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Canine Resource Guarding & Food Obsession

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Canine Resource Guarding & Food Obsession
Posted on September 20, 2023 in News, Behavior, dog, Tips & Advice 
(Courtesy of prevventivevet.com, by Cathy Madson, MA, FDM, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA)

Resource guarding in dogs, also called “possessive aggression,” can be quite alarming and scary for a dog owner to experience.

You go to grab a chew that your dog has whittled down to a tiny piece, so they don’t swallow it — but are confronted with teeth-baring, growling, or even lunging and biting.

Or perhaps you go to sit down next to your dog on the couch and get a hard stare and a low growl.

This can — and should — send a chill down your spine.

Resource guarding can happen between pets as well. A dog may show food aggression if another dog walks by. Or they might even guard you from the other dog, especially if there are food items or toys involved. If you’ve recently brought home a new puppy or adopted dog, your other dog might be showing some new aggressive behaviors around their toys and food.

What should you do if your dog is guarding their food bowl, chew toy, or space? Your reaction to the behavior can either help resolve your dog’s resource guarding or make it worse. Let’s look at why resource guarding in dogs happens, what you should do to prevent it, and what to do if your dog exhibits resource guarding.

What is Resource Guarding?

Resource guarding is when a dog reacts when they perceive a threat to a valuable resource in their possession. The dog feels they are about to lose something and takes action to keep it. Resource guarding does not always have to end with growling, lunging, biting, or fighting. Patricia McConnell defines it well, as “any behavior that discourages another to take, or get too close to, an object or valued area in the dog’s possession.1” This behavior could be as simple as a look, head turn, or slight baring of the teeth.

Guarding resources is a natural dog behavior. It’s a natural animal behavior — humans included! Access to resources like food, water, and a safe space is essential to survival. It’s hardwired into animal nature to protect the things we believe we need to survive.

While resource guarding is a normal dog behavior, it’s not a desirable one. Resource guarding becomes a dangerous problem if a dog is willing to bite or fight to keep an item. Aggression around food, toys, or space, can result in dog bites to humans or fights between your pets. This is especially worrisome in a home with young children, elderly family members, or if the dog is not predictable in what items or when they decide to guard.

Common Items That Trigger Resource Guarding in Dogs

While most often seen around food items, a dog can develop resource guarding with any item that they deem “valuable.” This might be something we don’t consider very important, like a sock, but that sock could be your dog’s most beloved possession. That sock might be the Ring to their Gollum. In one behavior case, a client’s dog would guard the open dishwasher, and react whenever the owners tried to close the dishwasher door.

Food Aggression

  • Food and Treats
  • Food Bowl (filled with food or empty)
  • Bones and Edible Dog Chews

Non-Food Aggression

  • Toys
  • Stolen “contraband” (tissues, napkins, socks or laundry items, shoes)
  • Space (dog bed, crate, their position on the couch or bed, their feeding area)
  • Their owner* (from other pets in the home or even from other people)

*Behavior Note: Many dog owners assume that their dog is “protecting” or resource guarding them when their dog is exhibiting barking or lunging towards people approaching them when on leashed walks. Often this behavior is actually leash reactivity or fear-based aggression and not true resource guarding.

Signs of Resource Guarding in Dogs

These are the most obvious and intense signs of resource guarding. Unfortunately, too often, it isn’t until a dog is doing these things that I get a call for help from the dog’s owner:

  • Growling
  • Lunging and Air Snapping (a no-contact bite)
  • Chasing you or another animal away
  • Biting

In developing and “milder” cases of resource guarding, a dog might show less intense (and therefore less obvious) signs of guarding behavior. A certified dog trainer, veterinary behaviorist, behavior consultant, or someone with experience reading dog body language will often see these more subtle signs prior to the actions described above:

  • Freezing (very short or longer pauses or tension in the body)
  • Eating faster
  • Taking an item and moving away
  • Braced body position over the item
  • Subtle shifting of body weight to “block” the item
  • Side eye staring or tracking of the person or pet approaching
  • Raising lips and baring teeth
  • Ears pinned flat against the head
  • Hard stare

What Causes Resource Guarding in Dogs?

You may feel confused by why your dog is exhibiting food aggression or guarding other items, especially if you’ve worked hard on early socialization and feel like you always provide more than enough resources for them.

