Overweight? What Now.

[Guest Marsroving]

Well, I received a snide email from the adoption coordinator of the group we obtained Mars from. The tone was threatening, but everything this woman does is typically aggressive and nasty. It's almost enough to make me never want to adopt another dog from them, which is sad, because the woman whi founded the group is sweet and considerate. (There are two women, the one who sent the email is the adoption coordinator not the founder).

 

So, when Mars came home he weighed 72 pounds. The paperwork we got with our adoption stuff said a retired racer should ideally be 4-8 pounds over racing weight. This would put Mars between 76-80 pounds. His current weight is 77.6. I am still able to see his back ribs easily as well as three points in his spine.

 

The weekend before this one we attended an event held by the group and the first thing the lady says when she sees him is that he's dangerously heavy because she cannot see his hip tips. Ok, got the message, I assured her I'd do my best to bring his weight down some. We've been diligent about reducing any treats and always making sure he gets the same amount of raw food each day, which is 2 pounds.

 

Fast forward to today and I get an email stating that in the adoption agreement we signed we promised to not allow our dog to become overweight. I do not understand why the need for the threatening tone. I would like to see her try to come and take my dog from me because it would happen over my dead body. She then went on to say a dog should be 4-5 pounds over racing weight, which may I add is different from the paperwork we obtained with Mars. 4-5 pounds would still put him at 76-77 pounds. I'm guessing since his back legs are not as muscled as previously he looks less fit, and I'm thinking we should try to increase his vigorous exercise to get his muscle back.

 

Really sad by the attitude, it was completely uncalled for. I guess I'll drop his food intake to 1.75 pounds a day and add an extra 20 minute walk or a couple extra free runs a week.

 

Thanks for reading, needed to vent. Not sure how to go forward. I'm not going to bother to respond to the email that she sent.

[DaisyDoodle]

If your vet is happy with your dogs weight, I don't think you should drop the food. I think you should drop visits to the group.

Edited August 25, 2013 by DaisyDoodle

[Guest kkaiser104]

Aww I think we're from the same group and I've never had a problem with the adoption coordinator so I feel bad that you're having trouble Maybe post a pic here and get some more opinions? To be fair, a lot of vets do understand what a "fit" greyhound looks like--I've seen people who had super heavy greys and the vet told them it was fine and they were at a good weight. Not saying your vet is that way, just saying it's a fact.

 

I'm surprised that you can't see hip points but you can still see ribs and back bone...did he just lose a lot of muscle mass? And was 72 lbs his race weight or adoption weight? They aren't always the same.

 

Sorry you're having to deal with this!

[Guest widowcali]

I'm not sure how "fat" your grey is, but all is fine as long as you can see the back rib. Not to mention that dogs, like people, carry weight differently. My Wid's racing weight as around 65 lbs. She looks very thin and lanky at 70ish (hard to keep weight on this girl). Cali, who is about a 10th of an inch shorter than Wid, had a racing weight of 59 lbs and looks a little chunky at 65 lbs. They have gained the same amount of weight, but they carry it differently.

 

Saying that it is your fault that your dog looks overweight is kind of like saying it's my mom's fault that one out of my 5 nephews is too fat. You may have supplied the food, but you had very little to do with how the dog carries the weight. If your dog is healthy, your vet is happy, and you are not going overboard with the Beggin' Strips, you are doing all that is right.

 

I would forward the email you received to the head of the adoption group. I have had experience with adoption coordinators, volunteer coordinators, and just regular volunteers who have developed an "I know all and everyone else should obey me or fear" mindset. Adoption groups are not above firing volunteers who have gotten a bit too big for their britches and gone off on power trips.

[RedHead]

Wow...your adoption agreement had something about not letting your dog become overweight?? I've never seen that. He may very well be a little chunky (without seeing a pic can't tell) but if he is only 5 lbs over his adoption (racing?) weight, I don't see how he can possibly be THAT overweight. Certainly not enough to get threatened. I am no expert, but I don't see a lot of visible hip points on many greys who are in very good condition.

[tbhounds]

Tell her to go scratch. You can not judge a dogs weight today based on what they were on the track. She's making a huge assumption that your hound had an optimal weight while racing. There's no reason for her to be so rude. Find another group.

[pabozem]

I wouldn't give this lady a second thought. Some people just have to be "large and in charge"!!! I have four greys and one is built more tank-like than thin and long like the others. If you and your vet are comfortable with your pup's weight that's what counts. Give Mars an ear scritch from me.

[Hubcitypam]

Tell her to go scratch. You can not judge a dogs weight today based on what they were on the track. She's making a huge assumption that your hound had an optimal weight while racing. There's no reason for her to be so rude. Find another group.

Exactly. Some kennels run their dogs way leaner than others. Five pounds on a 72 pound dog is different than five pounds on a 55 pound dog.

[Guest Marsroving]

 

This is him running at the same event. He reached 41 mph. I don't understand how a unhealthy dog could reach that kind of speed. He came in 4th place in the lure coursing event out of over 30 dogs. 11.16 seconds...I am so proud of him! Sorry if the image shows twice. With the changes they made to imgur it's harder to understand the right way to post pictures.

