Any one see this Channel 4 Dogs

F

Finlib

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 October 2008
Messages
1,009
Visit site
Dogs: Their Secret Lives
Yesterday on Channel 4

Series 1, Episode 1: Fat Dogs
First of a three-part documentary series that uses surveillance filming, cutting-edge technology and expert input to discover why our dogs are getting fatter. Cameras follow three obese canines, Chancer the Cavalier King Charles spaniel, Molly the bulldog and Cassie the labrador, as they go about their everyday lives. The footage reveals how dogs can manipulate us into feeding them and how weight problems can lead to far more serious health issues. Mark Evans, former chief vet at the RSCPA, explores the challenges facing the 21st-century dog owner and finds out if a scientific approach to food and exercise could help our dogs shed the pounds.

I found it really interesting .Next week looks at aggression
 
I watched it and it made me realise how many dog owners really have no connection whatsoever with their pet. It was obvious (to me anyway) why they were fat. It didn't need cameras to point out the dogs were scavenging and over eating, or that they needed more excersise generally. The bulldog was so bad it couldn't cope with excersise, so what do they do, keep over feeding and cut the excersise.
Of course granny was feeding the dog scraps.
Put feed down for 4 dogs and walk away, greedy guts is bound to nick as much as possible from the others.
Mark obviously knew all this but needed cameras to point it out to owners.
I found it quite depressing to watch, to see just how oblivious to the basics some owners are.
I suspect next weeks will make me cross so I'll probably give it a miss.
 
Why do people feed animals according to the amount rather than the animal's condition? If they are fat, feed less. It really isn't rocket science.
 
Sometimes people feed the amount recommended by the pet food manufacturer, if I did this my dog would be dreadfully overweight.,

In 40 years having dogs we have never had one overweight, vet always complimentary on their size. Mind you we have mostly had Setters which tend to bounce the calories off!
 
Dry Rot said:
Why do people feed animals according to the amount rather than the animal's condition? If they are fat, feed less. It really isn't rocket science.
Click to expand...

The answer to that one is simple, one word; 'Ignorance'. OK, so another, 'Blindness'. There are those who look at their dogs and don't see what's before them. It'll be as much a mystery to you D_R as it is to me, but then we look at and appraise dogs daily, and perhaps I shouldn't be quite so churlish.

I watched the guy with the two Bulldogs, and honestly wonder if the individual animals being born wouldn't benefit were the breed to become extinct. The bulk of those who own these exotic breeds have no business owning a dog, any dog.

Alec.
 
I too was staggered that people couldn't work out why the dogs were fat !!!or that they had let them get that fat.
I am constantly monitoring my dogs weight and adjusting food according to condition and amount of exercise they are getting and mine are setters who as Penny Less says just bounce off calories.
Unfortunately people equate 'loving ' with feeding!!!! rewards come in many forms not just food.
 
if anyone missed it... watch now on 4seven . I also found it hard to believe that the owners couldn't see how gross their dogs were...amazed me when the owner of the bulldogs thought the dog was underweight...he looked spot on to me!!!! most of them had no idea how much exercise their dogs need..... I think those of us with horses understand that if your animal is fat, its either not getting enough exercise and/or being fed too much.....
 
I haven't watched it yet, but have got the gist from these comments. I too cannot understand how people let their dogs get so fat, but do think the pet food manufacturers are to blame in a lot of cases. If I fed my GSDs the amount it says on the Skinners bag they would probably be the size of houses, as it is I can honestly say I have never had a very overweight dog. Sometimes they thicken up round the middle so I cut their food down, its not rocket science. A while ago a lot of people were proudly posting pictures on a GSD rescue fb page of their dogs with their weights, many were around 50kg. A few people who knew the breed pointed out their dogs were too fat and were immediately kicked out of the group. :p
 
ribbons said:
I suspect next weeks will make me cross so I'll probably give it a miss.
Click to expand...
OH kept asking if we could change the channel as it was making him cross.

I don't understand how pets get like that, my terrier is weighed when he gets his annual vacs, at 10kg the vet advise me that he was at the very top end of healthy, so not actually fat, just moving towards it if left unchecked. Most people have told me he looks fit and active but once the vet explained the condition score I could see that yes, he needed to loose some weight.

I measure out his feeds, I realised that simply I had been feeding to the TOP of the band of electrical tape on the plastic cup, rather than the bottom, feed was cut back, I don't think the dog even noticed and lo and behold the dog has lost weight.

It was like watching one of those diet programs, fat people estimate they eat 800 calories a day, secret filming finds that they're eating 4000, people just don't seem to understand that you can't get fat on fresh air!
 
Think the point of prog is to show how cunning dogs are to persuade us to feed them just a little bit more. We are suckers for their tragic little faces.
So in the spirit if manning up against all that, have weighed how much I'm meant to be giving ancient dog. Turns out, was getting it fairly spot on - but it looked like next to nothing. He agrees with it being an almost empty bowl. Sad face etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top