Remember — resource guarding is a normal and natural dog behavior!

Resource guarding in and of itself should not be surprising. However, the intensity with which a dog guards their food, items, or space can be affected by other contributing factors, such as:

  • Genetics: A dog’s breed or breed mix may have predispositions for increased guarding behavior.
  • History of resource scarcity: Lack of resources in previous homes or environments may increase guarding behavior. However, this isn’t as common as many people assume. There are many dogs who came from resource-scarce situations who have no resource guarding issues, and dogs who never lacked anything that guard food or other items.
  • Stress: When a dog is stressed, guarding behavior may increase. This stress could be due to guests in the home, new family members (human or animal), or other stress-inducing events, such as fireworks.
  • Inherent Value: Food often has the highest inherent value, as food is necessary for survival. But every dog is different in what they find inherently valuable.
  • Added Value: The added value of specific items is based on how we present, interact with, or take certain things. Have we made a big deal about this thing in the past? That can increase the value of the item and make it likely for a dog to guard in the future. This could be things like stolen socks from the laundry basket that we chase them down for and pull out of their mouth or a brand new dog toy that we make a big deal over when first giving it to them. Novel or stolen items tend to have extra added value for most dogs.
  • The Dog’s Physical and Mental Needs: Not having their needs met can increase behavioral issues for dogs. It could be a longer-term issue, such as lack of enrichment or exercise, or more of a short-term issue, like tiredness, hunger, or thirst. If a dog is hungry, they are often more likely to guard food items compared to when they are not hungry.
  • Underlying Medical Issues: Pain can cause an increase in the frequency or intensity of aggressive behaviors. Be sure to have your veterinarian perform a comprehensive physical exam to rule out medical issues whenever you see a sudden change in behavior.
  • Actions of the person or other animal. A dog can learn that guarding something is necessary because of what they’ve learned in the past. If someone has shown that they will walk over and take away a chew, a dog can learn that next time they need to warn that person off, exhibiting guarding behavior around chews in the future. How a dog is trained and how people act around resources and their dog has a direct impact on resource guarding behavior.

Any dog may exhibit intense guarding behavior, whether they are adopted from a rescue or received from a breeder. Dogs of any breed or breed mix can have resource guarding issues.

Resource Guarding Between Dogs or Other Animals

Dogs will guard resources from each other, or even other pets in the home, like cats. This is called dog-directed resource guarding (or animal-directed in the case of other species). Guarding behaviors could happen over a certain resting place, food bowls, or high-value chews and toys. When resources are limited, such as when there’s only one chew but two dogs, we tend to see an increase in guarding. You may also see an increase in resource guarding when a new pet joins the home.

Fortunately, most dogs will gauge whether a particular resource is worth enough to fight over. There’s no point in risking injury by fighting with another dog for something of lower value. Many dogs will communicate with each other using body language and vocalizations to express their desire for the thing the other dog has or to tell the other to leave them alone.

If you have a multi-dog household, you might see the ebb and flow of resource guarding “conversations” they have. This is called ritualized aggression. True aggression is an expensive behavior for dogs to engage in. It risks injury or worse, and most dogs want to avoid it if possible. They may posture and act “tough” but not back it up with true aggressive engagement with the other dog when push comes to shove. Ritualized aggression is part of normal dog communication but can indicate underlying stress and negative emotional associations.

For example, my dog Sookie is possessive of chews in the office. However, she is conflict-averse and gives low-level signals to the other dog which means, “This chew is mine. Leave me alone.” She’ll take her chew further away, or I step in. It also helps that the humans in the office prevent an escalation of resource guarding by managing the situation and calling one dog away from another.

In multi-dog households or environments, resource guarding becomes a problem if the dogs resort to fighting over their resources and the environment is not managed to prevent these conflicts from escalating. If ritualized aggression crosses the line into true aggression (the intent to harm the other), it’s crucial to address the issue to prevent injury and behavioral fallout.

If your dogs are getting into fights over resources, learn how to break up a dog fight safely here.

Treating Dog-Directed Resource Guarding

Addressing food aggression or other resource guarding behaviors between dogs follows a similar plan as human-directed resource guarding treatment. It can be more difficult, however, as the treatment plan requires managing multiple variables within the training setup.