 

[Guest kkaiser104]

What a great shot! I got some great ones of my boy also His back end is thick, but I feel like that's just how he's built. I keep Teddi a little leaner then that, but he's also built really slim. Did you email the founder? Forward her the email so she knows exactly what the coordinator said. While I love both of those women I would be upset if I were you.

[Guest FreeholdHound]

I recently had a discussion similar to this w/ some trainers & breeders on FB. They have never heard of the "5 lb over racing weight" rule.it seems to be an adoption group thing. And whatever weight may be posted on GH Data may not have been his consistent weight as it may change depending on the different tracks & trainers philosophy. Some run them heavier, some lighter was my understanding. It's the look of the dog (ribs, hips etc) that is the norm. My boy raced at 75 lbs, when I brought him home he was 89 lbs. I now have him down to about 82 lbs. His ribs show as they should & so do his hip points. He looks "thick" because of loss of muscle tone. I've changed him over to a raw/kibble diet & we're working on his work outs.

As far as Adoption Group -- I'd tell them to go to Hell. It sounds like your guy is just fine IMHO. He's healthy & happy. If you & your Vet as satisfied with how he's doing - they can go scratch. I could care less what the paperwork says.

[krissy]

I will not adopt from the group we got Summit from ever again. This was partly why we ended up getting a show bred puppy, because in Ontario there is only one group with a kennel where you can choose your own dog, the rest all foster dogs out and choose for you. I think that's great, however, since I wanted an agility dog and most folks in the greyhound adoption world don't know what to look for in an agility dog it would be better for me to choose.

 

There were a few issues with the group I got him from. I won't get into it. It was resolved in the spring (a few months after we got him). The first summer we had him we were at a local event that this group also attended. I stayed far away, however, I had invited Summit's former owners to come and see him (they hadn't seen him in over 6 months since they returned him) and they told me that the adoption group said it was a shame I'd let Summit get so underweight. He was the same weight as when I adopted him.

 

Anyway, point is, if you don't have to deal with this woman and you can just deal with the founder and other volunteers then don't shy away from adopting from them again. If you have to deal with this woman or she has enough clout in the group that you can't politely put in a word with the founder then honestly... there a lots of other places to get a greyhound and lots of other groups with events to attend. I can't be bothered to deal with that group. So I don't.

[Guest Doggone]

I am so glad that the group through which I got Autumn doesn't have those issues. I have never seen any protrusions from her hip or back area, and she still doesn't have them . I have no idea what her racing weight was, since she was a brood mom immediately after her first and only race (which she won, ahem ). After three litters and a total of 16 puppies, there's no way she'd completely regain her svelte racing form .

She was 65 lbs. when I adopted her, and that's what she is now. I am too tech- challenged to post pictures here.......they remain forever on my phone and iPads, so I can't show you . To me, Mars looks a little bit thinner than Autumn in the back, and IMHO, just fine!

Ignore that witch!

[Guest WhiteWave]

Another reason why I do not like Greyhound Adoption groups and prefer to get my dogs a different way. I would tell the lady to take a flying leap. She obviously has some major control issues she needs to work on. If the dog was morbidly obese, I could understand getting involved, but he is obviously not.

 

Your dog looks fine to me. I wouldn't worry. And I highly doubt they can take him back from you b/c he might be a few pounds over weight.

[Guest Marsroving]

Also, part of the reason his back end looks so thick is that his hair is finally growing in!!!!! YAY! His back end is one huge tuft of white and fawn fluff coming in : )

[seeh2o]

Hip tips? If that were the standard Carl would have been overweight in her mind when he had dropped diarrhea and dropped down to 68lbs, he looked like a skeletor... scary thin until the vet got it under control. He's just not a dog who shows hip pins, even when below optimal weight. I'd put her on ignore like so many others.

[Guest MnMDogs]

Tell her to go scratch. You can not judge a dogs weight today based on what they were on the track. She's making a huge assumption that your hound had an optimal weight while racing. There's no reason for her to be so rude. Find another group.

Yes, I couldn't agree more. He's not her dog, and there is zero reason for her to be such a jackass to an adopter.

[Guest Marsroving]

You know, now that you guys mention it, I started looking back at photos from when we first brought Mars home, and there is not a hip pin to be seen! I'm starting to think he's just not a dog that shows hip pins and that sadly, I'm going to drop the adoption group. This woman has been nothing but nasty to me from the jump. I don't deserve to be treated like this and neither does my boy. Thanks for the advice and perspective everyone. When I brought it up to my vet she looked at me like I was nuts (my vets sees lots of greys) but I still wanted to heed the advice of the adoption coordinator, when I received the email today...that just put it over the top.

 

Too bad, but the couple down the street brought home a really beautiful girl from an agency they love that's closer to my home. Things happen for a reason as they say.

