In this article, we will answer the following question: Is my Yorkie overweight? We will talk about the main reasons why a Yorkie gains extra weight and how to treat an overweight dog through a proper diet, exercise, and dynamic games.
Is my Yorkie overweight?
First, to know if your Yorkie is overweight, you have to know how much does a purebred Yorkshire terrier measure. Typically, a Yorkie shouldn’t measure more than 8 to 9 inches at the shoulder and weigh no more than seven pounds, with four to six pounds being preferred.
Second, we must differentiate between overweight and obesity – the first is the previous state of the second. In both cases, our dog will have extra kilos and we can realize it in the following way:
If your Yorkie is overweight: The symptoms are milder and less obvious than when they are obese. However, it is not difficult to detect overweight dogs. To begin with, the ribs of the animal will be palpated with complexity and will be accompanied by a layer of fat.
The dog’s back will be visible from above and the tail will be thicker. For its part, the waist will present a little marked and even non-existent shape. A moderate amount of fat between the skin and the bone will be a common tonic throughout the canine body.
If your Yorkie is obese: When it comes to obesity, the dog’s state of health is in a higher risk situation, since it increases the chances of cardiovascular diseases arising. In these cases, the animal’s ribs remain hidden in the fat accumulated by the animal.
Undoubtedly, in obese dogs, the waist is non-existent and large amounts of fat are located in the belly, causing it to bulge. The widening of the back is greater than with being overweight and a large accumulation of adipose tissue is also observed in the joints.
Why is my Yorkie overweight?
Bad lifestyle habits do not exclusively affect humans. Dogs can also get used to bad practices that cause their weight gain to limits that are very harmful to their health. The reasons why dogs are overweight or obese are:
Bad nutrition
As it happens in human organisms, incorrect feeding is also a factor that directly affects canine weight. Obese or overweight dogs tend to eat many more calories than they burn.
In this sense, the responsibility lies solely with the owner. This is in charge of providing your dog with a healthy diet and in just the right amounts. Many dogs receive an excess of treats in the form of treats for their good behavior, while others constantly ask their owners for food, which they receive.
In either case, it is necessary to provide healthy foods in the right measure. It is good for you to know those foods that we cannot give our dog.
Eating changes are not good either. The disruption of schedules causes in the body of the dog a lack of food control that has as a consequence the intake of more calories than necessary.
Poor physical exercise
Poor diet complements perfectly with a sedentary lifestyle to cause canine weight gain. The more fat the dog gets, the less willing it is to exercise since its fatigue also increases.
It is not necessary to remember that a dog should walk three to four times a day. With this dose of exercise, the animal will be much less likely to take on a few kilos that are harmful to its health.
Genetic factors
Genetic factors help dogs to become overweight or obese more than people think. There are certain breeds that more easily accumulate the calories stored in their body in the form of fat.
Diseases that can cause weight gain
The fact that a dog gains weight can also be due to certain diseases. There are obese dogs that accumulate extra kilos because they suffer from disorders such as diabetes, a pathology that causes a large accumulation of sugar in the blood, due to the inability of the pancreas to manufacture all the necessary insulin hormone.
Another disease that can be related to being overweight or obese is hypothyroidism. Among other things, this disease causes the dog’s body to not be able to properly manage the lipids that enter its body, in such a way that it stores them as fat.
Treatment for an overweight Yorkie
As long as obesity in dogs or being overweight are not consequences of one of the diseases mentioned above, the treatment for our dog to reduce its weight will be based on these two points:
Diet for obese dogs
Each canine organism is different, therefore, there is no specific and uniform diet that we can offer in this article. The appropriate thing in this type of case is, first, to go to the vet. A trusted professional will be the right person to plan a dog-specific diet, taking into account key factors such as weight, age, size, medical history, etc.
This type of inspection is completely necessary since it is possible that obesity or overweight are not consequences of a poor diet. If they are, the veterinary professional usually provides recommendations such as light feed.
The composition of the diet should contain a high amount of protein to increase muscles and burn fat accumulated in the body. Fiber will be another welcome compound to improve digestion and to make the animal satiated sooner.
In this sense, some foods that can fit very well in the dog’s diet are fruits and vegetables. Here we leave you the Fruits and Vegetables that your dog can eat.
Apart from the type of food, it will be necessary for them to take place at regular times. The routines will be necessary so that the dog’s feeding does not get out of control and the diet is effective.
Psychical exercise for obese dogs
Without a doubt, the best exercise for obese or overweight dogs is walking. This activity should be increased in the event that there are a few walks that the dog gives daily. In this part, we must also follow the advice of our veterinarian, who will know exactly the dose of exercise necessary for our dog.
At the time of putting into practice the walks with our dog, we must contemplate the rhythm at which we are going, since obese or overweight dogs are given to fatigue when they perform a physical excess. Sport will gradually be incorporated into canine life!
When your pet is gaining money, a good idea for him to play sports is to practice it together with her. Thanks to these types of activities, the bond between the owner and her dog increases as weight loss becomes effective. Here we give you all the information about exercising with your pet.
Dynamic games for dogs
Apart from the sport carried out with the walks mentioned in the previous section, at home it is also possible to combat obesity through games. Physical activity becomes entertaining thanks to activities with obstacles, jumps, or practices in the water.
For the dog to lose weight, it is important that the games are aerobic, that is, that they are of low or medium intensity and that they are prolonged in time. All this, so that the dog can get rid of the adipose or fat tissues that it stores in the body.
As it is a physical effort to take into account, we must measure our pet’s fatigue well. The intensity of the games, in most cases, can gradually increase. Even so, the last word of everything commented is the vet.
Having a trusted professional is a guarantee for the health of our pets.
Final thoughts
Yorkshire terriers are a breed that in recent years has become popular around the world, due to their great personality and their almost compact size that allows them to be anywhere. But despite being adorable and super cute, you shouldn’t even think about owning one of these dogs and these are the reasons.
Except for some details of weight, volume, and the sexual factors that affect them, adopting a male or female dog is not very different. Both genders can develop sociable, shy, or distrustful characters, it will depend on the education we provide. Nor can we blindly be guided by the breed of the dog, it is not a reliable indicator of personality.
It is important that you know the physical characteristics and character of the Yorkshire terrier in order to fully understand its needs when caring for it. Its size and some aspects of its personality make it a very unique breed, so it is necessary that you have all the information to know if you can assume the responsibility of adopting it.
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FAQ on Is my Yorkie overweight?
How big do male Yorkies get?
On average, male Yorkies are 8 to 9 inches and do not weigh more than 7 pounds. They are small dogs and their size may vary between these measures.
Are female dogs bigger than males?
There is no rule that female dogs are bigger than males, nor vice versa is true. A dog can add more weight if he is overfed or he doesn’t exercise as much as other dogs – thus, in this case, we can notice an in-breed difference. Otherwise, this is not true.
Are Yorkies low maintenance?
Yorkies are not low maintenance, on the contrary. This breed is a barker, it can be difficult to train and needs regular exercise. Besides, a Yorkie’s hair needs to be groomed very often, combed every day.
Are Yorkies expensive to take care of?
Yorkies are not more expensive to take care of than most of the dogs. Food for a Yorkie may cost you around $300/year. But you should add to the bill veterinarian care, toys, tickets (if you want to travel with your dog).
References
Yorkieadvice.com
Petsworld.in
Animalwised.com