Management is crucial! Dogs who exhibit food aggression towards another household dog (or even the household cat!) should always be fed in separate and secure areas. If a dog becomes aggressive towards another dog over toys, it’s important to make sure that these toys are not just sitting willy-nilly over the house. For dogs who guard space from each other, blocking access to these areas outside of training and close supervision is imperative.

If your dog is food aggressive towards your other dog or pets or guards toys, space, or even you, connect with a certified behavior consultant to start working on changing this behavior and creating a more positive emotional response in these scenarios. This video shows a great overview of one behavior exercise that a consultant will personalize for your dogs:

 

What NOT to Do if Your Dog Resource Guards

Don’t Punish the Growl

Never punish a growling dog. You can punish away a growl, sure, but all you’ve done is make a dog bite more likely. If your dog learns that growling to express their discomfort at your approach results in an aversive (such as yelling, hitting, a “tap” from a shock collar), and the loss of the item they were guarding, the next time you reach for it, they’re more likely to skip the growl and go straight for a bite.

If someone keeps stealing my fries after asking them to stop, the next time they reach across the table, I might smack their fingers away (or worse … don’t steal my fries).

Ignoring warnings (like growls) will escalate behavioral responses, in both humans and dogs. You don’t want to take away important warning signs that your dog needs to communicate with you.

A dog growl is not a challenge to you or the dog being mean or bad. They are literally trying to communicate with you without escalating to a bite. Always listen to a growl by stopping your approach, taking a step back, and evaluating the situation so you can avoid it in the future and start treating the issue.

Don’t “Play” With Their Food and Chews

So many clients come to me for help with resource guarding and tell me, “We wanted to prevent resource guarding, so we’d always stick our hands in our dog’s food bowl while they were eating or randomly take away their chew. That way, they know who’s boss and that the food or chew belongs to us.” Instead of the desired result, they now have a dog who snaps when they reach for the bowl or a dog that lashes out even at just their walking by the bowl.

Without taking the necessary proactive and preventive steps (which I’ll outline further below), sticking your hand in your dog’s food bowl while they’re eating or just taking away their chew toy will backfire. All you’re doing is annoying your dog and teaching them that when you reach for something, they’ll lose it. Not the association we want our dogs to make!

Check out and share this video about how we often create resource guarding in our dogs by playing with their food:

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Don’t Leave Out Items That Your Dog Might Guard

If your dog loves to grab socks from the laundry basket and then growls or tries to bite when you try to take them away, set yourself up for success from the get-go (and avoid the possible surgery to remove the sock foreign body) by removing the opportunity.

Once I gave each of my dogs a new chew, a super smelly (and I’m assuming super delicious to dogs) lamb spine. They sat and enjoyed it for a while, and then I got up from my spot on the couch and walked past one of them to the kitchen. As I got near, I reached down — not to take the chew, but to give my dog a scratch on the neck — and I was greeted by a low, sustained growl.

I immediately stopped what I was doing, took a step back, and assessed the situation. This was the first time that my dog had shown resource guarding behavior toward me. And you know what I did? I called him into the kitchen and traded him some cheese for the chew, and then never bought those chews again. If only all my resource guarding cases were that simple.

What to Do If Your Dog Resource Guards

Sharing our lives with our dogs means that we need to make sure they feel okay with us approaching things they find valuable. There’s no need to guard food, toys, or space if we teach them that our removing an item, such as their chew, results in something equal to or better than what they had.

Giving up something to us willingly and happily needs to be trained and rewarded for our dogs so that resource guarding doesn’t become an issue.

Unfortunately, the collective human response to a dog who is resource guarding has been the wrong one for too long. Using punishment and aversives as a response to resource guarding can result in MORE resource guarding.

When you notice aggressive behavior developing around your dog’s resources, it’s important to address it as soon as possible and in the right way. The sooner you start treatment, the more effective and faster it goes. So where do you start?

Connect With a Certified and Qualified Dog Trainer or Behavior Consultant

Before diving into ways you can start to address any resource guarding with your dog, I want to stress that working one-on-one with a certified dog trainer, behavior consultant, or veterinary behaviorist should be your first step. They will make sure you stay safe and that your dog gets the positive training they need to learn that there’s no need to growl and guard certain items and help you with management techniques.

