I dont know whether im poking my nose in where it doesnt belong so ill make my point and see what response i get

There is a lady who lives in the same village as us and who we have known since moving here 11 years ago. We have always got on well and as we are both dog owners have always had something in common. She has always had dogs and currentley only has one after loosing one a few years ago.
My concern is for this current dog, when she took the dog on from a local rescue organisation it was 18 months old and had be found as a stray. She is a very nice looking collie mix. Why the rescue rehmomed a lively young collie to a woman in her eighties i dont know.
When she came to her she resembled a toast rack however slowly put on weight and looked healthy and happy. Sadly the ladies health has declined and now at over ninety isnt able to give the dog much exercise (not that she got alot before). This dog now resembles a black barrel with two eyes and a nose poking out the end. Her neck seems to have dissapeared. I would easily say this dog is two if not three times her ideal weight. Her tiny paws and legs look like they could buckle at any moment. This is an intelligent collie who in my opinion should be able to run around and do what comes naturally to her.

I dont really know what to say to the lady regarding this dog, she says the vet has told her off about the dogs weight. She also says that she doesnt get overfed (as shes giving it half a slice of cake!) I have offered to walk it for her with mine but she has said that the dog would not come with me and is quite adimant that i will not walk it. She manages to walk it up and down the road attatched to her walking frame which is obviously no exercise for the dog. I know she loves the dog and the dog loves her but i cant help but feel so sorry for the poor thing everytime i see her plodding along. She is only around five years old.

Other people in the village have commented about it but i dont know what to do. Should i just i mind my own business?

Or if she's approachable print off the pages from BBC News where owners have had their dogs taken away from them for allowing them to get too fat..I'm sure a search should bring these cases up.

Say that you are concerned that she doesn't fall into the same trap as these people.
You know how much she loves her dog etc etc.
Offer again if you are ok to walk her dog for her with yours so that she gets lots of free running etc to lose her weight.
Say that she'll still be able to go on her stroll too as exercise will do her good...
Then try to broach the feeding issue....

Or if you know which vet she's a client of perhaps ask there if the vet can give you any pointers...

Does the lady know what strain she's putting on her dog by allowing it to become obese?
Perhaps she's not aware of the harm that she's doing?

> Does the lady know what strain she's putting on her dog by allowing it to become obese?

I think she does but not to the extent she is. Like i have said she told me that the vet had told her the dog needed to loose weight, but she doesnt seem to think feeding her Kitkats and cakes is wrong.

When she took on this dog she had already got anohter rescue who she had taken on who was probably the largest CKCS i think has ever existed, she tried to get weight off him but sadly she didnt manage it and he died of kidney failure. Now this dog seems to be going the same way.

I have offered a number of times to take the dog for her, but she suffers from seperation anxiety so the lady is reluctant to let me. I will keep trying.
I also forgot to mention that someone did report her to the RSPCA when she had the two of them as they were concerned about the dogs wellbeing. Who it was i have no idea. They only gave her advice about feeding and exercise, that was as far as it went.

Idea about showing her info about dogs being taken away because of obesity is a good one, will just have to pick my moment.

Thanks

Sounds like a difficult situation and the lady sounds like she could be a bit set in her ways. I think it's a good idea that boxacrazy came up with. If her collie has separation anxiety, perhaps some time out with your dogs would give her dog a bit more confidence too. I hope your chat goes well. Fingers crossed. x

It's a difficult one isn't it, you have a very old lady here who obviously needs the dog for company and dotes on it, so it feels very cruel to report her again to the RSPCA, (which is what needs to be done really if she will not help the dog) but then you have a dog who is slowly being led to an early death and your having to watch it yourself. If you push too hard she will probably just avoid you and think it is none of your business, so try to keep smiling and keep it light, no-one likes to feel they are not in control of their life having others telling them what to do, because we all know that to save this dog it will probably need re-homing, she can't give it the right exercise and she is unlikely to want to put the dog on rations to get it's weight down as with many they see giving their dog treats and food an extension of loving them, no doubt she will feel 'cruel' in not giving her dog these terrible foods, so I don't hold out much hope unless she is faced with loosing the dog forever if she doesn't.

She hasn't taken her vets advice, I doubt very much that she will take yours and may well be offended.  Your correct the rescue should never have given a Collie type dog to a lady who can not walk enough, a young Collie constantly on a lead, doing slow walks, poor thing, no life for it. Perhaps you could suggest ball retrieve games in her garden to help exercise the dog much more, that would help a lot, and the dog could get quite a lot of exercise that way.

By all means you can try to print off information for her and hope she will take it from you in good faith.

I've also added on this link for you to copy out for her, with regards to chocolate and if she is also giving cake with raisins in it etc for her to read, I chose this one as it has a vets verification so may hit home.

http://dog-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/dangers_of_chocolate_for_dogs

To be honest her vet is likely to report her if the dog is becoming obese and unhealthy they have a duty to do this now. It would be very sad for the lady to loose her dog, do what you can, but don't expect too much, people often don't wish to listen.

very difficult but as someone has suggested if you print off 'dangers of choc' etc when you give her that to read could you give her 'an early xmas present for the dog' and make up a little pack of 'good treat' stuff. JW do those lite-bite rice cake treats, some little carrots and other things I can't think of at the moment, maybe a treat-ball/kong for putting dogs normal meal in (mental exercise).
Chris

How old is the dog now? 

Thanks for ideas,

I will probably not see her now untill monday as going away for weekend. Its difficult, as like has been said this dog is her life, but i find it really difficult to see this dog in the condition she is in.
The ideas of giving her 'healthy treats' as a xmas present is a good one, a kong may be an idea too.

With regard to the vet, i know she was on a diet plan and being weighed regularly as was the CKCS she had. This seems to have stopped now, mainly due to the ladys ill health. She still manages to drive though (scary i know) This is only to get groceries. I had suggested she drive the dog to woodland that backs onto our house so she could have a run about. she said it was too much trouble getting the car out lol.

I really dont know, but healthy treats and info about choccie are a start.

> How old is the dog now? 

The dog is around five years old maybe slightly older.