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Happy Monday!
Take a moment and feast your eyes on my normally pint-sized Yorkshire terrier, Guapo.
Guapo. (Supplied)
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For most of his adult life, my three-year-old black and brown furball has maintained a weight of 14 pounds, give or take. But in the last couple of months he’s tipped the scales at a whopping 20 pounds.
That’s right! After gaining six pounds (that’s more than one third of his body weight) my once-featherweight Yorkshire Terrier can weigh in as a heavyweight contender.
Now, for those of you who think this sort of body shaming is unacceptable, you should know that Yorkies normally weigh between four to seven pounds.
And since my adorable, usually svelte pooch gets regular exercise, eats kibble on an irregular basis (about half a cup twice a day) and enjoys the odd dried liver treat on our walks, I can’t explain why this bulked-up transformation happened.
But after doing some research (okay, I googled ‘why is my dog gaining weight?’) into the topic I learned that dogs are similar to humans: their metabolism slows down as they age. Additionally, neutered dogs are prone to weight gain, which is what the veterinarian warned me about two years ago.
Still, I’d really like to know from you, Ready, Pet, Go! readers, what you think might be causing this sudden bodily explosion. So, without suggesting a visit to the vet, which I will do soon, send me an email with your theories!
Have a great week!
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