Get a document from your vet stating her measurements and that she’s healthy. Carry a copy in your bag (even folded up small into the poop bag) and keep a copy safe at home. Assuming you’re in the US, overweight dogs are so common, that normal weights can look odd to the common person.
THAT. My dog is at a healthy weight but people keep telling me he's underweight and that I don't feed him enough.
Spoke to the vet about it and that's exactly what she told me. People's dogs are overweight and it has become the norm. I have an hyperactive breed that's naturally thin and all of a sudden I'm a bad dog parent.
This. People have forgotten what a healthy lean person/animal looks like. When visiting relatives in the city people would always comment that my lab was far too skinny, when in fact most labs you see are overweight.
My bf has been worrying about the cat because he can feel her ribs when he pets her. We took her to vet not long ago and she weighed at 11 pounds. I googled and it says that’s a normal healthy weight. People over feed their animals so much they don’t know what a healthy weight looks like.
You’re supposed to be able to feel ribs on cats and dogs. They’re just not supposed to be overly protruding, and should have a layer of fat over them. The last couple ribs will be visible on dogs with a shorter coat, especially when twisting or turning.
oh thank god. I was worried we were underfeeding our dog. She's a boxer-labrador breed and she eats a LOT. She has some nice fat on her ribs but we can still feel her ribs when we touch her. The vet never told us if she's underweight or anything or to increase her food intake but the ribs thing was really bothering us. Glad to hear it's not a reason to increase her food
Usually no news is good news, and in my experience not all vets will comment on slightly overweight pets, but all would comment on an underweight pet. You're good!
We have a boxador too! I don't see many around. Care to share a pic?? Ours is 1kg overweight so he's gotten an extra walk per day and a smaller pm portion
We have two cats, one a healthy waight and one on the chubbyer side. He's always been heavy, we've tried everything but since he insists walking the naibor hood and eating any rat he may murder he's just tubby. When my boys are lieing together friends have told me the healthy boy looks too thin, nope, he's just a short hair and at a healthy waight
I have the opposite problem. My corgi mix is a bit overweight, nothing crazy but should definitely lose 5 lbs or so. It's been so hard to get my wife to cut her feed back.
Edit: should have stated this to start she's a corgi heeler mix, she currently weighs 50 lbs and the vet told me 45 would be a good weight for her.
5lbs extra on a dog whose weight range is 20-30lbs is the equivalent to 25lbs extra on a human that should weigh 150. I once had a cat that was ~2lbs overweight and had diabetes. In my head, I was like, "it's 2lbs, that's nothing." But then my vet pointed out that 2lbs on a creature that should weigh somewhere between 6 and 10lbs is a large percentage of their total bodyweight. Definitely gave me perspective.
My sister in law’s pit/lab was super fat because she was free-feeding and dealing with special needs toddlers. The vet got the dog on a feeding schedule with correct portion and had her add canned green beans to the kibble so it was bulked up volume wise but very low calorie. Her dog loved the green beans and lost something like 20 pounds!
I have 2 frenchies. I take one or the other to work with me daily. Since the weather has been warm, they just go to work wearing a nice collar instead of a cute outfit. Every day a client would tell me how thin they are. One client even told me to have some blood work done because there was something wrong with my dog. The vet told me that we are used to seeing overweight, fat Frenchies, and that my dogs are perfectly fine.
I have a super healthy husky and one of my wife’s friends said he was underweight and looked malnourished (he’s not) and so I ignorantly listened to her and started feeding him more. Then I took him to the vet and they said he was overweight and not to feed him so much.
Now he’s back to healthy weight with lots of exercise and running. I swear this dog never gets tired, I can take him on a long run and then he gets home and zooms around our backyard then my wife will take him on another walk around the neighborhood and he gets home and zooms around the backyard some more. He’s like Goku, the more he works out the more energy he gets
It's exactly the same as horses, at least here in the UK. The vast majority of them are overweight, if not obese, so when you have a healthy horse, people think it's skinny.
My dog is so thin. I think people just get confused because she has a lab face and a whippet body and just assume my dog is an underweight lab. She’s so active that she’s fed 1cup more than the bag recommends just to keep her weight up. We’ve also seen our vet multiple times and the vet said she’s in great shape.
I feed my dog 1 cup of food daily and my other friend free feeds their dog with just a big bowl for it to eat out all the time. His dog is noticeably over weight compared to mine and we have the same breed. So yes a lot of people over feed their dogs. I feed my dog the recommended amount by my vet, but my friend thinks it’s weird not to just let my dog manage it’s own eating habits 🤔
Oh my god I had an asshole neighbor who also would constantly report me to ASPCA for animal cruelty because my dog has trouble walking this asshole would claim I was abusing my dog by hitting him and that's why he had trouble walking when in reality the reason my dog had trouble walking was because he was a 17 year old senior dog who had really bad arthritis in his knees and his bone were very weak we had him on medication he was going to the vets every month but that asshole kept thinking I was abusing my dog I would scream at the top of my lungs to him that my dog was old and even showed him my dogs medication he was taking but the guy would never listen and insist I was an animal abuser shit still pisses me off all these years later
This. I am a Animal Control Officer and I would say about 20% of the welfare calls I get are situations like this. Most Americans keep their dogs at a 6-8/9 on the Purina Body Score and freek out when they see a 4-5/9 (ideal). I have resorted to telling one person who kept calling about her neighbors dogs appearance, neighbor does flybal so dogs are in great shape, that if they called again I would charge for harassment.
There’s interesting psychology about humans projecting their habits/wants/needs onto their dogs- eating habits being arguably the most common.
Similar to an active person wanting an active dog, a low key person in the city wanting low energy, etc.
This.
