I’ve been a lot around staffies in recent years. My conclusion is this: the staffordshire bull terrier is an amazing breed of dog. Both energetic and lively. Loves to have fun and great around kids. It enjoys your company, socializing and being physically active.
It’s immense energy requires some nutrition, but not too much of the good stuff. And that’s what we’re going to discuss here today.
Weight varies slightly – not by a lot
The optimal weight of a staffordshire bull terrier will vary: usually somewhere in the range of 11 to 17 kg. 11-15 kg (24 to 33 lbs) for females and 13-17 kg (29 to 37 lbs) for males. As far as being underweight, a general rule of thumb is you shouldn’t see visible ribs. If you hardly feel the ribs, or the abdoman hangs low, your dog might be overweight.
A rough or slender bone structure may be a bit deceiving, but shouldn’t be your go to answer for everything. Here lies the problem. You should aim for your dog to keep an healthy weight in order to secure just that: health.
You want your dog to live a long and playful life, and excess in either direction can be troublesome.
Like with humans, some dogs may struggle a bit with their weight. And excuses. This has nothing to do with being a bad dog owner if you just didn’t know. But neglect of your dogs health will lead to being one.
Just like people, some dogs struggle with issues that can make it more challenging to keep on or get rid off weight.
If the dog is physically slightly larger than the others, you can add a few pounds. But be honest with yourself as the owner whether your dog is healthy and fit.
Let’s make an example out of this. 10 kilos (22 lbs) is not very much for a person who weighs 90 kg (198 lbs). If your dog weight should be in the neighbourhood of 15 kg on the otherhand, 10 kgs extra is a lot, and has the potential of decreasing your staffies quality of life.
PetMD.com has a great calculator to estimate what your dogs’ weight should be.
So how should the diet be?
First of all: there is no such thing as a diet. To increase your dogs quality of life, if over- or underweight, will require a complete overhaul of the dog’s lifestyle. Keep the snacks low, or increase the amount of exercise. The opposite is required if your dog is underweight.
No need to give away biscuits every time your dog does something right. When I’m at work, I do not expect my boss to cover me with cookies every time I do something right.
The right type of dog food
You should always consult your veterinarian for advice regarding changes in your dogs’ diet. The general rule is high quality dog food. Whether you choose to buy this from a pet store, grocery store or similar is up to you. Feel free to use a little salmon oil or an raw egg in combination with the food.
We have written about this before: some people do not recommend using raw eggs in dog food due to obstruction of vitamin intake. A lot of veterinarians recommend it as long as it’s used as a supplement. Feel free to make your own opinion – or ask a veterinarian you trust.
Biscuits are allowed
Your staffy will not be negatively affected by receiving a well deserved dog biscuit once in a while. It is important to cuddle and reward your dog when he/she does something right. If your staffordshire is a bit on the heavier side, just use common sense and try to keep the amount of snacks low. After a long trip, or an active day, for example.
Keep your dog active!
Mammals burn more energy by moving. If your dog currently has a bad starting point, you can take it easy in the beginning. Take longer and longer walks, throw more sticks and play around in other ways when you have the time.
Of course, if your dog is currently in a slight calorie deficit, be careful not to overwork it. A small amount of food combined with a lot of heavy activity can result in loss of muscle mass and other health-related issues. Fast is not the way to do it.
Take it easy at first, and look at the mood and condition of your dog. If it is nimble, alert and looks completely fine, then you’re probably doing a lot right.
How to achieve the ideal weight of your dog
A bit smaller meals, less dog snacks and a bit more activity will work perfectly fine. You can make these changes gradually, and that’s probably the best way to make lifestyle changes.
Maintain a healthy weight in the puppy stage
When your puppy is growing, it’s important you give him/her plenty, but at the same time not too much, high quality dog food throughout his or hers upbringing. This ensures your doggie gets what it needs, and the development is not hampered by poor nutrition.
Find out more about what your dog’s ideal weight is through the puppy stage, so you don’t have to walk around worrying about whether it is eating too much or too little.
What can obesity cause in dogs?
Lifestyle ailments are not just something that people struggle with.
An overweight dog will have the potential to develop various diseases and unfortunate health conditions. Some of these include diabetes, joint pain, weakened muscles, various skin issues and an increased load on the skeleton and internal organs.
As with humans, it is also possible for dogs to have a bad metabolism. This is rare, and not necessarily something that should stand in the way of your dog being able to maintain an ideal weight. If you have any questions, please reach out to your veterinarian to clear these things up.
Issues related to being underweight
This feels like common sense: don’t starve your dog. Not for looks, not for athletic performance. Maintain a healthy, stable weight. If the ribs are visible, the dog might be getting a less than ideal amount of nutrition.
For underweight doggies, several deficiency diseases can occur. Lack of important vitamins and minerals dogs need in order to live a happy and healthy life. It’s also fair to mention that if your dog doesn’t want to eat, even when underweight, it might be an underlying disease. Not necessarily a critical illness, but we would still recommend taking the trip to the vet to make sure.
If your dog has a bad appetite, it’s often not you as the owners’ fault. Some dogs find it easy to eat very little during the puppy stage, and if that’s the case, you can combine high quality dog food with healthy snacks. Vary your dogs diet, try new things and get back to what has actually worked. Remember that dogs snacks are a tiny supplement. And always reach out to your veterinarian if you have questions.
We are passionate about staffies and genuinely interested in the breed. However, staffieclub.com currently has no veterinarians reviewing our articles and recommend following their advice regarding health-related information.