I do not know your dog or your situation in-depth. I cannot know the severity of your dog’s individual case without meeting with you and learning about your dog’s behavioral history and current setup. Beyond recommending basic management for safety, it is difficult for any trainer or consultant to give you specific advice about your case without a one-on-one session.

Not only will your certified trainer build a trainer-client relationship with you and your dog, but they’ll also be able to help you through the steps that I’ll briefly outline below. Due to the potentially dangerous situations that resource guarding can create, it’s important to keep safety first — both for you and your dog.

Manage the Environment

Make a list of all of the things your dog has become possessive over. Then think about how you can change the environment to remove access to these things or reduce the likelihood your dog will feel the need to guard when they have possession of it.

For example, one of my training clients had a dog who loved to grab kitchen knives off the counter and then would not want to give them back. Not necessarily something you want to be chasing after your dog to get!

The first step in his training was to block off his access to the kitchen. Voilá! He didn’t have access to the knives and, therefore, couldn’t grab them and take off. Once his environment was managed, we then practiced things like Go to Bed while his owner cooked meals and the Drop It cue.

Examples of Management for Dogs Who Resource Guard

  • Don’t leave items (toys, shoes, etc.) lying around that your dog might find valuable enough to guard.
  • Keep your laundry basket up high.
  • Pick up their food bowls between meals after they’ve finished eating and have walked away.
  • Feed your dogs in separate and secure areas away from each other.
  • Don’t give them certain toys or high-value edible chews that they have shown a tendency to guard in the past.
  • Don’t allow your dog on your bed or other furniture if they tend to guard that space.
  • Don’t free-feed your dog.

Let Your Dog Eat (and Chew) in Peace

For things that you can’t just remove from your dog’s environment, think about managing the context. If your dog guards their food bowl, set up a separate area where they can eat in peace. Do not free-feed your dog, and put away the bowl in a cupboard between meals.

Use a gate to block off your dog’s feeding area during mealtimes so that no one can approach and make your dog feel the need to react. This is imperative if you have young children or elderly parents in the home who might not understand that they can’t pet your dog during mealtimes. Blocking off separate feeding areas is also important if you have more than one dog and one shows inappropriate resource guarding behavior.

If your dog guards things like a chew or long-lasting treat, give these to them in their safe space, crate, or other areas where they won’t be bothered, and let them enjoy it in peace. Ensure that everyone in your home knows that if the dog is eating or enjoying a chew, they are to let them be. If it’s difficult to confine your dog to a safe area while they enjoy their chew, or you are worried about a choking risk, then simply stop giving chews to them.

Start Desensitization and Counterconditioning Training

This step is the bread and butter of changing resource guarding behavior. Because it’s easy for us to rush through the process, your dog trainer should be involved in every step. The goal is to change your dog’s emotional response to your approach and removal of the item they usually guard. Instead of the dread and fear of losing it, we want them to think, “Oh, goodie! She’s coming over here, and that means something awesome is about to happen!” In the following section, I’ll explain the basics of this process.

How to Begin Training for a Dog’s Resource Guarding

For safety, it’s best to connect with a certified dog trainer or behavior consultant before starting these exercises. You may need to implement safety measures into this practice, such as working from behind a baby gate or ex-pen – this is depending on your dog’s case severity and bite risk. Remember, desensitization and counterconditioning training for resource guarding takes time and repetition!

  • Find a high-value treat that your dog loves more than the thing they are guarding. Usually, moist and smelly works best, such as small pieces of chicken or turkey hotdog.
  • Know the distance at which your dog begins to resource guard. Trainers may call this the “distance threshold.” Some dogs don’t get possessive of their item or food until you’re a few feet away. Others get tense if you’re even in the same room while they eat. The goal here is to find the distance at which they know you are there but aren’t becoming tense or reacting with guarding behavior.For example, if your dog begins eating faster when you’re three feet away, start this exercise from four feet away. You’re determining what their distance threshold is for guarding a resource.
  • Give your dog their meal or chew as usual, then walk away.
  • Approach your dog, but stop a short distance beyond their distance threshold. Toss a piece of chicken to them. Once they eat it, toss another. Do this a few times, then turn and leave.
  • Continue this exercise any time your dog has something they guard.
  • After a few sessions, begin to add one more step towards them before tossing the treat, and then step back. This is where you’re decreasing their distance threshold. Don’t rush this step.
  • If your dog gets tense or shows other signs of resource guarding, take the training back a step.

