[davlin47]

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Each dog is an individual requiring its own certain amount of food to maintain optimum body condition. The feeding charts and guidelines supplied by the dog food manufacturer are only rough estimates. The amount that any individual dog requires may be more or less than recommended. Obviously, working dogs, dogs that get a lot of exercise, pregnant and lactating dogs require substantially more food.

The dog owner must be able to determine how much is the proper amount for their particular dog. Although it seems obvious that undernutrition and starvation are bad for the dog, overnutrition and obesity can be just as bad for the dog's health and are much more common. Once a dog becomes overweight, it can be very difficult to get it back to its ideal weight.

Puppies should gain weight steadily but not be allowed to get fat. An adult dog should be well muscled but not obese. A good rule of thumb is that you should not be able to see the dog's ribs, but you should be able to feel them under the skin by lightly running your hands along its sides. If you are unable to feel the ribs, or have to push in to feel them, the dog is overweight.

Many people feel that an overweight dog is a happy dog. This is not true! Obesity is extremely damaging to a dog and greatly reduces its life expectancy and quality of life. Obesity decreases immune function, stresses the heart and lungs, damages the joints and increases the risk for certain types of cancer. It is not kind to overfeed a dog; it is cruel and unhealthy.

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