Do you think Dylan is overweight?

**kimy27** · 17th May 2010, 12:50 PM

Dylan is two and a half years old and in the past 5 months he has gone from 8.5 kilos to just over 10 kilos!

He gets 30 grams of James Wellbeloved dry food plus quarter of a pouch of the wet food twice a day.

The real reason he has put on weight is because my dad, who usually works away from home has been unemployed for 5 months and has been sneaking him food. I have asked him not to do this but as I am at work all day I can't controll what he is giving him during the day.

Here are some pictures of Dylan-

Do you think I should be worried about his weight? I just want him to be healthy.

**allie** · 17th May 2010, 05:16 PM

Far from an expert but it looks as though he has a waist in the two overhead pics so he can't be that overweight. The first pic is just a big fluffball!

***Pauline*** · 17th May 2010, 05:30 PM

My own Dylan was about the same and I cut down his food but then I do like him pretty slim. I know that's not much help sorry.

**Nicki** · 17th May 2010, 05:52 PM

I keep my Cavaliers on the slim side, so I would say he could do with losing some weight...

Have a look at this - the pictures and info are at page 5 on this pdf file. (Laura Lang's Roycroft site)

http://roycroftinformationcenter.com...ding%20PDF.pdf

Pictures are a bit fuzzy but give you the idea...

**Teresa** · 17th May 2010, 08:22 PM

My Barney is a bigger sized Cav...At the moment he's 12.3 kilos around 12 he looks just right.

New studies have found dogs at the lighter end of normal range are living longer and healthier.

If in doubt ask your vet, don't go by the weight charts, if I did Barney would be a stick!!

**Kate H** · 17th May 2010, 09:16 PM

Could you introduce Dylan to raw vegetables as treats - my Cavaliers love carrots and courgettes - and then leave your Dad a supply of these to give Dylan while you're away? That way he'd still be spoiling him with treats but not making him put on weight!

Kate, Oliver and Aled

**Teresa** · 17th May 2010, 10:30 PM

My two are as happy with veg as they are with biscuits

**Margaret C** · 17th May 2010, 10:56 PM

Originally Posted by kimy27

Dylan is two and a half years old and in the past 5 months he has gone from 8.5 kilos to just over 10 kilos!

He gets 30 grams of James Wellbeloved dry food plus quarter of a pouch of the wet food twice a day.

The real reason he has put on weight is because my dad, who usually works away from home has been unemployed for 5 months and has been sneaking him food. I have asked him not to do this but as I am at work all day I can't controll what he is giving him during the day.

.

He does look as if he still has a waist, but it is not healthy for him to add the weight at such a rate.

At 2.5 years he may need a little less food as he grows out of the very active young dog stage.

It is a good idea for all cavalier owners to stand back occasionally & reassess how much food their dog needs. It can alter from summer to winter, and as a dog grows older.

As for your Dad, I agree you need to leave healthier tidbits for him to spoil Dylan with. If vegetables are not acceptable ( to Dad or Dylan

) then pieces of unsalted rice cake look big and sound crunchy, but would be better than ordinary treats

**kimy27** · 18th May 2010, 10:07 AM

Thanks everyone for your advice. I agree that he could be doing with losing a few pounds. He pants a lot which Bailey hardly every does so I think that is probably to do with the weight.

I will try cutting down his food and asking my dad (again) not to feed him treats (he gives Dylan anything he is eating

)

He just loves his food so much. I don't want him to be hungry all the time.