 

 

Edited August 26, 2013 by Marsroving

[JJNg]

Overweight dogs is one of my pet peeves, but I would never approach it the way your adoption coordinator is doing. And this is the first time I've heard of it being part of an adoption contract. Wow, that's taking it to extremes.

 

If that last photo is a recent one, I think Mars looks just fine. The hips are just one part of the picture. Some greyhounds are just built differently. You can see 2-3 ribs, and I think that's perfect.

 

I do think the general guidelines given of a certain number of pounds over racing weight need to be taken with caution. Each dog is different, and racing weights can vary greatly. Some dogs are raced very thin and can easily gain 10-15 lbs and still be healthy. While others are very muscular, and as they lose that muscle mass as pets, they may need to be under racing weight to look good. My boy Wiki is a good example of this. He raced at a very muscular 71 lbs, and he now weighs around 64-65 lbs. Here's a photo to show how he looks at this weight. If he was 4-8 lbs over his racing weight, he'd be fat.

 

 

And here he is fresh off the track. He actually looks thinner here, but weighed 6-7 lbs more because of the different between muscle and....umm, not muscle. LOL Conditioning can make a huge difference.

 

[Sambuca]

He looks great. Drop the group. I dropped the group I got my boys from because they are now advocating and teaching dominance theory, including sharp leash corrections. I'm much happier now although I feel horrible for the dogs.

I think that having a weight clause in the agreement is ridiculous! One of mine has gained 15 pounds since I adopted him and even greyhound people still comment that he looks too thin. There's no way I'd let a piece of paper determine what is healthy for my dog.

[Batmom]

If you felt charitable, you might write a note to the adoption group leader/president about this incident. Some people are going to believe the knucklehead who has browbeaten you and might end up with dogs who are unnecessarily or even dangerously thin. At the very least, she's going to drive people away from the group, and no group needs that.

 

Your dog looks fine -- robust and healthy.

[Remolacha]

agree that Mars looks fine! The "5 lbs over racing weight" thing is silly if you think about it, dogs, like people have different metabolisms, body types (yes, even greys!), activity levels, so many factors that figure into proper weight. I suspect that the 5lb thing has become common with adoption groups because many people who are new to greyhounds think they look too thin and fatten them up after adoption. So this may be an attempt to control excessive weight gain. That said, there was no reason for the adoption coordinator to be so rude, even if your dog was overweight, which he is NOT!

[GeorgeofNE]

I think all adoption groups should stop with the "XX pounds over racing weight" nonsense.

 

My dog weighs three pounds LESS than his racing weight, and he is certainly not skinny. Some dogs race heavy, and some race thin. It's really not particularly important what the scale says as long as the dog is in good condition and a greyhound is SUPPOSED to be slim.

 

Perhaps instead of ranting on GT, you might call the adoption group and have a frank discussion about how they've made you feel? It would probably be more productive, and perhaps change the way they handle this in the future?

[KF_in_Georgia]

The OP is right to post here to get feedback on the attitude of the adoption coordinator and feedback on her dog's condition. Also, since she's receiving emails with a threatening tone, I can understand a reluctance to confront the group directly over this issue.

 

To the OP: If you feel that the group's founder is unaware of the adoption coordinator's attitude and behavior, it might be wise to let her know about the threatening email. It might not be smart to completely ignore the issue, and then have the coordinator complaining that you were warned but you ignored them. I'm not with your group, but my adoption contract says this:

 

The Adopter agrees to keep the Greyhound in good health and proper weight and fitness, and to provide at least annual veterinarian examinations, current vaccinations, teeth cleaning, and worming.

 

 

Later, it says this:

 

If the Adopter violates or otherwise fails to comply with any of the provisions of this Agreement, or if any misrepresentations have been made to SEGA by the Adopter, ownership of the Greyhound shall revert to SEGA, which shall be immediately entitled to possession of the Greyhound and shall have the right to take the Greyhound without notice.

 

 

I'm betting phrases like this are common in adoption agreements, and if the adoption coordinator gets a little power-mad--or if, for instance, the founder retires or otherwise stops controlling the group--the OP actually could face trouble. I'd advise the OP to round up all her vet records--the first vet visit's paperwork that shows the dog's weight when it came to her from the group as well as the latest paperwork--and then consult with the founder as to what they consider "overweight." (If the OP doesn't have the old printouts, her vet's office might be able to provide them. And look at the dog's weight when he was adopted out. I can't tell you how many groups fatten up dogs while they're waiting for adoption, but your group loses a little less authority if they let your boy's weight go up before he came to you.)

 

Just because most of us deal with sane adoption groups and coordinators doesn't mean that all coordinators are sensible. I think the OP will want to get all her ducks in a row before confronting this group or deciding she has nothing to worry about.

[claudiav]

I would want to meet the person brave enough to write me a threatening email about MY dogs' weight, and imply he would be taken from me..... I really do.... they would regret the day they ever made that decision....

 

Mars is YOUR dog. You love him and care for him and that's what matters. Not somebody else's weight ideals. Pass the email on to the founder and advise her to teach the coordinator how to mind her own business.... .... who the hell does she think she is?