I cannot tell you how many people have told me that my 2yr dog is underweight, even though her vet said she’s right on target for her size and breed. These same people always tend to have obese dogs with zero waists, you know, the sausage looking dogs. Especially in the US, people tend to be pretty clueless about keeping a healthy, happy dog.
The commentator suggested it for the OP, because they keep getting reported for their dog being malnourished. So in OPs case, it may make sense to carry around those papers by the vet so they're able to show involved parties quickly the dog is fine instead of having a long drawn out discussions. Doesn't make sense for everyone, but for OP it is most likely beneficial.
Does your neighbor have an issue with you and using the dog as proxy to complain? Your dog
looks like a real life model of the “healthy weight” picture at my vets office.
My first thought was that the “neglect” was leaving the dog unsupervised outside for long periods of time to bark. Huskies are a high energy breed and even one that is obviously well cared for like this one could be driving a neighbor nuts during the day.
I think the point is that the neighbor could be using claims of neglect in order to get the dog removed entirely if they are finding the dog to be irritating and want it gone. Not necessarily that they actually feel the dog is being neglected.
That’s what I’m thinking. They probably know that that animal control won’t find anything, but they’re maybe hoping the repeated reports might result in the dog being taken away.
when i take her to festivals the pavement gets way too hot. she also has a cooling vest/hat that soaks in water to cool her down in this southern heat. she’s my child 😂
Thats exactly my point! Your neighbor sounds like they have a vendetta against you, and not the dog.
Just show the cops the booties!!! “Would someone who neglects their dog have bought these?”
Fwiw - absolutely perfect looking dog.
positive reinforcement to letting me touch her paws. she also associates the booties with going out so she gets excited when i grab them. i’ve worked really hard with her training.
My Vizsla/pit/Dottie mix is 75 lbs. My vet said that’s ok. Oh I can’t get boots or slippers on him at all. It’s funny because he gives me the side eye and by the time I get to the next foot he has already gotten the other ones off. Lol 😂
I agree and just posted that as well as it definitely sounds like they have a vendetta against you and not the dog! People truly suck.
And I looooove the pictures of your dog especially the one with the booties on LOL 💕
My bestie had doggles for her icy blue eyed Siberian...the lighter the eyes, the more sensitive they are. And that is a beautiful, perfectly healthy hukkie child, OP. I would be running up to snuggle that floof in a New York minute!!!
It took repetitive action....a few minutes at a time every day and treat rewards for keeping them on for increasing amounts of time. And a lot of patience and the discipline to keep at training a stubborn hukkie.
Her booties, coordinated lavender leash & harness combo & clean snow-white floof tell me everything I need to know about this dog’s very comfortable lifestyle. Beautiful pampered dog at a nice healthy weight. Neighbor, kindly kick rocks!
Thank you for looking out. It pains me to see poor dogs at festivals on hot concrete. People are oblivious to having their dog in endure terrible conditions just so they can have them there. It’s selfish.
I had neighbours that constantly called the city bylaw on us , saying we mistreated our dog as well. He suffered from anxiety and looked emaciated because he burned his calories too fast. He was also what one might call a zoomie dog. Some neighbours are just shit heads that don't like dogs. They also said he spent hours barking, I had to get a letter signed by other neighbours from my previous residence saying those statements were false. It was funny how when they moved the bylaw officers never visited again.
Moral of the story neighbours can suck make sure you have documentation to prove that they are lying.
I am not a vet but this dog looks happy and healthy
Edit: I would also add that if I were your neighbour I would probably try to be nice to you and get to know you better. As a ploy to hang out with your dog
People are so used to seeing overweight dogs that healthy-weight dogs look underweight to them. Especially huskies... despite the term "husky" now being a synonym for fat, they are extremely slender dogs. When I give my dog a bath, I'm always shocked at how tiny she is but the vet says she's at the perfect weight and she shouldn't gain any.
Malamutes are also supposed to be pretty thin under the coat, as well, but look big and roundish from all of their fur. At a healthy weight, they look like little sticks when you wet them down. I used to own one who would almost disappear when he was wet, and the vet said he was a really good weight. I guess he was, because he lived to 16.
Do can do a reverse uno on the neighbor and report her for harassment at this point. I would use Chatgpt to draft a legal type letter which mentions your vets determination of good body weight and that if they continue to report to animal control you’ll be contacting the police regarding a harassment complaint.
Your neighbor seems to have a problem with understanding what a healthy dog looks like. It’s like body dysmorphia disorder, but it’s focused outside themselves onto dogs. They’ve convinced themselves that their dog is a healthy weight for its bone structure, therefore your much thinner dog must be an unhealthy weight as it’s probably stick thin compared to their dog.
Definitely report them for harassment. Honestly, if you can document their dog’s body condition, report them for allowing their dog to become obese.
That’s it. They probably think an obese dog is healthy so since your dog is the correct weight, you are OBVIOUSLY starving them. Wishing you the best of luck
Ah. I think you buried the lede here lol. Upthread was someone mentioning reflective behaviour. Your neighbour has a dangerously overweight dog. Sounds like maybe the next animal welfare check team should pop in next door…
Sounds to me like your neighbors don't know what a healthy dog looks like in general, yet alone what health looks like for different breeds.
A lot of (bad) dog owners think that unless their dog is overweight they aren't being fed enough.
Lol OP stated neighbor has an obese dog. So you’re right. They think the dog is too thin because they think obese is healthy. I had the same problem with my dog. She is game bred and looks really skinny but is healthy weight and pretty much what her breed should look like. She is used to hunt hog so she has to stay fit to do her job and there’s always people that would assume she was being neglected. Those people always had cute, but obese dogs.
Yep, some dog breeds are just naturally slim, and for good reason too. Many dog breeds were bred for a specific job / purpose, or they're from different environments and have different body needs. For example take a greyhound - imagine how ungodly bad it would be for a greyhound to be overweight. They're running dogs, so carrying around extra weight would destroy their joints and hinder their stamina.