Think about working in small “slices” when treating your dog’s resource guarding. Don’t rush through the process and just reach for their bowl — that’s setting them up to fail, and you might get bit. To see these steps in action, watch this video about resource guarding and food aggression from 4Paws University:

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With practice and consistency, your dog will learn to anticipate good things when you approach them. In many cases, these dogs choose to leave their food bowl or chew to happily approach you. When before they might stiffen or growl at your approach, with treatment, they instead show loose bodies and happy soft faces in anticipation of something good. This change in body language is the gauge by which we behavior consultants know if the treatment is progressing as expected.

Helpful Training Skills for Dogs Who Resource Guard

Teach Your Dog to Drop It and Leave It

Both the drop it and leave it cues are important skills for all dogs to learn, but especially those that struggle with resource guarding. Drop it means to let go of something that’s already in their mouth or possession, and leave it means to turn away from something.

Click here to learn how to teach your dog to drop it. If your dog guards food items, start practicing drop it with toys and then move on to practicing food trades. If they drop a low-value chew, they get a high-value treat. Make sure you’re rewarding with something equal or better!

Click here to learn how to teach your dog to leave it. Using a reward of equal or higher value to your dog will help speed up the training practice and increase your success with the leave it cue.

Teach Your Dog to Come When Called

Training a reliable recall with your dog is useful for preventing resource guarding behavior. You can call them away from something that they have rather than approaching them and trying to grab it. Click here to learn how to teach your dog to come when called.

Teach Your Dog to Go to Place

If your dog guards a particular place, such as a spot on the couch or your bed, creating a go to place cue means you can ask them to move to another designated spot where they will not be disturbed. This is often termed “stationing” by trainers. Having a behavior like this on cue means you do not need to physically guide your dog to a different space – keeping you safe and helping to prevent your dog from practicing unwanted guarding behaviors. Click here to learn how to teach your dog to go to place. 

 

          
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You assessed your cat's body condition score (BCS) to be to be 3 out of 9.

What does this mean? The BCS is an assessment of your cat’s general body composition, including muscle and fat. While a score of 4 to 5 is ideal, a BCS of 3 indicates that your cat is thin.

What to do next: While thin cats are generally at lower risk for serious health issues compared to overweight cats, being underweight can lead to decreased muscle mass, malnutrition, and a weakened immune system. Unless there is an underlying reason for your cat’s thinness, the situation can often be improved with simple lifestyle adjustments, such as:

  • Offering a palatable diet recommended by your veterinarian
  • Feeding small, frequent meals
  • Stimulating the appetite by warming the food or introducing toppers
  • Minimizing stress
  • Weighing your cat monthly
  • Re-checking your cat's BCS at home
  • Staying alert to other health changes (especially continued weight loss and appetite loss)

Your cat's BCS provides valuable insights into their overall health and helps us spot potential issues early. While a BCS of 3 isn’t an immediate cause for concern, it’s a sign that small adjustments to their feeding and care routine could have a positive impact on their health.

Questions? We can help. Let’s work together to score a win for your cat's health.

You assessed your cat's body condition score (BCS) to be to be 6 out of 9.

What does this mean? The BCS is an assessment of your cat’s general body composition, including muscle and fat. While a score of 4 to 5 is ideal, a BCS of 6 indicates that your cat is borderline overweight.

What to do next: Simple daily actions can help prevent your cat from becoming overweight. Even a few extra ounces or pounds can significantly impact their health, increasing the risk of serious conditions like diabetes, arthritis, and kidney disease.

Restore your cat's future health by:

  • Feeding portioned meals (Your veterinarian can assist you with how much to feed)
  • Reducing stress by minimizing household changes and maintaining a routine
  • Decreasing boredom with interactive toys, social interaction, and cat furniture
  • Separating pets during meal time (Consider a microchip-linked feeder for multi-cat households)
  • Weighing them monthly
  • Re-checking your cat's BCS at home

Your cat's BCS is like a warning light for their future health. Taking proactive steps to address your cat’s weight can minimize future complications and help ensure they stay fit, agile, and healthy.

