Beagle Obesity How to Create a Safe Exercise Plan
Overweight Beagles Lifespan How Obesity can affect their health
These adorable little cuddle-monsters will eat anything that they can fit into their mouth. Beagles love to eat. I wont be surprised if my beagle jumps and grabs all the pancakes and eat them in one go, even right after having his meal. Due to their obsession with eating, beagles are prone to obesity. This affects their health drastically. Lets look into the average lifespan of an overweight beagle.
According to the data published by Banfield Pet Hospital, on average, the lifespan of overweight beagles is 2 years shorter than the beagles with normal weight. While beagles with healthy weight live for 15 years, overweight beagles live for 13 years.
Lets look into more about the research conducted to find how weight can affect a dogs lifespan. We will also see how you can find out if your beagle is overweight.
What does the research say
A study was conducted by Banfield Pet Hospital, where scientists examined how weight can have a negative or positive effect on the lifespan of a dog. The research was done over two decades and included popular breeds like labrador retrievers and beagles. You can find the Journal here:
Association between life span and body condition in neutered client-owned dogs.
This study examined more than 50,000 dogs of a 12 different breed, both male and female, and aged between 6 1/2 and 8 1/2 years.
The research proved that overweight dogs have a shorter lifespan compared to dogs with a healthy weight.
The lifespan of an overweight beagle is reduced by 2 years. While a male beagle with a healthy weight lives for 15.2 years, an overweight one lives for 13.2 years. A female beagle with normal weight lives of 15.3 years, and an overweight female lives for 13.3 years.
How to find if your beagle is overweight
A healthy weight for a male adult beagle is 22 to 35 pounds (10 to 15 kg). Whereas, 20 to 30 pounds (9 to 13 kg) is healthy for a female beagle.
According to AKC, there are two varieties of beagle:
- Beagles whos full-grown size stand under 13 inches at the shoulder.
- Beagles whos full-grown size stand between 13 to 15 inches at the shoulder.
A healthy weight of these two types of beagles is:
- Under 13 inches: 22 to 30 pounds (10 to 13.6 kg)
- Between 13 and 15 inches: 25 to 35 pounds (11 to 15.8 kg)
Anything above this is considered overweight.
Other ways to tell if your beagle is overweight
There are some other ways to confirm that your beagle is overweight. Lets have a look into them.
Note: The ways mentioned below are for adult beagles only. Its okay for a puppy to look chubby or fat even after feeding healthy food. They are supposed to carry extra weight.
Check their ribs
You can put your hand on your beagles ribs and gently apply a little pressure. Healthy beagles have a layer of skin with thin fats over them, and you can feel the ribs.
And if you can feel a good amount of fats before you can feel the ribs, then your pooch is overweight.
And in case if the ribs of a beagle are visible and popping out of his skin, then the beagle is underweight.
They look chubby
Beagles are hunting dogs, and the breed, in general, is athletic, and so is their body. You can easily spot an overweight beagle by looking at them. They are chubby and have lots of fats on their body.
They are not flexible.
Overweight beagles struggle to scratch behind their ears and find it difficult to lick their other body parts.
They get tired easily.
Healthy beagles are a powerhouse of energy. They love to play and run.
However, an overweight beagle will struggle to run and get tired quickly. They become lazy and lethargy.
Why overweight beagles have a shorter lifespan
Obesity in beagles can create lots of health concerns and invite diseases that can reduce their lifespans.
Lets discuss some common health risks found in overweight beagles.
Sugar Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus or sugar diabetes is prevalent in overweight beagles. Obesity increases insulin secretion. If it keeps increasing over a long period, it can burn out cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, which results in diabetes.
Complications in Joints, bones, and ligaments
As the bodyweight of the beagle increases, the pressure on joints and bones increases too, causing severe damage over time. Overweight can cause joint problems, arthritis, and hip dysplasia.
Heart disease
The heart needs to pump more blood in an overweight body. This can cause congestive heart failure.
Hypertension (increased blood pressure)
Excess body weight can cause increased blood pressure in dogs too. You can read more about it here.
Other common health concerns
Other common health concerns in overweight beagles include difficulty breathing, decreased stamina, decreased liver function, digestive disorders, lower immunity, and a higher risk of cancer. You can read about these complications in detail here.
All these diseases and health complications are caused by excess body weight in beagles. This increases the chances of early death and results in shorter lifespans.