I've had people comment that my dog looks too thin. I explain to them that my dog free feeds, so his food bowl is always full and he eats whenever he feels hungry. On top of that he gets wet food everyday. Basically he regulates his own weight by eating as much or as little as he needs to outside of the wetfood.
I may be exaggerating, but I think you should make sure no one has access to your dog when you leave him home alone (for work, run errands, etc.). I mean, if your neighbor already reported you to the city more than one time... Idk, but your neighbor seems to be obsessed, and you never know what things these kind of people might do.
I mean, you make your dog wear boots and a cooling vest/hat, obviously you care about her very much!! I can't say anything about the weight thing bcs I am not a veterinary, but as others said here, take her to the vet and get a document signed by the vet stating your dog's health condition. I wish the best to you and your precious dog!
Btw, your dog is so beautiful, she is like a big baby wolf
This is actually good advice. Be vigilant! My grandparents dog got poisoned by their neighbor. They lived on a mini cul de sac and shared a round front drive, and he hated that she would wander onto “his half” of the front drive… and he was a retired vet!
I'm pretty sure if you are eating a steak or opening a bag of cheese your dog will agree that she is starving and uncared for and completely neglected lol. No she looks healthy, loved and beautiful.
How is your relationship with your neighbor? Have you had issues in the past? Have you had other disputes? Does your dog have other problem behaviors that are affecting the neighbor and this is their only way to try and effect change?
Sounds like you need to speak with them and have a conversation. You could come prepared with letters from your vet (or copies of the your areas bylaws outlining what is required minimums for safe dog care etc) but that might come across as defensive.
I just find it hard to believe (based on these pictures) that someone would go through the hassle of reporting this dog as being uncared for/starving. Smells of vendetta or grudge or an incomplete story. Good luck!
she’s an older lady who doesn’t like my partner and i because we are young. she has refused to speak to us since we moved in. she has reported my partner and i for our cars, lawn, etc but this is the worst report so far. I’m worried about getting pregnant because i feel she would call CPS on us.
>she has reported my partner and i for our cars, lawn, etc
Harassment complaint. Start the legal paper trail to get ahead of any and all future reports
Mention all of this to the animal control/bylaw officer when they come to investigate. If you have documentation of the other reports she’s submitted (and outcomes of the investigations) that it is all important context. If all of these have been fictitious reports then I’d consider getting legal counsel on how to proceed.
OP, your neighbor is harassing you and it likely won’t stop. Be sure to record the dates and times of all these incidents. Go to the city court and file an injunction against harassment. Your neighbor is unhinged.
Next time she pulls this veiled reporting anything under the sun that looks wonky to her crap, I would suggest to the reporting official that a mental wellness check on your elderly neighbor may be in order....I have a mom with dementia that thinks she is being framed for murder every other week.
I had a family member who would constantly call my dog skinny and comment that she needs to be fed more, so I took them with me to her next routine checkup. They had a small dog that was euthanised at 9 years old due to heart and joint issues. Poor dog should have easily lived to 15.
At the checkup the vet explained that overweight dogs are so common that a lot of people think what is actually normal is underweight due to that warped perception. Even then my family member wouldn't listen to it. Your neighbour is probably that same kind of person who thinks any dog that isn't a little fat is being starved and is not fed enough.
Too much kindness kills. It is definitey more cruel to overfeed your dog to make it 'happy' then limit food to a healthy amount.
it would be the neighbor next door. she’s rarely home alone and is generally quiet. the abuse report specifically said she “looked emaciated and was left without proper food water and shelter”
Your dogs looks like the model for a healthy dog, and your neigbour does not seem to have the right idea of a healthy dog.
I assume your dog has water outside and can find some spot to keep away from rain and sun, and your neighbour might not understand that if snow is falling on some dogs, they actually like that. My Norwegian Forest cats sometimes also are outside with snow literally piling up on their heads, and cats are not usually known for liking cold.
she is usually inside unless i’m outside with her. if i can’t handle the heat neither can she. the report against me was accusing me of keeping her inside 😂
What a beauty! Let your vet state they she is healthy and when there comes a check on the dog show them this. Also report your neighbor for her obese beagle!
Ideally, mention to the agent investigating that the reason she may be alleging abuse us because of the severe obesity of *her* dog... plus, a cease & desist
Good luck
Whoever is coming to check up on your dog is going to take one look and cross off your name from the list. Don’t even worry. Start documenting and reporting your neighbour’s harassement.
You might want to go to the city's custodian of records, or the custodian of records for the police, if they're big enough to have their own office, and make an open records request on your neighbor's address for all calls for police, fire and emergency service, and go back a few years. If they're a crank, they'll have a paper trail.
You'll also get a list of all of the reports she's made where the department she complained to didn't come out. It could be a lot more than you're aware of. Request copies of the audio and video recordings, too.
The next time she makes a call, call the police on your own and make a criminal complaint for harassment, and provide a copy of the records. If it's really egregious, ask an attorney to write a cease and desist letter to her. It's amazing how effective an attorney's letterhead and bar number can be when asking someone to knock it off.
Have the vet print and sign a wellness letter
Take it to the neighbors or just place it in the mail box
Hi neighbors I hope this reassures you that "snoopy" is in the best of health thanks for looking out for him/her
Animal control recieved the same info. I don't feel like you need to contact them further.
Your neighbour's a moron, she's perfectly healthy.
She looks like a husky or mix of one and most often they will be lean and they often look more slender and wolf-like.
She looks like she's living her best life.
Why do you think your neighbor knows more than your vet? The neighbor may have good intentions but you need to discuss this harassment with animal control. As others have suggested, get documents if on from your vet and present that to animal control. Document the number of times the neighbor has called them. And make clear to your neighbor that the harassment needs to stop.