Curious about other ways to improve your cat’s BCS and overall well-being? Get in touch. Let’s work together to score a win for their health.

You assessed your dog's body condition score (BCS) to be to be 4-5 out of 9.

What does this mean? The BCS is an assessment of general body composition, including muscle and fat. On a scale of 1 to 9, with 1 being very thin and 9 being obese, your dog's score means they are at their ideal weight for optimal health and well-being!

What to do next: First, give your dog a scratch behind the ears to celebrate your success! Your commitment to their preventive health—regular vet visits, balanced nutrition, and consistent exercise—is truly paying off. But don’t relax just yet—maintaining a healthy BCS takes ongoing effort throughout your dog's life, including:

  • Feeding portioned meals
  • Avoiding high-calorie treats, diets, and people food
  • Staying active with regular exercise
  • Re-checking your pet’s BCS monthly at home
  • Staying on top of routine care (exams, screening tests) to ensure early detection of health changes

Just like your dog's vital signs, their BCS gives valuable insight into their overall health. Right now, we like what we see—and feel! But remember, supporting your dog's lifelong health is a team effort. By continuing the great work you’re doing and partnering with us, we can help ensure they stay healthy for years to come.

You assessed your cat's body condition score (BCS) to be to be 7-8 out of 9.

What does this mean? The BCS is an assessment of your cat’s general body composition, including muscle and fat. While a score of 4 to 5 is ideal, a BCS of 7-8 indicates that your cat is overweight.

What to do next: Weight issues are a common cause of many feline health problems, some of which can shorten a cat's life. Fortunately, with your dedication and our support, your cat can achieve better health, mobility, and an ideal body weight.

Rather than asking your cat to participate in daily exercise, feline weight loss emphasizes targeted nutrition and stress reduction to help them shed those unwanted pounds. This entails:

  • Offering a palatable weight-management diet recommended by your veterinarian
  • Feeding portioned meals (Your veterinarian can assist you with how much to feed)
  • Using a microchip-linked feeder for multi-cat households to ensure each cat consumes their veterinarian-recommended portion
  • Minimizing stress by maintaining a stable routine
  • Decreasing boredom through positive interactions such as interactive toys, food puzzles, cat-friendly furniture, and social bonding
  • Promoting movement with motion-activated food toys and puzzles
  • Weighing them monthly
  • Re-checking their BCS at home

Overweight cats not only face long-term health risks but can also suffer from discomfort and emotional stress. Intentional, veterinary-supervised changes can help ensure your cat’s fitness, comfort, and overall well-being for years to come. Let’s work together to score a win for your cat's health.

You assessed your dog's body condition score (BCS) to be to be 3 out of 9.

What does this mean? The BCS is an assessment of general body composition, including muscle and fat. While a score of 4 to 5 is ideal, a BCS of 3 indicates that your dog is thin.

What to do next: Although a lean body condition is healthier than being overweight, thinness can indicate muscle loss, health changes, or a lack of appropriate nutrition. Here are a few ways to help your dog reach their optimal weight and health:

  • Follow any recommendations given by your vet (these are personalized for your dog's unique needs)
  • Gradually transition your dog to a calorie-dense diet
  • Weigh them monthly
  • Re-check their BCS at home
  • Provide regular moderate exercise to build healthy muscle
  • Monitor them for other health changes (appetite loss, vomiting, unusual stools, fatigue, etc.)

Just like your dog's vital signs, their BCS gives valuable insight into their overall health and can help identify potential issues early. While a BCS of 3 isn't a serious concern, it suggests that your dog may benefit from adjustments to their diet and exercise routine. Please continue to monitor your dog for any other health changes—including difficulty gaining weight—as these could indicate the need for further evaluation. Let’s work together to help your dog achieve better health, so you can make the most of every moment together.

Now that’s a perfect score.

You assessed your dog's body condition score (BCS) to be to be 9 out of 9.

What does this mean? The BCS is an assessment of general body composition, including muscle and fat. While a score of 4 to 5 is ideal, a BCS of 9 indicates that your dog is obese (weighing 20% or more above their ideal weight).

