i took my spaniels to the vets?

It sounds like your two guys may be slightly overweight, so the vet was right but unfortunately wasn't very tactful!

You should be able to feel the ribs without digging about to find them and your dogs should have a waist line.

I work at a vets and i think sometimes because people see their dogs everyday, they don't always notice a weight gain, where as we do as we only see them once in a while.

It's all very well saying "if you're happy and the dogs are happy then leave them" but there all sorts of associated health problems with an overweight dog.

Heart

Arthritis

circulation

respiratory problems to name a few.

We've all seen larger people struggling to walk about and do everyday things (I'm one of them!) that thinner people take for granted, it's the same for animals.

Bakers is not a good food, of course your dogs will love it as it's basically sprayed with sugar to make it appetising for the dogs!

There are lots of quality complete feeds

Burns

James Wellbeloved

Nutro

Royal Canin

You can bulk out their food if it makes you feel better with veg or i find feeding my dogs twice a day helps.

I don't mean feed more just split it into two, i feed small amount in Am. then main meal early evening.

I Understand your vet was cheeky and less than tactful but he/she probably was right

If your dogs are English springers, unless they're way over-sized, they should weigh between 16 - 20 k. So yes, your dogs are overweight - and for a dog that size, that's a lot of extra weight they're carrying.

Since they're getting plenty of exercise, you should think about cutting back on their food and cutting out treats all together. It would be to their benefit to divide their meals up into 2 meals a day. If you want to give them treats, try green beans, raw carrots, even a tablespoon of plain, no-fat yogurt which is good for digestion.

As they get plenty of walking, can you also add some swimming, or get them running after a ball or frisbee?

You need to have a look into the dogs food and diet. Bakers is bulk food with little nutrition.

I suggest that you try a richer food then they will eat less of it because they are getting plenty of nutrients.

I feed my springer on eukanuba and sometimes mix it with pedigree chum tinned in gravy.

Have a look in the pets stores and there are foods which you can give dogs which seem a lot to eat but it is 'low fat food' for dogs, so they are getting the feeling that their stomach is full without putting on the excess weight. Patience and time is the key but definatley look at different foods.

That does seem a little heavy. I had the same problems with my dogs. I cut down on treats (one a day, after their evening walk) and lessened the amount of their food . They get 2 smaller meals a day. They also pushed their bowls around, but remember, dogs will eat a LOT of left to their own devices. They will push their bowls around if there is the slightest chance for food.

Don't feel guilty, it is for their own good.

Dogs are like people, sometimes a number doesn't define healthy. Like us it depends on their bone structure, height, etc.

Have your dog stand up straight, stand over him and look down. You should see the slight raise of a shoulder bone but not poking at the skin. The dog should have a visible waist, an indentation between the rib cage and the hip. Looking at his sides you should see the suggestion of the ribs but not necessarily be able to count them. Feel across his ribs, You should be able to feel the location of rib but should not be able to feel it edge to edge.

If you can see all these things, your dog is fine. Biggest thing is the waist, if he doesn't have one, then yes he is over weight.

By the way, a healthy dog is always hungry or I should say, ready to eat.

You could try dividing the amount of food in half and go back to feeding twice daily. Same intake but they aren't going so long between feedings.

If you can feel their ribs and they have a visible waist (dip in between ribs and hip) they are just fine. You need to feel the ribs w/o digging in though. If they do need to lose a little weight, put about a 1/4 - 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree in with their food. The dogs love it and it fills them up so they don't think they are starving.

You may want to look at changing from Bakers, then. Bakers is the canine equivelent to fast food, essentially. It's full of fat & not necessarily full of nutrients. I personally recommend the more natural dog foods you can buy, I am currently feeding my dog Joe & Jacks after feeding her Bakers & she is doing so much better - I cannot believe how much you can notice the difference.

I have a springer spaniel and every time i take her to the vets, they say she is overweight, she is 25 kilos, mind you she does look a bit fat but she is now ten so i cant be doing too much wrong. treat them the way you think best and you wont go wrong, lots of love and attention helps too

With the regime you have them on now, they will lose weight in about a week. My Dalmatians are about the same weight as your Springers, so based on size alone, I would say the Springers are a bit on the heavy side.

I think that your vet is right. In your statement (it wasn't a question ) you said 'walked'. I walk much the same distance and my two Collies are haring about all over the place!