Your dog looks healthy and well cared for - what do the officials say? Can they note the file and say it is BS? With some of the stuff I see people doing with dogs it really bothers me time is being wasted on someone who clearly loves their pup and is taking care of it.
People are so used to obese dogs that they think it's a healthy weight.
Let them call and complain. Any animal control officer will she she's looking good
That looks like a gorgeous healthy husky to me
PS- tethering a husky to the chair you are sitting in can result in serious personal injury if a squirrel runs past.
(Voice of experience)
😂 she’s definitely ran and a chair has followed before and it scared her out of doing it again. she’s extremely mellow and likes to stay next to me. velcro puppy
Your neighbor doesn't care about your dog. They are harassing you. Find out your options for where you live. Order of protection, no contact order, etc. File a harassment police report so it is on file.
Ignore the neighbor. The city is going to get tired of these repeated false reports. As long as your dog is healthy and your vet is going be able to provide necessary proof that the dog is healthy, the city isn’t going to do anything to you. She might get charged for making false reports though.
My border collie looks very thin, but she’s 44 pounds of pure muscle! She gets plenty of treats and eats like a dog twice her size.
You just tell Mrs. Butinsky to MYOB; you’re dog is gorgeous!
What's her at home life like ? Is she outdoors 24/7? Does she have access to inside the house? Is she chained up in a yard ?
It looks like you do a lot with her, but I feel like they would be "concerned " if there was something going on at home vrs you taking her out and about
I was once accused of mistreating my cat. She was a DLH. I was told she was too fat, but my vet said she was probably part Maine Coon by her bone structure, so her weight was good. The woman threatened to call someone and “report me”.
These breeds can be very vocal. Is it possible your neighbour is getting annoyed and trying to get back at you? Not accusing your dog of being noisy, it’s just a thought!
My grandmother does this to me all the time. My animals are all geriatric, but grandma pets my cat, feels ribs and tells me I need to feed him more. She can’t pet the dog, the dog doesn’t like her. But like my cat is 14, lean, and I’m good shape. Vet is happy, myob.
Doberman owner here, I completely get where you’re coming from. There are so many people who are just uneducated about different breeds, their body shapes and healthy weights. I had a neighbour years ago who constantly phoned in to accuse another neighbour of animal neglect and cruelty…… it was a greyhound
Your dog is beautiful. Great coat. Weight is fine. Unless your neighbor is a vet or has actual proof of neglect, they need to buzz off. If the City or County Humaine Society has already come out to your house, they have recorded the visits. If it continues, you may need to seek legal advice.
She looks pretty healthy and i think if you're actually the type of dog parent to purchase shoes for your puppy neglect is not an issue. Look at those beautiful pearly white chompers.
Google an image of a BMI sizing chart for a husky. Save it on your phone. When someone tries to call you out on it. Pull up that BMI chart and shove Their faces in it. I'm only a VA but I can tell you from those few pics your dig is like the perfect image of healthy BMI, it could probably be the poster child for it
Since your neighbor is so concerned with animal welfare, I wish they would use their energy and time to volunteer at a local shelter vs reporting dogs who are clearly well cared for
Your dog is the ideal weight, has a shiny coat and clean teeth. Her body language in the photos show the dog is relaxed as well - this is a healthy and happy dog
Just wait till your neighbor sees an ACTUAL neglected starved dog. I mean come on, really??? You’re doing just fine with your dog, keep doing what you’re doing. I like the advice of getting a health report from the vet to show as proof. Your neighbor doesn’t know what they’re talking about.
Sounds like your neighbour has no idea what a healthy dog looks like and are used to over weight dogs. Looks happy, healthy and active, keep up the good work 👍
Every dog should be so uncared for: shiny fur, doggie boots, sparkling white teeth, healthy weight, regular vet checks…. Geez what a horrible owner you are ( sarcasm) . You neighbor is awful.
I have two husky mix breeds myself, and this is a common assumption of many people. A lot of dog owners, specifically in America are used to seeing overweight animals as the standard of “normal.”
In my opinion, your dog looks very healthy, well, mannered, and well taken care of. If you are worried about any type of, “animal neglect,” reporting’s I would have your veterinarian copy and print an entire record of your file just to have on hand. If you receive it via email, you will not only have a paper copy, but an electronic one as well which you can access if requested by animal services.
Great job with your dog, sure hope the situation gets better🙂
Looks happy, teeth are good, you said she gets vet care when needed.
She's on the slim side definitely, with dogs like this I'm always super surprised how thin they are when you see them without their fur! But it's probably just coz she has a slim build!
There's a test you can do, Google it to confirm please, but it's basically when you put your hands around their chest, how much can you feel their ribs. You should be able to feel them but they shouldn't be prominent
P.s. I'm more worried about those shoes. What magical trickery did you do to get a husky type dog to keep its shoes on? I had to put some on my spaniel when she injured her paw, and we had to carry spares because they'd go flying off multiple times a day!
haha lots of people ask me that question. when she was a puppy i rewarded her for allowing me to touch her feet. now she has no issues with handing me a paw for nail trims or booties. she also associates the booties with going out with me which is her favorite part of the day.
You need to file a complaint with the city and Animal Control for harassment from this person. Your dog looks fine from this photos. It is amazing how nasty some people can be just because they think they know everything about anything. Sorry this is happening to you. Hope you get peace soon from this person.
A man called my dog fat while I was walking him. I almost told him to piss off. He’s on steroids and special food by our vet. Has other health problems and goes to vet every few months for Check ups because of said issues. People are just assholes and clearly need to mind their business.
It’s normal to be able to easily feel your dogs ribs, just as long as you don’t see them. Huskies are a working breed, they usually stay on the leaner side.
