It is our responsibility to keep our Border Collie’s weight under control, but weight gain can be a symptom of hidden problems. It is usually our fault with overzealous feeding and an inability to resist the look of longing your Border Collie gives you when it wants a treat. Weight gain in dogs is a very serious issue.

Puppies and dogs are much like people in that their weight can fluctuate at different times in their lives. Obviously a puppy is going to gain weight as it grows to maturity, but in an adult dog that gains weight it can cause dangerous illnesses if not kept under control.

You need to monitor your dog’s body condition as it matures....

What are the Risks of Gaining Weight?

The problem with being a few kilograms overweight is that it soon leads to a lot more if not managed. An overweight dog is at risk of developing problems with their skeletal, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems.

If your dog is piling on the kilograms, the most common cause is overfeeding and a lack of exercise. It may be a good idea to take your Border Collie to the vet for a check-up to make sure there are no underling causes behind the weight gain, such as metabolic changes, illness, aging, and injury. These are all things that need medical attention to help manage your dog’s condition.

Tips for Dealing with Weight Gain

Weight gain is most commonly caused by humans feeding their dogs too much and not enough exercise. Here are some simple tips to manage your Borser Collie’s weight gain:

• cut out all table scraps
• reduce the treats
• reduce the daily amount of food
• do more exercise
• have more play sessions

Your dog will be sluggish if it is overweight so it may be tough getting it out for a walk. Start with short walks and gradually lengthen them as your Border Collie gets more energy and starts to lose weight.

If your dog still has trouble exercising, or if your dietary methods are not working, make sure there is no other reason behind the weight gain.

Obesity Cripples your Border Collie

Obesity is the biggest problem among Border Collies and around 25 percent of Border Collies visiting vets are overweight. The best cure for obesity is to prevent it in the first place. Obesity has the potential to kill your dog.

What is Obesity?

Obesity in a Border Collie is defined as dog having an accumulation of body fat 20 percent or more above the ideal body weight. Dogs in this category have fatty deposits in their spine, thorax, at the base of the tail, legs and neck.

It is a well known fact that dogs fed to maintain a lean body weight tend to live longer.

How to Recognise Obesity

We get so used to seeing our dogs every day that we can be oblivious to the fact they are putting on weight. Here are some things to help you check if your dog is obese:

• Check the Ribs. Put your thumbs on either side of your dog’s backbone, spreading your hands across the ribcage. If your dog is obese, you will not be able to feel the ribs through the fat or you will have to put pressure on to find the ribs beneath the layer of fat. You need to do this by feel as your dog’s coat will hide a lot from a visual check.
• Check from Above. Look at your dog from above and see if you can see your dog’s waist behind its ribs. If your dog is overweight then there will be no waist to see.
• Check the Profile. Get down level with your Border Collie to check its profile. If your dog is obese, there will be no tuck behind the ribcage and its stomach will be hanging.

If you understand how your Border Collie should look in at an ideal body weight, it makes it easier for you to recognise discernable weight gain.

What Causes Obesity?

There are a lot of reasons for obesity, and it comes down to your dog eating more food than it burns off. But there are other reasons including:

• Genetics. Dogs such as Labradors, Border Collies, beagles, and basset hounds are genetically predisposed to obesity so you need to keep a close eye on your Border Collie’s weight.
• Hormone Imbalances. Illnesses such as a pituitary or thyroid gland problems often contribute to weight gain. Also changes to the metabolic system, such as desexing, can affect your dog’s weight.

Put your Dog on a Diet

If your dog is overweight, make sure you see your vet before making any drastic changes to your dog’s feeding regime. Check to make sure there are no medical reasons for the weight gain and ask for your vet’s guidance for putting your Border Collie on a diet.

You vet will help you with a new feeding schedule to help you reduce your dog’s weight in a consistent way.

How to Prevent Obesity

The best thing for your Border Collie is to make sure it does not become obese. Prevention is much better than a cure. Try the following tips to prevent an obese Border Collie:

• Do not feed table scraps as they are high in fat.
• Limit the treats your feed and use low fat, natural treats if you can. Be sure to reduce the amount of food your dog gets at mealtimes
• Exercise your Border Collie regularly, and get extra exercise when you have time.
• Instead of guessing the size of your dog’s servings, measure them and do not use a big bowl. Your dog’s food can look small in a big bowl which may tempt you to think your dog is not getting enough food.
• Divide your dog’s daily food into two or more small meals instead of one big meal.
• When you use the feeding guides on packaged food, remember they are guidelines and based on averages only. You need to adjust the amounts to suit your Border Collie’s individual needs and body condition.