Fat Dog

Oh, my, god. Becky, look at her butt.

It is so big.

Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-A-Lot

What!? I'm just really Fluffy!

I'm ready to start building an ark, it has rained non-stop for about 2 months. Marley is so over walks in the rain. I took her to the park and she hid under the bench until I was ready to leave. Our walks have turned into sprints as she tries to rush though and get back inside where it is warm and dry.

To be perfectly honest I've indulged her because I'm not to keen on having rain blown into my coat. We have spent time inside working on foundation work and jumps. I've started shaping a new trick. While indoor training is great for stimulating her brain and making her tired, the increase in treats has caused Marley to gain two pounds.

Two pounds does not sound like a lot when talking about a large dog; however Marley is small and two pounds is a significant gain in weight. I'm totally horrified that my small athletic dog has failed the rib test. She still has a waist and her tummy is still tucked up. My vet is not concerned at this time, however she did mention I should keep Marley at about 12 pounds for optimum health.

I've started to incorporate the following changes to help Marley lose her winter weight and prevent problems in the future.

• I've cut all treats until she loses weight. I normally give her a tiny taste as opposed to an actual treat while shaping tricks; however, these last few months I actually gave her an entire treat. I measure her food and I'll take a few bits of kibble from that amount and use that as a treat.
• I've increased our walks. The ground is incredibly saturated and mucky right now, which has rendered our favorite areas un-walkable. I'm looking for find fun places to walk in the the city.

I'm glad I noticed her weight gain before it started to restrict her activity level and affect her health.