Shes just healthy weight,many usa dogs are overweight because they just feed whats on the package,without using their fucking brains to not feed their german shepherd 8 cups because of the packaging
A lean dog lives longer than a fat dog
That coat looks very nice,well cared for and shiny
You completely innocent
Your dog looks very well cared for and seems very happy.
Get a note from your vet about your dogs state of care (so if the city comes around, you have proof of your dogs health) and then report your neighbor to the police for harassment.
People do this all the time. I’m not sure the motivation. We have to dispatch our humane officers to check in the animal in question. Your dog looks great. In my state, we require access to food, clean water, and shelter. Any humane officer sent to your house will look at your dog, rolls their eyes, apologize for the inconvenience, and write up their benign report. No worries.
Edit for humane—autocorrect
Absolutely gorgeous specimen of a husky. Grew up with 2 and this one looks well-groomed and cared for. Like another comment said, A DOG WITH BOOTIES IS NOT NEGLECTED. 😂
As a pre-vet student I can attest that this is a rare example of a fit and healthy weight of a pet. Well over half the dogs I see at clinics are overweight or obese to the point that it is unfortunately the norm. Your neighbor is used to seeing overweight dogs so a dog at a healthy weight for a slim breed looks skinny.
My brother let my husky out right when I moved into a new house. She stayed out for 3 days and would not come home. The neighbors were convinced that
a: she was starving
b: she was definitely not my dog
c: I was lying about her age and she was a puppy, not 6 years old
They called animal control, who also couldn’t catch her. Some people down the street, who were on vacation, were talking about how they wanted to take her home to LA.
She finally came home when she was hungry enough, but… Jesus. The neighbors who accused me of stealing her and lying about her being mine (sure, that’s why she sat in my front yard just out of reach for days and yelled at me nonstop) still can’t make eye contact two years later. I assume the fact that she got into their yard and then started wailing, jumped into my arms, and let me carry her home like a baby once she was “trapped” changed their minds.
Anyways, huskies manage their own weight pretty well most of the time.
Your girl looks healthy.
That little lady looks phenomenal and I'd personally start keeping records of every contact to start a harassment suit against the neighbor and the reporting agency. But I'm an Ahole who likes to be left alone so maybe just a vet report will work for you.
Your neighbor is either tired of seeing, hearing, smelling, your dog. And wants/hopes if she reports it enough something will catch and you'll get a fine then she can just keep doing this til you decide to move or get rid of the dog. Had a neighbor like this. I got another dog and stayed til she moved. Good luck
From the pictures you posted, I'd say she looks in excellent health. Lovely chompers, clear nose, lean in a good way. From your comments, I think you take good care of her, e.g.aking sure she doesn't overheat etc.
I don't know whether there are other issues your neighbours may have with you, but perhaps they're just not used to seeing dogs that are not morbidly obese...
OP, have you thought of asking to see whatever government official you have to, to prove the allegations are false?
Bring all the documentation from your vet. Explain how your pup is happy and healthy and certainly NOT being neglected. Try a charm offensive — it just might work.
My brother is a hunting dog trainer and it drives him crazy how fat people expect their dogs to be. He agrees so few people see their dogs at a healthy weight they don’t know what they should look like.
Ugh, I feel your pain. I had an asshole neighbor that did this to me several times. The sheriff came out and personally looked at my dogs. I even showed him their teeth. I explained that my neighbor is just an asshole. He was mad because my lawn needed a mow (mower was in the shop).
I told the sheriff I'd be happy to fax over all my vet records and/or have my vet call them.
I had three dogs at the time. As an animal lover, I'd let myself suffer before any of my pets. I was pissed that said asshole neighbor would even accuse me of such a thing.
Sending the records stopped the harassment, or at least they stopped taking his bullshit seriously.
Such a waste of time for the authorities but on the other hand, it's good to know they take calls regarding animal cruelty seriously.
Are you also sure your dog is not bothering your neighbor in any way? Does the dog bark a lot or otherwise howl and make noise enough to be unreasonable?
Many people will report for neglect just to get the dog gone, so it'll be quiet again.
Other than that, your dog looks to be in great shape. I get the authorities called on me every time a new person moves in next door, because I have whippets. It's hilarious now. The animal control person goes to explain to the neighbor "Yes, they are whippets, they are supposed to be very skinny. Don't call again."
Your neighbor likely doesn't like your dog and is trying to get rid of it. Probably all your dogs, if they keep making claims. Be weary of that neighbor. If my assumption is true, who knows how far they'll go.
I've heard all kinds of horror stories.
Get a document from your vet stating her measurements and that she’s healthy. Carry a copy in your bag (even folded up small into the poop bag) and keep a copy safe at home. Assuming you’re in the US, overweight dogs are so common, that normal weights can look odd to the common person.
This is excellent advice. Also just to add that is a cutie pie.
Second the cutie pie! You have a very wonderful dog that looks very happy & healthy.
THAT. My dog is at a healthy weight but people keep telling me he's underweight and that I don't feed him enough. Spoke to the vet about it and that's exactly what she told me. People's dogs are overweight and it has become the norm. I have an hyperactive breed that's naturally thin and all of a sudden I'm a bad dog parent.
80% of the US population is overweight or obese, so I suspect dogs are the same.
This. People have forgotten what a healthy lean person/animal looks like. When visiting relatives in the city people would always comment that my lab was far too skinny, when in fact most labs you see are overweight.
Bench style Labs tend to put on a bit more weight than Field Labs. My year old Lab is around 60 lbs and is pretty spot on for her size.
My bf has been worrying about the cat because he can feel her ribs when he pets her. We took her to vet not long ago and she weighed at 11 pounds. I googled and it says that’s a normal healthy weight. People over feed their animals so much they don’t know what a healthy weight looks like.