What to do next: Dogs with obesity are in significant danger of many life-altering health conditions, including arthritis, cardiovascular problems, kidney disease, and cancer. Reducing your dog's weight and improving their body condition is critical to restoring their comfort, mobility, health, and longevity.

Take action today to protect your dog's  health by:

  • Following any veterinarian’s recommendations (these are personalized to your dog's unique needs)
  • Using a measuring cup to portion meals
  • Removing uneaten food after 20 minutes
  • Limiting treats to low-calorie fruits or vegetables
  • Exercising daily for at least 30 minutes (leash walks are a great way to start)
  • Weigh them  monthly
  • Re-check their BCS at home

Just like your dog's vital signs, their BCS gives valuable insight into their overall health. In your dog's case, it’s a signal for immediate action.

By following the steps above and your veterinarian’s recommendations, getting your dog back to a healthy weight is possible, but it will take time and effort. That’s why we’re here to help you every step of the way.

Let’s work together to score a WIN for Sydney’s health.

You assessed your cat's body condition score (BCS) to be 1–2 out of 9.

What does this mean? The BCS is an assessment of your cat’s general body composition, including muscle and fat. While a score of 4 to 5 is ideal, a BCS of 1 to 2 indicates that your cat is very thin, at least 20% below their ideal weight. This may be caused by poor nutrition or an underlying illness.

What to do next: Since a BCS of 1 to 2 can indicate potential health concerns, your cat's veterinarian may suggest blood work or other tests.

In addition to following any plan outlined by your cat's veterinarian, the following steps may help them achieve their ideal weight and BCS:

  • Offering a palatable diet recommended by your veterinarian
  • Feeding small, frequent meals
  • Warming the food or introducing toppers
  • Feeding pets separately
  • Minimizing stress
  • Weighing them  monthly
  • Re-checking their BCS at home
  • Watching for other concerning signs, such as loss of appetite, vomiting, or changes in litter box habits, as these may require prompt veterinary care.

Just like your cat's vital signs, their BCS offers important insight into their overall health. While a BCS of 1 to 2 can be concerning, we’ll work together to help your cat safely achieve their optimal weight and vitality.

You assessed your dog's body condition score (BCS) to be to be 6 out of 9.

What does this mean? The BCS is an assessment of general body composition, including muscle and fat. While a score of 4 to 5 is ideal, a BCS of 6 indicates that your dog is borderline overweight.

What to do next: With just a few pounds separating your dog from being overweight, a BCS of 6 is a clear call to action! Excess weight can increase their risk for serious health problems, such as arthritis, heart disease, and even cancer, and studies have shown that it can shorten their lifespan.

Here are a few ways to help Gigi reach their ideal weight:

  • Follow any recommendations given by your veterinarian (these are personalized for your dog's unique needs!)
  • Use a measuring cup to portion meals
  • Don’t leave food out all day
  • Weigh them monthly
  • Re-check their BCS at home
  • Provide regular moderate exercise to build healthy muscle

Just like your dog's vital signs, their BCS gives valuable insight into their overall health and and can help identify potential issues early. While a BCS of 6 isn't dangerous, it does raise their risk for many life-altering conditions and signals a need for change.

Let’s work together to help your dog achieve a better BCS and overall wellness, so you can make the most of every moment together.

Now that’s a perfect score!

You assessed your dog's body condition score (BCS) to be to be 7-8 out of 9.

What does this mean? The BCS is an assessment of general body composition, including muscle and fat. While a score of 4 to 5 is ideal, a BCS of 7 to 8 indicates that your dog is overweight.

What to do next: Your dog's weight is putting them at an increased risk for many serious conditions, including arthritis, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Overweight dogs are also clinically shown to have a shorter lifespan and a reduced quality of life.

Thankfully, it’s not too late to get back on track! Here are some simple steps to help your dog achieve a better BCS and a healthier life:

Here are a few ways to help them reach their ideal weight:

  • Reduce meal portions by 10% to 20%
  • Use a measuring cup for accuracy
  • Switch to a weight management diet
  • Swap treats for low-calorie fruits and veggies
  • Increase daily walks and playtime
  • Use a food-dispensing toy instead of a bowl to encourage movement
  • Weigh them monthly
  • Re-check their BCS at home

Just like your dog's vital signs, their BCS gives valuable insight into their overall health and quality of life. The actions you take in the days, weeks, and months ahead can help them slim down, restore their well-being, and allow you both to make the most of every moment together.