Helping your Beagle to Lose weight
Please consult a certified veterinarian first before you come to any conclusion. If your vet has confirmed that your dog is overweight and needs to lose some pounds, then its time to become strict with your beagles diet and routine.
Step 1: Try to make this as fun as possible for your beagle.
Begin with a positive mindset. In any case, losing weight should not be a negative experience for your beagle.
Try to keep things excited and fun for both of you.
Step 2: Slow and Steady Wins the race.
Set a realistic goal that can be achieved over a period of a comfortable time. The plan is to transform your dog slowly but steadily.
Setting unrealistic goals for quick results will put your beagle through a lot of physical as well as mental stress. And we dont want that.
Losing 1 to 2 pounds a month seems like a safe and reasonable goal.
Step 3: Feeding Guide
Two things you need to check:
- What are you feeding
- How much are you feeding
Ask yourself, what are you feeding your dog? Is it healthy? If its not, then try finding a healthier option.
Weight-loss dog food for your beagle should have more protein, less fat, and fewer calories.
My top three suggestion of dog food for weight loss are:
The second thing to look for is how much are you feeding your canine. You neither want to overfeed nor underfeed him. Every dog food has its own feeding guide printed on its package, so follow that to find the correct quantity.
One more thing to keep in check is the treats that you feed him. The number of treats and snacks must be reduced. Try switching to a low-calorie treat. My recommendation for a healthy low calorie treats:
Step 4: Exercise
Regular exercise is essential for keeping your beagle in shape and increase his lifespan.
Overexercising your beagle out of his capacity can cause joint or bone injury.Ask your veterinarian or a dog trainer to create an exercise plan for your beagle according to his weight.
Apart from that, make sure your pooch drinks enough water while exercising so that he doesnt overheat.
You can go through these 7 best ways for beagle to lose weight.
Final Thoughts
Beagles are supposed to be active and healthy. If you stop exercising your beagle and allow them to eat unhealthy food, then it will most definitely cause him to overweight and decrease his lifespan.
I love to exercise with my beagle regardless if its on the trails or on a treadmill. For anyone of us fortunate enough to have one, the workout can provide lots of fun for both dog owner and dog alike. As beagles are scent hounds, they have a large pool of energy reserves to draw upon from. They are an incredibly hearty breed.
To help keep them in peak physical and emotional shape, they need daily physical + mental exercise. Which lead me to research my question: How much exercise do beagles need?
Basic Guidelines Of Exercise For Your Beagle
A good guideline for beagle puppies is to walk 5 minutes for every month of your puppys life, up to twice a day. An adult beagle needs 60-90 minutes of exercise each day. Senior beagles need about 30-60 minutes of exercise a day, split up in 2 or more sessions. Lets dive further.
Benefits Of Exercise
- Keeps their weight in an optimal range.
- Maintains their musculoskeletal (skeleton, muscles, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, joints and other connective tissue), cardiovascular, and digestive systems in excellent condition.
- Improves their ability to be a calm, balanced individual (A tired dog is a good dog).
Beagles should be able to enjoy a hybrid of moderate to intense exercise, to keep their energy levels in check, and to help develop their physiques.
Most Beagles love to simply run around. If taken to a park or open field, this breed will enjoy roaming free. Do, however, always keep your dog supervised or in a secure environment, and be sure that if you ever take your Beagle off of his leash or harness, that it is legal and safe to do so.
Below we will discuss together different aspects involving your beagles exercise regimen, and how to make it safe and enjoyable for both you and your family alike.
What Age Is Okay To Begin Exercise?
Before you decide your puppy or dog into the great unknown, youll want to ensure that they have had a full veterinary check-up and are up to date with their vaccinations.
The first consideration to have a pause in terms of extensive or intense exercise for puppies is something called growth plates. Growth plates are soft areas that sit at the ends of the long bones in puppies and young dogs. Rapidly dividing cells, they allow bones to become longer until the end of puberty. In puppies, the plates gradually close as their hormonal changes approach puberty. This closure is normally completed by approximately 18 months old.
Until this process completes, it renders them more vulnerable to injury. To avoid putting too much strain on them during this critical time, self-directed play should be the majority of their exercise. This includes free play, exploring, and noodling around. Otherwise, you run the risk of disrupting the normal growth of their bones.
After the age of 18 months, you can release the hound so to say, and allow them to more freely engage in more structured walks or jogs, in addition to their normal physical activity. Believe me, theyll love it. Theyre naturally energetic, so itll be more than welcome.
