Labradors are one of the most popular dog breeds, but they have an insatiable desire for food.
Now scientists have shown that many Labradors can’t stop eating because of a genetic mutation that hard-wires them for obesity.
About 25 percent of Labradors suffer a “double whammy” of feeling constantly hungry and burning fewer calories due to this genetic quirk, research suggests.
Fortunately, there are several things you can do to lower your pet’s risk of obesity and ensure that your pet lives a long and healthy life.
Vets have revealed seven simple tips – including distracting dogs with toys and walks, avoiding giving them leftovers and taking them on at least one or two walks a day.
Tips to keep your Lab slim include distracting them with toys and walks, avoiding feeding them leftovers and taking them on at least one or two walks a day
‘People are often rude to the owners of fat dogs and blame them for not managing their dogs’ diet and exercise properly,’ says Dr Eleanor Raffan from the University of Cambridge’s Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience.
‘But we have shown that Labradors with this genetic mutation are constantly looking for food and trying to increase their energy intake.
‘It is very difficult to keep these dogs slim, but it can be done.’
One of the best tips is to give your dog attention in the form of play instead of food.
It’s often easiest to distract an attention-seeking dog with a tasty treat, but a better way is to reward him with play, such as a toy or an activity that gives him exercise.
Dogs can be given treats, but they must be healthy and should only be given as a reward during training or exercise.
One or two walks a day are also crucial for your dog to burn calories and maintain a healthy weight in case he carries the genetic mutation.
The mutation is in a gene called POMC, which plays a crucial role in hunger and energy consumption.
It causes a hunger signal that tells their body to increase food intake and conserve energy, even though this is not necessary.
Researchers found that 25 percent of Labradors and 66 percent of flat-coated retriever dogs have the POMC mutation, which manifests itself in two ways: They are constantly hungry and burn fewer calories compared to Labs without the mutation.
Labradors are known for eating a lot and quickly, which makes them prone to obesity, but research shows exactly why this is the case
“Affected dogs tend to overeat because they get hungry more quickly between meals than dogs without the mutation,” said Dr. Raffan, lead author of the new study in Science Advances.
‘All owners of Labradors and flat-coated retrievers should pay attention to what they feed these highly food-motivated dogs to keep them at a healthy weight.
‘But dogs with this genetic mutation face a double whammy; Not only do they want to eat more, but they also need fewer calories because they don’t burn them as quickly.’
For the study, 87 adult Labrador dogs, all of a healthy weight or moderately overweight, took part in various tests, including the ‘sausage in a box’ test.
They were given a standard breakfast of dog food before being presented with a sausage in a clear plastic box three hours later.
The box was made of clear plastic with a perforated lid, so the dogs could see and smell the sausage, but not eat it.
The researchers found that dogs with the POMC mutation tried significantly harder to get the sausage out of the box than dogs without the sausage, indicating greater hunger.
Other dogs without the mutation were more likely to lose interest in the sausage because they knew they couldn’t get to it.
The dogs were then allowed to sleep in a special room in which the gases they exhaled were measured.
This showed that dogs with the POMC mutation burn about 25 percent fewer calories than dogs without the POMC mutation.
Interestingly, some people also have mutations in the POMC gene and tend to become obese at a young age and, as a result, develop a host of clinical problems.
About 66 percent of flat-coated retriever dogs (pictured) have the POMC mutation. Dogs with the mutation tend to overeat because they get hungry more quickly between meals than dogs without
Vets warn that obesity in dogs is linked to serious health problems, including arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, incontinence, respiratory problems and certain types of cancer.
A 2021 study by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) found that one in fourteen dogs in Britain – or 7.1 percent – are obese.
From a sample of more than 20,000 dogs, pugs, beagles and golden retrievers were the breeds at the highest risk of obesity compared to crossbreeds, the study found.
In addition to the difference between races, being castrated and being middle-aged were also other factors associated with an increased risk of being overweight.
It is believed that changes in sex hormones after castration result in behavioral changes – specifically increased appetite and decreased physical activity, leading to a tendency to gain weight.