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 An analysis of canines at Britain's Crufts show - held annually
since the reign of Queen Victoria - found 74 percent were in ideal
condition but 26 percent were overweight.
None of the animals studied were underweight, researchers from the
University of Liverpool reported in the journal Veterinary Record.
The team reached their conclusions after studying 1,000 images of 28
dog breeds placed between first and fifth in their class during
competitions from 2001 to 2013.
The issue was most pronounced in certain breeds, with 80 percent of
pugs, 68 percent of Basset hounds and 63 percent of Labradors
proving excessively fat.
While obesity at Crufts is still less common than in the general pet
population, researcher Alex German said the proportion of overweight
animals was a concern because show dogs were assumed to be perfect
specimens of their breed.
Obesity causes significant health problems in dogs, including
arthritis and diabetes.
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(Reporting by Ben Hirschler; editing by Andrew Roche)
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