Overweight puppy - could this be a long-term problem?

by Anne
(New York City)

I am considering purchasing a miniature schnauzer puppy. She looks overweight to me, but the breeder just laughed and said "she's our chubby baby."

Can this indicate a health problem or that she will be overweight for life?




Hi Anne
Young puppies are often 'chubby', this is perfectly normal. This 'baby fat' generally begins to disappear between 12 and 16 weeks as they become 'tweens' and later on 'teenagers'.

Most puppies also have puppy worms and this can cause them to have rounded tummies. These are treated by veterinarians when they get their routine puppy shots. A puppy who's only been weaned for a short while also tends to guzzle down his/her food and water and that can give them a very fat tummy (although it's short-lived!).

If this puppy is healthy, happy and active I doubt very much that she has a problem that will lead to issues later on. Even a pup who IS a little overweight will soon slim down given a healthy, nutritious diet and a little bit of exercise. Puppies NEED a lot of nutrition to meet their needs because they're bodies are changing at a phenomenal rate, so you should never try to reduce the food intake unless your veterinarian advises you to.

If you're really concerned about this puppy's health, have her checked out by your own vet before agreeing to purchase her - for your own peace of mind.

Hope this helps, best of luck with whatever you decide.