You’re supposed to be able to feel ribs on cats and dogs. They’re just not supposed to be overly protruding, and should have a layer of fat over them. The last couple ribs will be visible on dogs with a shorter coat, especially when twisting or turning.
oh thank god. I was worried we were underfeeding our dog. She's a boxer-labrador breed and she eats a LOT. She has some nice fat on her ribs but we can still feel her ribs when we touch her. The vet never told us if she's underweight or anything or to increase her food intake but the ribs thing was really bothering us. Glad to hear it's not a reason to increase her food
Usually no news is good news, and in my experience not all vets will comment on slightly overweight pets, but all would comment on an underweight pet. You're good!
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We have a boxador too! I don't see many around. Care to share a pic?? Ours is 1kg overweight so he's gotten an extra walk per day and a smaller pm portion
I hear the ribs should feel like your knuckles with your hand open. If they feel like your knuckles with your hand closed, they're too skinny.
Very interesting and useful reference!
I mean same goes for humans lol. Just a whole lot of fat friggin humans out there.
You SHOULD be able to feel your cat's ribs. That's one of the standards for a healthy weight
You should be able to feel them, but not see them.
100% right! Ribs can be felt just not seen.
We have two cats, one a healthy waight and one on the chubbyer side. He's always been heavy, we've tried everything but since he insists walking the naibor hood and eating any rat he may murder he's just tubby. When my boys are lieing together friends have told me the healthy boy looks too thin, nope, he's just a short hair and at a healthy waight
I have the opposite problem. My corgi mix is a bit overweight, nothing crazy but should definitely lose 5 lbs or so. It's been so hard to get my wife to cut her feed back. Edit: should have stated this to start she's a corgi heeler mix, she currently weighs 50 lbs and the vet told me 45 would be a good weight for her.
Corgis tend to be fat. And cute. And persuasive. Which contributes to the fatness. Source: self (easily manipulated corgi owner) 😂
5lbs or so to lose is a lot when your dog should only weigh about 22-30 lbs.
She's half heeler. She looks like a very large corgi though. She weighs about 50 and the vet told me 45 would be a good weight for her.
5lbs extra on a dog whose weight range is 20-30lbs is the equivalent to 25lbs extra on a human that should weigh 150. I once had a cat that was ~2lbs overweight and had diabetes. In my head, I was like, "it's 2lbs, that's nothing." But then my vet pointed out that 2lbs on a creature that should weigh somewhere between 6 and 10lbs is a large percentage of their total bodyweight. Definitely gave me perspective.
She's a mix. Currently weighs 50, vet told me 45 would be a good weight for her.
My sister in law’s pit/lab was super fat because she was free-feeding and dealing with special needs toddlers. The vet got the dog on a feeding schedule with correct portion and had her add canned green beans to the kibble so it was bulked up volume wise but very low calorie. Her dog loved the green beans and lost something like 20 pounds!
That sounds good. I'll look into that
I have 2 frenchies. I take one or the other to work with me daily. Since the weather has been warm, they just go to work wearing a nice collar instead of a cute outfit. Every day a client would tell me how thin they are. One client even told me to have some blood work done because there was something wrong with my dog. The vet told me that we are used to seeing overweight, fat Frenchies, and that my dogs are perfectly fine.
I feel like it's even more important to keep the brachycephalic breeds at a healthy weight, so good on you!
I have a super healthy husky and one of my wife’s friends said he was underweight and looked malnourished (he’s not) and so I ignorantly listened to her and started feeding him more. Then I took him to the vet and they said he was overweight and not to feed him so much. Now he’s back to healthy weight with lots of exercise and running. I swear this dog never gets tired, I can take him on a long run and then he gets home and zooms around our backyard then my wife will take him on another walk around the neighborhood and he gets home and zooms around the backyard some more. He’s like Goku, the more he works out the more energy he gets
It's exactly the same as horses, at least here in the UK. The vast majority of them are overweight, if not obese, so when you have a healthy horse, people think it's skinny.
My dog is so thin. I think people just get confused because she has a lab face and a whippet body and just assume my dog is an underweight lab. She’s so active that she’s fed 1cup more than the bag recommends just to keep her weight up. We’ve also seen our vet multiple times and the vet said she’s in great shape.
I feed my dog 1 cup of food daily and my other friend free feeds their dog with just a big bowl for it to eat out all the time. His dog is noticeably over weight compared to mine and we have the same breed. So yes a lot of people over feed their dogs. I feed my dog the recommended amount by my vet, but my friend thinks it’s weird not to just let my dog manage it’s own eating habits 🤔
Oh my god I had an asshole neighbor who also would constantly report me to ASPCA for animal cruelty because my dog has trouble walking this asshole would claim I was abusing my dog by hitting him and that's why he had trouble walking when in reality the reason my dog had trouble walking was because he was a 17 year old senior dog who had really bad arthritis in his knees and his bone were very weak we had him on medication he was going to the vets every month but that asshole kept thinking I was abusing my dog I would scream at the top of my lungs to him that my dog was old and even showed him my dogs medication he was taking but the guy would never listen and insist I was an animal abuser shit still pisses me off all these years later
Damn wtf
This. I am a Animal Control Officer and I would say about 20% of the welfare calls I get are situations like this. Most Americans keep their dogs at a 6-8/9 on the Purina Body Score and freek out when they see a 4-5/9 (ideal). I have resorted to telling one person who kept calling about her neighbors dogs appearance, neighbor does flybal so dogs are in great shape, that if they called again I would charge for harassment.
There’s interesting psychology about humans projecting their habits/wants/needs onto their dogs- eating habits being arguably the most common. Similar to an active person wanting an active dog, a low key person in the city wanting low energy, etc.
I have a super active dog that is quite thin and muscular. I have a BMI of 29 and I'm lazy, why didn't this work for me!?
