The sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition can contribute to your dog's obesity. Learn to detect it and apply these tips to prevent it.
While it's becoming more common to have a Beagle as a pet, they have traditionally been used for hunting. Their keen sense of smell and agility have accompanied humans in hunts for centuries.
However, with the trend of having pets in urban areas, many owners of these hounds have encountered the same issue: obesity.
Although Beagles are particularly prone to obesity, the real issue often lies in the care we provide as owners. On one hand, there's the issue of nutrition, and on the other, the lack of movement and sedentary lifestyle.
Beagles typically consume many calories and have a great appetite. An elevated food intake could be compensated with a good dose of daily exercise. However, sedentary lifestyles, lack of time, or our fast-paced lives often result in routine walks that are rather calm and low-performance for our dogs in general, and Beagles in particular.
A well-trained animal with optimal health conditions can endure several hours of exercise without getting tired. This doesn't mean exhausting the animal, but to prevent obesity and all the associated problems (cardiac, hepatic, arterial, respiratory, muscular, and skeletal, among others), frequent exercise is highly recommended.
There's no specific or ideal weight for these dogs. The constitution of each Beagle can vary considerably. According to experts, there are up to four varieties, where their physiognomy and physical appearance are quite similar, but differences lie mainly in size, coat color, and quality/texture. Regardless, though it is estimated they should weigh between 12 to 15 kilograms, some may reach up to 25 kilograms without being considered obese.
While there are various methods to calculate the ideal weight for dogs based on age and size, a good formula to determine obesity is simply observing their physical appearance. A healthy dog, when viewed from above, should slightly outline the hip bones. If these are not visible, and the torso appears rounded, the dog may be overweight. If the hip bones are too prominent, the opposite could be true. The same applies to the ribs, which should be easily palpable. Lastly, a lateral look should be definitive – if the natural curvature of the belly is not visible, and the silhouette is rather round, your dog is likely obese.
Regardless, before putting your dog on a diet or implementing uncontrolled exercise, consult the veterinarian for an optimal examination. They can adjust the dog's diet and recommend suitable guidelines and exercises to control weight and improve your companion's health.
If you're looking for dog food options to help your furry friend shed some pounds, here are some recommendations:
