begging for more treats.
I think it is a disorder on the prt of the owners. Just as with human eating disorders I think there are some pet owners who simply do not recognize either that their pet is obese or their role in that obesity. Face it, pet owners have complete control over their animals' diets.
Example:I have some friends who have had obese dogs for years and look at mine telling me I am starving them because they can see the wasteline and actually feel their ribs when they pet them (feel, not see). Well, their dogs have had to have numerous knee surgeries due to the obesity, mine not. They could not see that constantly giving treats and snacks to their dogs was harmful, not loving. My vet has always encouraged me to keep my dogs on the lean side for long term joint health.
As a side note I want to thank those on this thread for introducing the idea of veggie snacks. My new pup LOVES carrot sticks! He faces a future of healthy treats.
I think it is a disorder on the prt of the owners. Just as with human eating disorders I think there are some pet owners who simply do not recognize either that their pet is obese or their role in that obesity. Face it, pet owners have complete control over their animals' diets.
Example:I have some friends who have had obese dogs for years and look at mine telling me I am starving them because they can see the wasteline and actually feel their ribs when they pet them (feel, not see). Well, their dogs have had to have numerous knee surgeries due to the obesity, mine not. They could not see that constantly giving treats and snacks to their dogs was harmful, not loving. My vet has always encouraged me to keep my dogs on the lean side for long term joint health.
As a side note I want to thank those on this thread for introducing the idea of veggie snacks. My new pup LOVES carrot sticks! He faces a future of healthy treats.
I have two pups that just love carrot sticks and one that eats radishes. My vet told me that carrots were the best treat when I had to cut down on dog treats for the Pug.
I worked for a month at a dog boarding facility and it was sad to see so many overweight dogs. Even the owner of the facility's dog was overweight. Not obese, but definitely with a layer of fat that she shouldn't have had.
All of my eight dogs are neutered and spayed, and in lean, well exercised shape. Even the mini rat terrier I adopted two years ago at the age of 12. He was a fat marshmallow of a dog, and adorable looking... but I got him down to a healthy weight in about six months of dieting. I *think* that he started at 13 pounds and is now only 9 pounds. Part of the trick is to feed them all separately. All the young ones are fed in separate crates.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
lol, just kidding. I wish my dog would have more of an appetite