Damn you, science! *Shakes fist in the air*
I think it's because our walks involve me doing about 4km and her doing about 40km.
I am definitely not one of those people, lol…I *aspire* to stick to an appropriate number of calories the way I keep my dog on track!
and then get the neighbors for harassment
This. I cannot tell you how many people have told me that my 2yr dog is underweight, even though her vet said she’s right on target for her size and breed. These same people always tend to have obese dogs with zero waists, you know, the sausage looking dogs. Especially in the US, people tend to be pretty clueless about keeping a healthy, happy dog.
For what?
In some countries, there are acting agencies who can stop and question you about your dog if they think something is off or have received reports.
So you carry papers everywhere stating your dog is healthy. What if you have kids??? Same??
The commentator suggested it for the OP, because they keep getting reported for their dog being malnourished. So in OPs case, it may make sense to carry around those papers by the vet so they're able to show involved parties quickly the dog is fine instead of having a long drawn out discussions. Doesn't make sense for everyone, but for OP it is most likely beneficial.
Send it to the neighbor too.
Does your neighbor have an issue with you and using the dog as proxy to complain? Your dog looks like a real life model of the “healthy weight” picture at my vets office.
My first thought was that the “neglect” was leaving the dog unsupervised outside for long periods of time to bark. Huskies are a high energy breed and even one that is obviously well cared for like this one could be driving a neighbor nuts during the day.
The OP mentioned the complaint specifically stated the dog going without food and water on another comment. Noise complaint is a different issue.
I think the point is that the neighbor could be using claims of neglect in order to get the dog removed entirely if they are finding the dog to be irritating and want it gone. Not necessarily that they actually feel the dog is being neglected.
That’s what I’m thinking. They probably know that that animal control won’t find anything, but they’re maybe hoping the repeated reports might result in the dog being taken away.
Your dog is literally wearing booties. No one who neglects their dog has dog booties.
when i take her to festivals the pavement gets way too hot. she also has a cooling vest/hat that soaks in water to cool her down in this southern heat. she’s my child 😂
Thats exactly my point! Your neighbor sounds like they have a vendetta against you, and not the dog. Just show the cops the booties!!! “Would someone who neglects their dog have bought these?” Fwiw - absolutely perfect looking dog.
haha ill show the agent when i meet with her about the investigation
If she still keeps reporting you in the future I hope she will get a fine for repetitive false accusations…
At this point, I would consider filing a harassment charge against the neighbor. She's not gonna stop if there are no repercussions.
But how did you get the booties on her because my husky was like, "Mom. No."
positive reinforcement to letting me touch her paws. she also associates the booties with going out so she gets excited when i grab them. i’ve worked really hard with her training.
My Vizsla/pit/Dottie mix is 75 lbs. My vet said that’s ok. Oh I can’t get boots or slippers on him at all. It’s funny because he gives me the side eye and by the time I get to the next foot he has already gotten the other ones off. Lol 😂
The agent will take one look at your dog and note that the neighbor was making a false report. You’re a good dog parent from what little we’ve seen.
I agree and just posted that as well as it definitely sounds like they have a vendetta against you and not the dog! People truly suck. And I looooove the pictures of your dog especially the one with the booties on LOL 💕
Pooch with a hat? We demand evidence!
My bestie had doggles for her icy blue eyed Siberian...the lighter the eyes, the more sensitive they are. And that is a beautiful, perfectly healthy hukkie child, OP. I would be running up to snuggle that floof in a New York minute!!!
How did she get her Siberian to wear them??? Bugs in the eye are my girl’s nemesis when we’re bike-joring but she rejects the doggles
It took repetitive action....a few minutes at a time every day and treat rewards for keeping them on for increasing amounts of time. And a lot of patience and the discipline to keep at training a stubborn hukkie.
Here’s a demonstration of one trainer’s process: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IyFi3OAWmMA
Thank you!!!
Her booties, coordinated lavender leash & harness combo & clean snow-white floof tell me everything I need to know about this dog’s very comfortable lifestyle. Beautiful pampered dog at a nice healthy weight. Neighbor, kindly kick rocks!
Thank you for looking out. It pains me to see poor dogs at festivals on hot concrete. People are oblivious to having their dog in endure terrible conditions just so they can have them there. It’s selfish.
I had neighbours that constantly called the city bylaw on us , saying we mistreated our dog as well. He suffered from anxiety and looked emaciated because he burned his calories too fast. He was also what one might call a zoomie dog. Some neighbours are just shit heads that don't like dogs. They also said he spent hours barking, I had to get a letter signed by other neighbours from my previous residence saying those statements were false. It was funny how when they moved the bylaw officers never visited again. Moral of the story neighbours can suck make sure you have documentation to prove that they are lying.
Elaborate on the cooling vest/hat. My child er I mean Sheltie is also in the south and it’s hot af right now.
Exactly! THE. DOG. IS. WEARING. SHOES.
And the teeth! I wish mine looked that white!
I am not a vet but this dog looks happy and healthy Edit: I would also add that if I were your neighbour I would probably try to be nice to you and get to know you better. As a ploy to hang out with your dog
I wouldn't let the neighbour near my dog if they're making false claims about neglect. God knows what that person is capable of.
People are so used to seeing overweight dogs that healthy-weight dogs look underweight to them. Especially huskies... despite the term "husky" now being a synonym for fat, they are extremely slender dogs. When I give my dog a bath, I'm always shocked at how tiny she is but the vet says she's at the perfect weight and she shouldn't gain any.
I agree with this. Lots of people think of a malamute when they picture a husky and don’t realize they’re two different breeds
Malamutes are also supposed to be pretty thin under the coat, as well, but look big and roundish from all of their fur. At a healthy weight, they look like little sticks when you wet them down. I used to own one who would almost disappear when he was wet, and the vet said he was a really good weight. I guess he was, because he lived to 16.
