When she talks with her clients about making changes, Dr. Pietsch explains how she feeds her dog, acknowledging that it’s not always easy to ignore begging.

“I talk about measuring the food volume with a measuring cup and discuss changing high-calorie treats or people food for low-calorie fruits and vegetables,” she says. “I review the calorie requirements of their pet, and then give examples of how many calories are in common treats or food.

“This really puts how many calories they are overfeeding into perspective,” Dr. Pietsch continues. “Finally, I acknowledge that weight loss is hard and that even small changes can help; slow and steady is the key.”

“As a veterinary surgeon, I’ve witnessed firsthand the unintended consequences of well‑meaning pet parents using too many training treats,” shares Dr. Courtney A. Campbell, DVM, DACVS-SA and founder of Stitches Veterinary Surgery in Long Beach, California.

Dr. Campbell recalls a case where a Labrador Retriever’s recovery from surgery was complicated due to obesity, which he traced to the family’s frequent use of training treats.

“A handful of treats here and there can quickly exceed 10–20% of a dog’s daily caloric needs,” he explains. “I often tell the story of my friend’s dog, Cody, who learned to ‘sit’ in a weekend but also gained a pound because he didn’t adjust his regular meals to account for the extra treats.”

Dr. Campbell suggests reading labels, feeding smaller treats and using regular kibble for training.

“I remind clients that praise, play, and affection can be powerful motivators,” he adds.

When it comes to client education, Dr. Campbell expresses that veterinary technicians play a key role: “Empower them to lead these discussions and provide ongoing coaching,” he suggests.

Courtney J. Sepeck is a veterinary technician, breeder and competitive dog exhibitor from Massachusetts who understands the importance of monitoring training treats when working with her dogs.

“Using their own food [in training] can help make sure the pet is not overfed,” explains Courtney.

While high-value treats are essential for training, she says that it’s crucial to pay attention to the number of treats that are used and how they are used in training.

Not only does Courtney discuss what a healthy weight looks like, but she also shows clients what it should feel like on their dog, taking into consideration how different breeds carry weight differently.

Another reason people overfeed their dogs has to do with the dog’s behavior. Some dogs seem to act hungry all the time, either devouring their meals, begging for treats or always on the lookout for something to eat. When owners call a trainer about dogs like this, it’s often because the dog is jumping up on countertops to steal food or their hunger has become a problem in other ways.

One study published identified a deletion in the POMC (pro-opiomelanocortin) gene present in some Labradors, which is linked to increased food motivation and weight gain.¹ The POMC deletion affects appetite by disrupting normal satiety signals.

More recently, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) pinpointed the gene DENND1B as a strong obesity-associated variant in Labradors, which also plays a role in human obesity.² The DENND1B regulates the activity of the melanocortin 4 receptor, which plays a major role in energy homeostasis.

Some suggestions that Dr. Campbell gives to clients who are concerned about their dog acting hungry involve preventing boredom and feeding an appropriate diet for the dog. He explains that owners can spread kibble in their yard or around their home to create a scavenger hunt.

“First, we need to validate their experience,” Dr. Campbell says. “It’s not just them giving in to their dog; there’s a real physiological component at play.”

Conversations that go beyond what dogs eat to why owners make the feeding choices they do can offer valuable insights and help veterinary professionals better support their clients. In addition, assisting owners in identifying where excess calories are coming from, paired with tools like visual aids and hands-on demonstrations of healthy weight, can make a meaningful difference in getting clients on board with managing their dog’s weight.

1. Raffan, E., et al., (2016). A Deletion in the Canine POMC Gene Is Associated with Weight and Appetite in Obesity-Prone Labrador Retriever Dogs. Cell metabolism, 23(5), 893–900. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2016.04.012
2. Wallis, N., et al., (2025). Canine genome-wide association study identifies DENND1B as an obesity gene in dogs and humans. Science. 387, eads2145. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ads2145