Dog Owner Chat V. 5

[taurus ;]

My dog has been overweight before due to his own health problems. My family and myself may have been able bodied but he was not neurologically. Not everything is an owners fault so it's best not to judge someone who is able bodied but has an overweight dog. Sometimes dogs may even be underweight - that isn't always even neglect.

Then we’ll just have to agree to disagree, like we always do lol.

And a dog that’s a little underweight is better than a dog that’s overweight anyways.

[warmblood]

My dog has been overweight before due to his own health problems. My family and myself may have been able bodied but he was not neurologically. Not everything is an owners fault so it's best not to judge someone who is able bodied but has an overweight dog. Sometimes dogs may even be underweight - that isn't always even neglect.

Then we’ll just have to agree to disagree, like we always do lol.

And a dog that’s a little underweight is better than a dog that’s overweight anyways.

i really don't mean to start a fight or anything, but i honestly do find spaying more logical than ear cropping unless it's medical due to the overpopulation of dogs (& other domestic animals).

there was a study made that was in the Journal of Epidemiology and Public Health from March 28, 2014, it argued that death risks are almost doubled for underweight people. based on the analysis of overweight and underweight people over a span of 5 years. but, we are talking about dogs here and i do agree with you that dogs that are a little underweight are better than overweight ones. my beliefs are based solely on the fact, however, that before dogs were domesticated they were always much skinnier than the average pet. i think that if they were able to go like that with just skin and bones (and muscle) then it would be healthier for them to be little underweight than overweight. despite that, dogs have evolved a lot and depend on the human race quite heavily, so my 'theory' is a bit demolished.

[Dancing.cinnamon~]

It's been a lot warmer around here recently, so here's a few pics of Charlie enjoying the good weather ^^



I can't figure out how to make the pictures smaller, sorry

Very cute doggie! Is she/he a lab mix of some sort? or a golden?

[eff]

My dog has been overweight before due to his own health problems. My family and myself may have been able bodied but he was not neurologically. Not everything is an owners fault so it's best not to judge someone who is able bodied but has an overweight dog. Sometimes dogs may even be underweight - that isn't always even neglect.

Then we’ll just have to agree to disagree, like we always do lol.

And a dog that’s a little underweight is better than a dog that’s overweight anyways.

i really don't mean to start a fight or anything, but i honestly do find spaying more logical than ear cropping unless it's medical due to the overpopulation of dogs (& other domestic animals).

there was a study made that was in the Journal of Epidemiology and Public Health from March 28, 2014, it argued that death risks are almost doubled for underweight people. based on the analysis of overweight and underweight people over a span of 5 years. but, we are talking about dogs here and i do agree with you that dogs that are a little underweight are better than overweight ones. my beliefs are based solely on the fact, however, that before dogs were domesticated they were always much skinnier than the average pet. i think that if they were able to go like that with just skin and bones (and muscle) then it would be healthier for them to be little underweight than overweight. despite that, dogs have evolved a lot and depend on the human race quite heavily, so my 'theory' is a bit demolished.

Yeah, my dog wasn't huge or anything. He's mostly muscle, but he was still overweight. We got another dog to kind of help him out (to make exercise a bit more enjoyable with a friend) and he's back to being a decent weight. Still are limited on exercise however due to his medications.

[Marley.&.Me]

What’s the average weight for a male Jack Russell/Chihuahua mix?

My vet says 10-15 pounds but there’s no way??

Oppie is 14.9....

I just don’t want him getting too overweight.

[Keriae]

That feeling when someone says ear cropping and fit dogs are abuse but their dog is spayed AND obese lmao

do you really want to say with this that a fixed dog is abuse?

and yes some get more heavy after it, it all depends on the dog, breed and health and such...an with some the owner can do sport each day feed the right things and they still look chubby and other look fit and do not much...

... yes some cropped ears are abuse, when it is for health and well done by a vet it can be alright... but there are way to short ones or cut wrong or those done by breeder or owner....just not alright!
...and also yes to some so called "fit dogs" who are way under there nomal weight for there breed, get only a handful food thrown in there kennel each day and are worked hard....all bones no real muscle or way to much muscle....also a no no....

Fit dogs are fit dogs. You can't call an emaciated dog a fit dog because they will have no muscle mass. Not to mention that is plenty of breeds, people seem to think heavier is better, while their dog is obese. It happens in rotties, in bullies, in GSDs, in all sorts of breeds. I've recently seen a corgi that was extremely obese, and when this was pointed out the owner's swore and cussed at people.
Never mind a fit dog will not be underfed. They simply can't maintain muscle without the correct amount of food.





The dog on the left is an American Bully, called Bermuda. You can clearly see the muscle coverage over his his rib cage, muscle over his hips, shoulders, back, and head. He's fed three cups of high quality kibble and day and regularly walks 5-7 miles, as well as plays fetch or exercises with a spring pole. He's also neutered.
The dog on the right is an emaciated dog. He has very very little muscle. He's very clearly unhealthy and starved.





