Scientific Results: Food motivation and owner feeding management practices are associated with overweight among Dog Aging Project participants.

Author

Kathleen Gartner

Where was it published?

American Journal of Veterinary Research Issue 30 Jun 2025

 What is this paper about?

This study looked at how food motivation and owner feeding practices were associated with overweight/obesity in dogs. Our team wanted to know if dogs who really love food (called Food Motivation Score) were more likely to be overweight as well as if owner feeding practices(called Owner Management Score) were connected to dogs being overweight. In addition, we were interested in understanding if owners and veterinarians agree on if a dog is overweight.

What we did:

We looked at nearly 13,900 dog owners from across the U.S. who filled out surveys about their dogs.

The surveys asked about:

• Whether the dog was overweight.
• How much the dog seemed to want food.
• How carefully the owner managed the dog’s diet (like portion control and exercise).

For a smaller group of 200 dogs, we looked at vet records to see if the dogs’ obesity status matched what the owners said.

What did we find?

• Not surprisingly, dogs who really love food are more likely to be overweight.
  • For every little increase in food motivation, the chance of being overweight also went up.
• Owners of overweight dogs had higher owner management scores, suggesting they tried harder to control their dog’s diet, but it didn’t always work.
  • Controlling portions, limiting treats, and regular exercise are key—but they must be done consistently.
• Some breeds are more prone
  • Some breeds, like sporting dogs (e.g., Labradors, Golden Retrievers) and hounds, tended to be more food-motivated.
  • Dogs in the nonsporting group tended to have a lower food-motivation scores.
• Living situation matters.
  • Dogs living in cities or in homes with other dogs tended to be more food-motivated.
• Owners don’t always know that their dog is overweight.
  • Among the 200 dogs with vet data, owners and veterinarians agreed on whether the dog was overweight 76% of the time. Owners were more likely to state their dog was “normal” weight while vets said they were overweight/obese

What do these results mean for me and my dog?

These results mean that your answers are helping researchers understand which dogs are more likely to become overweight and why. If your dog is very food-motivated, belongs to a breed that loves food, or lives with other dogs, they may be at a higher risk for weight gain.

It’s also a reminder to double-check your dog’s weight with your veterinarian—owners often underestimate how heavy their dogs are. By staying on top of portions, treats, and exercise, you can help your dog stay healthy, and your participation is helping scientists learn how to support all dogs better.

Where can I learn more?

Gartner K, Hoffman JM, McNulty KE; et al. Food motivation and owner feeding management practices are associated with overweight among Dog Aging Project participants. Am J Vet Res. 2025 Mar 13;86(5):ajvr.24.11.0358. doi: 10.2460/ajvr.24.11.0358. PMID: 40081321.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the associations of dogs’ food motivation scores (FMS) and owners’ feeding management scores (OMS; a measure of intensity of dietary control) derived from the Dog Obesity Risk Assessment questionnaire with dog physical condition and to investigate the potential impact of several factors on dogs’ levels of food motivation.

Methods: Observational prospective study of US dogs enrolled in the Dog Aging Project from 2019 through 2021. Participating owners completed standardized questionnaires, including information about their dogs’ physical condition (overweight vs not overweight), and the Dog Obesity Risk and Appetite questionnaire for all dogs. Food motivation scores and OMS were calculated as percentages. Body condition scores for a subset of dogs were extracted from veterinary medical records.

Results: Questionnaire data (n = 13,890) and body condition score data (n = 200) were evaluated. Overweight physical condition was positively associated with OMS (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.057 to 1.064 per OMS percentage point). Overweight physical condition was also positively associated with FMS (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.014 to 1.019 per FMS percentage point). When controlling for age, sex, weight, and type of developed environment (rural, suburban, urban), FMS was higher (sporting, hound) or lower (nonsporting) for dogs from certain American Kennel Club breed groups compared to mixed-breed dogs.

Conclusions: Dog demographics and owner management choices are associated with physical condition in companion dogs.

Clinical relevance: Heightened awareness of factors associated with companion dog overweight equips veterinarians to recognize dogs at risk. Client education and future research into weight-control strategies can be targeted to this at-risk population.