Beagles are an active breed of dogs driven by their strong smell sense. They are very friendly and cheerful to keep your spirits up. A beagle, however, will eat, not just to be satisfied but also to make sure nothing is left on the food bowl. If your beagle keeps eating unhealthily, obesity will be on its door real soon, knocking. A healthy beagle’s weight will depend on age and gender. Females have a slightly lower healthy weight than males. Generally, suppose your beagle’s ribs show. In that case, it indicates thinness, but if you don’t see any ribs, he is likely to be overweight.
Are beagles prone to obesity? Absolutely yes. Beagles, just like golden retrievers and pugs, are prone to weight gain. If you feed your dog regularly without splitting food for different meals, most likely, he will get fat. In addition, not exercising and lazying around will render him obese welcoming health concerns.
To make a point, all dogs are prone to obesity. Don’t worry about your beagle dog but remember to constantly check the weight and help control it. An overweight beagle will have a more enormous upper torso than usual; this should help know whether your beagle is weighty without using a weight scale. Here’s the truth, the primary concern of beagles being overweight is their vulnerability to heart disease, liver disease, and digestive disorders. They may also have back pains. Read on, and I’ll show you how to know if your beagle is overweight and help control its weight.
Are beagles prone to obesity?
Beagles, full of energy and always up and about the house and lawn, have an acute smell sense that enables them to know where the sweet aroma of something edible is. Whether in the kitchen or the dining room, your beagle will always be there wanting a bite of it.
Their lovely eyes will tempt you to give them anything they yearn for. If you keep falling victim to his trick, then you will have to deal with helping him cut some weight later. You can always ignore him whenever he looks at you with cute eyes. Alternatively, you can have some low-calorie snacks for your dog right with you so that whenever he asks for what you are eating, you can give him those instead of your food. This will control his rate of gaining weight to some extent.
It is funny that the beagle breed can get overweight regardless of its energetic behavior as a natural hunter. This entirely depends on how often you allow your dog to exercise, maybe play catch or self exercise. Beagle pups can never be overweight. A growing beagle will use the fat for warmth and temperature regulation to aid its growth. When your dog hits the 18th month, he is likely to be fully grown. Extra fat starts to pile up from the 18th month to the 24th month, and therefore, your beagle is highly likely to be overweight.
Year after year, your beagle draws closer to its weighty period. Often, beagle owners don’t think their dogs will get plum or chubby, particularly new beagle owners. They believe that their dogs burn off calories because of their extra active nature, not considering their food intake instead. You should not just feed him whenever.
Why do Beagles get fat?
Young beagles, very lively and cheerful, are less prone to fatness. They are usually up and about catching scents and following them. However, older beagles are less active, increasing their weight because they obviously eat and eat. Beagles have an everlasting appetite, and they eat very quickly. In no time, your beagle is done and back asking for more. Their eating rate makes it seem as if they don’t have time to taste what is offered. This will undoubtedly fatten them.
Just like humans, a beagle’s extra calories that don’t burn off are stored as fat in the body. Too many calories will introduce a thicker fat layer on the dog’s body; the more the calories, the fatter he gets.
Some beagles can be slightly taller or have a larger than usual muscle mass which entirely depends on what other breed it was mixed with. Often, female beagles have a high chance of getting fat than males. Still, suppose you spay your female beagle. In that case, she has a higher chance of being overweight if you continue feeding her regularly after surgery. Their hormones are adjusted, which causes beagles, even males, to have a never-ending appetite and sluggish metabolic rate.
A stressed, bored or depressed beagle will most likely eat more to calm themselves just like humans do. So you should not provide food regularly, particularly for dogs having a hard time or just anxious.
Canine obesity can also be associated with diseases and medications to health conditions, which can cause them to eat more than usual. Lazily hanging around the house all day is unhealthy for you or your dog. If you teach your dog that kind of behavior, well, he will get too fat in no time. A plus-sized dog is prone to many diseases, so engage him in lively activities if you care for your dog.
Is my beagle overweight?
Animal care incorporates not only grooming but also healthy eating habits. In measuring the beagle’s weight, the scale is not as accurate as perceived because it doesn’t consider some facts. Beagle breeds could have been mixed with larger breeds.
Therefore, their weight may be more than the standard because of heavier bones or taller height. However, the standard weight for beagles standing at 33 cm(13 inches) high or less is under 9 kg(20 pounds), while those that are 33 cm to 38 cm(13-15 inches) are supposed to weigh from 9 kg to 13.6 kg(20 to 30 pounds). Beagles can weigh more than the said 13.6 kg and not be deemed fat. This entirely depends on their height and bone structure. If their height is more than 15 cm, you should not be alarmed if they weigh more than 13.6kg. Nevertheless, if a small beagle that should be at most 6 to 8 kilograms weighs 11 kg, the beagle can be said to have extra weight.
If your beagle has a high caloric intake, he is most likely fat, and feeling his fatty sections of the body will tell. You don’t need to wet your beagle dog down to check these details like other dogs. There are several body condition details to check to determine if your beagle has excess weight.
First, you can have an aerial view of your beagle. Can you see a distinct waist? Or you can’t even see where its waist begins? Beagles should have a thin area between the ribs and hips. Another thing you should check is the beagle’s tail base.
If it’s smooth and you can easily feel where it connects with the spine, your dog is okay. Inspect your dog from the side. The area where the abdomen meets with the ribcage should be up-tuck and not saggy. Lastly, you can feel the ribcage where you use the rule of thumb. If you can feel the ribs with your thumb without pressing too much, your beagle is okay, but if you can’t feel any rib at all, you have a seriously obese beagle.
How can I get my beagle to lose weight?
First and foremost, you need to visit the vet to know what causes the excess weight build-up. If all the diseases are discarded, and your beagle is said to just have more weight than usual, you can begin planning the weight loss journey. Planning on the way forward will help set achievable goals.
To begin with, you need to set your mind right and see the exercise as a good thing for your dog and not a punishment because it is for his own good. Alter the lifestyle and incorporate a healthier diet to achieving the set goals. Second, you need realistic goals. Steady and gradual weight loss is better and healthier for your dog. Rapid weight loss will result in muscle loss caused by low caloric levels in the body that can make your beagle very vulnerable to sicknesses.
He can also face behavior changes and frequent mood swings, which are common signs indicating you pushed him too much. Setting a goal of losing half a kilogram a month is both realistic and achievable.
You might need to also cut down on the extra treats you give your dog. Low-calorie snacks like carrots, a healthier option, can be given up to 4 times a day as treats for your dog as he awaits the next meal. You can split the meals into regular ones but not increasing the amount to keep your beagle full as he transitions from unhealthy to healthy eating.
Take your dog to the park for regular exercise or play frisbee or catch, just to help him reduce weight. Take regular on-leash walks or take him with you for the morning run. Remember, these dogs were initially hunting because of their high activity level and smelling scent prowess. Therefore, their energy level calls for frequent exercising to avoid the consequences of obesity.