Perceptions of Body Condition, Diet and Exercise by Sports Dog Owners and Pet Dog Owners

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Dog obesity is a serious problem around the world. We investigated factors that contribute to dog obesity in pet dogs versus dogs that participate in sports with their owners. We found that pet dogs were more obese than pet dogs that participate in canine sports. This relationship had several contributing factors. One such factor is the ability of the pet owner to correctly identify the body condition of the dog. Inability to identify a dog as overweight/obese is a critical barrier to intervening in their dog’s health. Pet dogs were also fed more per feeding and given larger treats than the sports dogs. This increase in calories per day over time will result in weight gain. Lastly, many of our participants walked regularly with their dogs, but pet dog owners were more likely to report dog activities that did not directly involve the owner. This likely results in less exercise than that predicted by the owners. Overall, pet and sports dog owners put a high value on their dog’s health and well-being, but better education with regard to body condition, feeding and exercise is critical to improve the pet obesity problem. ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to investigate the variables that contribute to obesity in pet dogs. The working hypothesis was that sports dog owners will better estimate their dog’s body condition and report stronger belief and control over their dogs’ feeding and exercise compared to traditional pet owners. We collected data on 171 pet owners (101 participated in canine sports) for this study. Each owner completed the Dog Owner Attitude Questionnaire. Each dog was measured for percent fat and Purina body condition scale. For the pet dogs, the median Purina body condition score was 6 (too heavy), but for the sports dogs it was 5 (ideal) (p < 0.05 different from pet dogs). The average percent fat for the pet dogs was 19.1 ± 8.6%, and for the sports dogs it was 13.8 ± 5.3% (p < 0.05 different from pet dogs). Among pet owners, 52% were able to correctly estimate their dog’s body condition. Sports dog owners were 57% correct. Pet dog owners fed approximately 60% more per day compared to sports dog owners. Pet and sports dog owners exercised their dog via walking, but sports dog owners reported more activity with the dog, while pet dog owners reported more activity than the dog did by themselves. Overall, pet and sports dog owners put a high value on their dog’s health and well-being, but better education with regard to body condition, feeding and exercise is critical to improve the pet obesity problem.