been thinking

[Darren]

admittedly at the TPR show I didnt get to feel them all, but nearly every dog looked fit, but when touched they were on the whole very soft, maybe I have been spoilt but a few years ago most dogs were kept fit just incase they were called upon, but I would hazzard a guess that most dogs now are put on a diet to get them looking ripped

[Bullseye]

Good question Darren, would be interesting to see some of the responses to this...


Topic moved to General

[Jorosie]

I feed my dog raw and i work him, not for aesthetics reasons, although consequently he looks fit as a result. I think with fitness - the proof is in the pudding. It shouldnt be about looks as some dogs shape up differently when they are fit to other dogs. In my humble opinion, it is about being able to work - beit weight pull or track mill, fetching in the field or rounding up sheep - to recover quickly, easily and well. A fit and healthy dog is the aim surely - and looks are just a secondary consequence.

A dog that can excel, against himself, in whatever work you put him to, is fit for purpose. I mean I hate all these fat family labs as much as the next person, but that said I wouldnt expect the average dog owner to keep their dogs in the same nick as I keep Arch. A dog should be fit for purpose, whatever that purpose, as how they look should be natural to that state for fitness. But that is just how I see it...I am happy so long as Arch can do 10 minutes on a track mill or sprint 400m or whatever, and recover quickly and easily without any soreness, injury or stiffness.

[Darren]

well said but we were talking about looks , nice looking dog btw

[Bullrover]

I thought there was some good looking dogs at the show and listening to some of the lads it would seem they put plenty of work into them but I think your right about some people dropping their dogs weight for looks via reduced feeding as opposed to exercise. You do see a lot of very lean cut Staffs about these days.

With my little lad I try to keep the fat off him but not so much it eats into the muscle. I switched from JWB kibble to raw and found it keeps more of a lean muscle look but he dropped a bit of weight when I first switched. The Staff bitch that won the show looked very fit but I never handled her, Anwl would probably have felt most of the dogs and have a view.

[anwl]

I Sure did and in my opinion none were starved fit , if that can be done...there were no backbones showing or pins , pleanty of muscle on the back legs ... when standing still a muscle won't be as solid as if it were working..

[mandog]

I keep my dogs fit because they need it. I do not however go out of my way to get them super fit for no reason.
They would be calmer on a very low protien diet but then they would not be in great condition and if called upon to do a bit of exersting work they would soon become nackered. So i feed just the righty amount to compensate the the amount of excersise they do so to calm them down and make them ready for anything