Safety First!
As a dog owner, you must supervise your dog at all times and ensure the dog is kept within calling distance and under control. It is in your best interest to provide your pet with obedience training and socialization skills necessary to become a well-mannered and socially well-adjusted dog.
Accessibility to clean water for your beagle must be a constant, whether they are exercising or not. In addition, be aware of the environment he or she will be encountering, in terms of terrain and temperature specifically.
Terrain is something many dog owners dont think about it intrinsically.
For example: When was the last time you went running walking on scalding or freezing pavement, with your bare feet? Exactly. Well, the same principle applies to your dog. Would you want to rock over incredibly rocky terrain with your bare feet either? Probably not. Now, Im not encouraging you to avoid these scenarios. Realistically, thats not possible in their entirety. Just be mindful of the duration and intensity of the variable.
Temperature is another element. Clothing for your dog in the colder elements is not unreasonable. On the opposite side of the spectrum: Heatstroke is something to be particularly mindful of, as this occurs if your beagle cannot regulate their own body temperature, due to extreme conditions. Avoid subjecting your 4-legged loved one to extreme temperatures. A good rule of thumb: If you wouldnt want to subject yourself to the same environment for an extended period of time under the same conditions, you definitely dont want them to either.
What Are Some Exercise Ideas For Your Beagle? [Time For Some Fun!]
Walking
Is bar none, one of the best forms of low-intensity physical exercise for beagles. Your beagle should be provided a walked for a minimum of 20 minutes, 1 or 2 times daily at a moderately brisk pace.
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Bear in mind, youll want to take into account the walking pace of your dog, not yourself. A beagle puppys stride is going to be shorter than that of an adult beagle.
The walk should be at a pace where your beagle is moving along steadily, but never out of breath. If they are panting excessively, are falling behind, or stop and lay down they have probably had enough. It is probably a good idea to end the walk. If they are happily trotting along you can choose to walk a bit further.
Running
You may be surprised at times at not how they can keep with you, but how you can keep with them. The average adult Beagle can run at about 20 mph (32.2 km/h) while the average male human jogs at 8.5mph (13.35 km/h) and the average woman at 6.5mph (10.46 km/h). Impressive to say the least.
Tug of War
Playing tug of war with your dog is a fun, great way to give your dog plenty of physical and mental exercise. Its a game that relies on manners, therefore its a great way to work on your dogs impulse control; i.e. the game stops if your teeth touch my hand.
A word of caution when working with puppies. If your dog hasnt mastered basic bite inhibition, they will probably struggle to play by the rules. If you want to save your hands from those sharp teeth remember to work on teaching your puppy not to bite before attempting a game of tug.
Reminder: Remember to put up your dogs tug toy away when not in use. Many tug toys are made with rope or other materials that can pose a potential choking hazard for your dog.
Go Fetch
Playing fetch with your dog is a fun and interactive way to exercise your dog.
It truly can make for endless fun as long as your beagle actually retrieves the ball, which he still struggles with stubbornly sometimes. Initially, my beagle would just grab the ball and either run with it incessantly or try to bury it. Eventually, hes learned to properly retrieve it.
Granted, beagles can be rather stubborn in terms of actually bringing the item back that youve just thrown. After all, theyre not a retriever. Youll likely be going chasing after them to get the item back, and then subsequently engage in the aforementioned tug of war. However, with practice, anything is possible.
Follow the Dog
Instead of walking your dog, have your dog walk you. Wherever they go, you follow. Let your dogs interests guide your adventure. You may up become a lot more aware of rogue chipmunks, that you might not have noticed otherwise. Youll be amazed where their nose may take you.
Shell Game
Hiding treats behind furniture, inside boxes, or across the yard is a really fun game for dogs, but it can be difficult yet fun, as well. Your dog already has a huge advantagetheir nose. Take frequent breaks and keep sessions within 5 minutes increments.
Other Ideas + Products
We attached a list that weve compiled of items, weve personally used for our beagles over time. Its rather comprehensive, in case you realize that you may be in need of something. The list is here.
Conclusion
A healthy body results in a healthy mind. Exercise is beneficial for every beagle, young or old; you just need to adjust the amount of exercise to suit your dogs age, fitness level, and health status.
Exercise not only benefits all dogs on a physical level, but it will help him on a mental level too.
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