Let’s work together to score a WIN for your dog's health and happiness.

Now that’s a perfect score!

You assessed their body condition score (BCS) to be to be 9 out of 9.

What does this mean? The BCS is an assessment of your cat’s general body composition, including muscle and fat. While a score of 4 to 5 is ideal, a BCS of 9 indicates that your cat is obese (20% or more over their ideal body weight).

What to do next: Cats with obesity are in a health crisis. Excess weight strains their joints, leading to painful and decreased mobility. In addition, abundant fat tissue increases their risk for life-altering diseases like diabetes, arthritis, kidney disease, heart disease, and cancer.

Let their BCS be a turning point in their health.

With simple lifestyle changes and guided support from our team, we can restore your cat's quality of life and help them lose those unnecessary pounds.

We’ll focus on nutrition and stress reduction to create positive results. This includes:

  • Offering a palatable weight-management diet recommended by your veterinarian
  • Feeding portioned meals (Your veterinarian can assist you with how much to feed)
  • Using a microchip-linked feeder for multi-cat households to ensure each cat consumes their veterinarian-recommended portion
  • Minimizing stress in your cat’s environment
  • Decreasing boredom through positive interactions (interactive toys, food puzzles, cat-friendly furniture, and social bonding)
  • Encouraging healthy movement and exploration (motion-activated toys, food puzzles, ramps to perches, scratching posts, cat tunnels)
  • Weighing them monthly
  • Re-checking their BCS at home

Your cat’s body condition is a key factor in their health and longevity. Together, we can score a victory by helping them lose weight and reclaim their health, happiness, and mobility.

You assessed your cat's body condition score (BCS) to be 4-5 out of 9.

What does this mean? The BCS is an assessment of your cat’s general body composition, including muscle and fat. On a scale of 1–9, with 1 being very thin and 9 being obese, this score means they are at their ideal weight for optimal health and well-being!

What to do next: First, give your cat a head bump or a scratch to celebrate your success! Your dedication to their overall health—through regular vet visits, balanced and portion-controlled nutrition, a low-stress environment, and plenty of physical and mental activity—is truly paying off.

But don’t relax just yet—maintaining your cat’s healthy BCS will take ongoing effort throughout their lifetime. Keep up the good work by:

  • Minimizing stress
  • Creating a mentally and physically stimulating environment
  • Satisfying your cat’s social needs with one-on-one time
  • Encouraging movement with interactive toys, perches, and furniture
  • Feeding measured portions of a veterinarian-recommended, high quality, palatable diet
  • Checking your cat’s BCS monthly at home
  • Staying on top of routine veterinary care

Just like your cat's vital signs, their BCS gives us valuable insight into their overall health. Right now, we like what we see—and feel! But remember, supporting your cat's lifelong health is a team effort. By continuing the great work you’re doing and partnering with us, we can help ensure they stay healthy for years to come.

You assessed your dog's body condition score (BCS) to be 1–2 out of 9.

What does this mean? The BCS is an assessment of general body composition, including muscle and fat. While a score of 4 to 5 is ideal, a BCS of 1 to 2 indicates that your dog is very thin, at least 20% below their ideal weight. This may be caused by poor nutrition or an underlying illness.

What to do next: Since a BCS of 1 to 2 can indicate potential health concerns, your dog's veterinarian may suggest  blood work or other tests.

If no issues are found, the following steps may help your dog achieve their ideal weight and BCS:

  • Gradually transitioning them to a calorie-dense diet
  • Feeding more frequent meals
  • Weighing them monthly
  • Re-checking their BCS at home
  • Providing regular moderate exercise to build healthy muscle
  • Monitoring them for other health changes (appetite loss, vomiting, unusual stools, fatigue, etc.)

Just like your dog's vital signs, their BCS offers important insight into their overall health and can serve as an early warning that something may be wrong. While a BCS of 1 to 2 can be concerning, please know that your pet's well-being is our top priority. Let’s work together to help your pet pal achieve better health, so you can make the most of every moment together.