This is an interesting comparison between dogs and people. The third dog down is a conditioned animal, with a thick, shiny coat. He is the picture of health.

Not to mention halogen never said that a fixed dog is abused. Dogs are altered for a variety of reasons, but you can't get away from the fact that removing a dog's organs - especially before they are mature - is incredibly painful. For female dogs, it's a hysterectomy. I have family who have had hysterectomies, and it is incredibly painful. Ear cropping is not nearly as painful, and just like any over surgery, they are bandaged and given painkillers. I'm saying this as someone who recently had cartilage removed from their ear - it was bad, yes, but it was manageable with over the counter painkillers.
I'm not for or against either surgery. I do believe that if you have your dog altered for convenience, maybe you shouldn't have a dog. It's pretty easy to manage intact dogs if you know what you're doing.

For me, a healthy, lean dog is infinitely better than an overweight one. No one can tell me that the weight Mary used to be at is healthier than the weight she's at now.






That being said some dogs do have health conditions, such as hypothyroid, that mean it is harder to keep the weight of off them. Sometimes, real life gets in the way - Mary certainly gained a little the other week when we had thick snow. She is not comfortable in cold weather, and she wasn't walked because of the conditions. Demonising people for this isn't good, and it will simply push them away. Kind, considerate education on what a healthy dog looks like is key. Too many people think food=love nowadays.

What’s the average weight for a male Jack Russell/Chihuahua mix?

My vet says 10-15 pounds but there’s no way??

Oppie is 14.9....

I just don’t want him getting too overweight.

The KC states that Chiuahua's should be up to 6 pounds, with 4-6lb preferred. It also says for Jack Russell's that "Substance and weight should be proportionate to height. Neither too coarse nor too refined."
I'd just go by feel. Do you have some recent pictures of him from the side and above? If you flatten your hand, his ribs should feel like the joints in your fingers. If they feel like your knuckles when your hand is clenched he is underweight, and if he feels like your knuckles when you feel the palm of your hand, he is overweight. At least, that's the general rule I've seen in multiple groups c:

[taurus ;]

Thank you!! Love hearing unbiased opinions!!

[eff]

What’s the average weight for a male Jack Russell/Chihuahua mix?

My vet says 10-15 pounds but there’s no way??

Oppie is 14.9....

I just don’t want him getting too overweight.

My eldest dog is a jack chi. Jack russels have a larger chest/ribs in comparison to the rest of there body, however this factor isn't a definite for all J'Russels. Also, chihuahuas can be very scrawny looking, whilst others are plumper. It's hard to give a precise estimate on the dogs weight (having not seen the parents) but I would of said between 8-18 pounds. I'd say try to go around your vets estimate and being less than a pound over than the estimate doesn't make your dog obese or anything.

Edit--
But isn't neuter/spaying done to prevent overpopulation in animals such as cats? Or maybe it is done in a household full of bitches and dogs that are working (or not) and the person does not want, cannot afford or cannot look after a bunch of puppies? I feel as though ear cropping is more of a cosmetics-reason (I hear that you got your cartillage removed-- whether for cosmetic or health factors I am unsure of) rather than a 'health' (if you put it like that) reason.

[Keriae]

Edit--
But isn't neuter/spaying done to prevent overpopulation in animals such as cats? Or maybe it is done in a household full of bitches and dogs that are working (or not) and the person does not want, cannot afford or cannot look after a bunch of puppies? I feel as though ear cropping is more of a cosmetics-reason (I hear that you got your cartillage removed-- whether for cosmetic or health factors I am unsure of) rather than a 'health' (if you put it like that) reason.

I believe it is. However, early altering doesn't seem to have an affect on health in cats, as it can do in dogs.
From what I've seen, most people with working dogs keep them intact. It's very easily done to keep an in-heat bitch away from males, and you can buy things such as diapers, as well as crate and rotate. Someone should never have so many animals that they can't manage them. This does include the possibility of an accidental pregnancy.
There's ways to own intact dogs, and plenty of people manage it while owning both dogs and bitches.

Generally, yes, ear cropping is a cosmetic reason. I've not done a load of research into it - cropping and docking are both illegal in the UK, so there's no need for me to. I do know that many standards in some dog breeds do call for it, though I believe the reason varies.

My surgery was treating a congenital condition c:

[eff]

Sorry to hear about your condition, hope it's better now.

I haven't done anything to my dogs. I, too, live in the UK and we decided on getting another male (2 males) due to my firsts epilepsy. We didn't know if it would be something that could be inherited so we settled for a little local boy.

I also wanted to know from anyone here: if you support ear-cropping, do you also support tail-docking?