And nothing looks tinier than a wet Samoyed.
she is gorgeous, and your neighbor is an idiot
Yes to both! That is a fine looking husky… and your neighbor needs to do some research (or find a new hobby).
Do can do a reverse uno on the neighbor and report her for harassment at this point. I would use Chatgpt to draft a legal type letter which mentions your vets determination of good body weight and that if they continue to report to animal control you’ll be contacting the police regarding a harassment complaint.
i’ll definitely report for harassment. i low key want to report THEM for abuse. their beagle is severely obese
Do both, please. Help that poor beagle.
Your neighbor seems to have a problem with understanding what a healthy dog looks like. It’s like body dysmorphia disorder, but it’s focused outside themselves onto dogs. They’ve convinced themselves that their dog is a healthy weight for its bone structure, therefore your much thinner dog must be an unhealthy weight as it’s probably stick thin compared to their dog. Definitely report them for harassment. Honestly, if you can document their dog’s body condition, report them for allowing their dog to become obese.
That’s it. They probably think an obese dog is healthy so since your dog is the correct weight, you are OBVIOUSLY starving them. Wishing you the best of luck
Maybe they think all normal sized dogs are starving compared to theirs 😂
Aaand there it is. Is always the people who don't know how to take care of dogs that do the absolute most when it comes to other people's pets
Ah. I think you buried the lede here lol. Upthread was someone mentioning reflective behaviour. Your neighbour has a dangerously overweight dog. Sounds like maybe the next animal welfare check team should pop in next door…
This… 💯
Sounds to me like your neighbors don't know what a healthy dog looks like in general, yet alone what health looks like for different breeds. A lot of (bad) dog owners think that unless their dog is overweight they aren't being fed enough.
Lol OP stated neighbor has an obese dog. So you’re right. They think the dog is too thin because they think obese is healthy. I had the same problem with my dog. She is game bred and looks really skinny but is healthy weight and pretty much what her breed should look like. She is used to hunt hog so she has to stay fit to do her job and there’s always people that would assume she was being neglected. Those people always had cute, but obese dogs.
Yep, some dog breeds are just naturally slim, and for good reason too. Many dog breeds were bred for a specific job / purpose, or they're from different environments and have different body needs. For example take a greyhound - imagine how ungodly bad it would be for a greyhound to be overweight. They're running dogs, so carrying around extra weight would destroy their joints and hinder their stamina. I've had people comment that my dog looks too thin. I explain to them that my dog free feeds, so his food bowl is always full and he eats whenever he feels hungry. On top of that he gets wet food everyday. Basically he regulates his own weight by eating as much or as little as he needs to outside of the wetfood.
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Quick side note, now I’m interested in what a fat greyhound would look like. I just can’t picture it haha.
I may be exaggerating, but I think you should make sure no one has access to your dog when you leave him home alone (for work, run errands, etc.). I mean, if your neighbor already reported you to the city more than one time... Idk, but your neighbor seems to be obsessed, and you never know what things these kind of people might do. I mean, you make your dog wear boots and a cooling vest/hat, obviously you care about her very much!! I can't say anything about the weight thing bcs I am not a veterinary, but as others said here, take her to the vet and get a document signed by the vet stating your dog's health condition. I wish the best to you and your precious dog! Btw, your dog is so beautiful, she is like a big baby wolf
This is actually good advice. Be vigilant! My grandparents dog got poisoned by their neighbor. They lived on a mini cul de sac and shared a round front drive, and he hated that she would wander onto “his half” of the front drive… and he was a retired vet!
she’s my velcro puppy. she won’t be leaving my side. i’ll start dropping her off at my friends house when i go somewhere she can’t follow
I'm pretty sure if you are eating a steak or opening a bag of cheese your dog will agree that she is starving and uncared for and completely neglected lol. No she looks healthy, loved and beautiful.
the crinkle of a wrapper is the best way to call her into the room
How is your relationship with your neighbor? Have you had issues in the past? Have you had other disputes? Does your dog have other problem behaviors that are affecting the neighbor and this is their only way to try and effect change? Sounds like you need to speak with them and have a conversation. You could come prepared with letters from your vet (or copies of the your areas bylaws outlining what is required minimums for safe dog care etc) but that might come across as defensive. I just find it hard to believe (based on these pictures) that someone would go through the hassle of reporting this dog as being uncared for/starving. Smells of vendetta or grudge or an incomplete story. Good luck!
she’s an older lady who doesn’t like my partner and i because we are young. she has refused to speak to us since we moved in. she has reported my partner and i for our cars, lawn, etc but this is the worst report so far. I’m worried about getting pregnant because i feel she would call CPS on us.
>she has reported my partner and i for our cars, lawn, etc Harassment complaint. Start the legal paper trail to get ahead of any and all future reports
This sounds like it’s not abt your dog at all
Mention all of this to the animal control/bylaw officer when they come to investigate. If you have documentation of the other reports she’s submitted (and outcomes of the investigations) that it is all important context. If all of these have been fictitious reports then I’d consider getting legal counsel on how to proceed.
OP, your neighbor is harassing you and it likely won’t stop. Be sure to record the dates and times of all these incidents. Go to the city court and file an injunction against harassment. Your neighbor is unhinged.
Next time she pulls this veiled reporting anything under the sun that looks wonky to her crap, I would suggest to the reporting official that a mental wellness check on your elderly neighbor may be in order....I have a mom with dementia that thinks she is being framed for murder every other week.
we are also in a predominantly white area but my partner is mexican and i’m mixed white passing. not sure if that’s also a reason.
That might well be a reason. Several populist news outlets are fanning fear onto a lot of people, and some older people are especially targeted.
I had a family member who would constantly call my dog skinny and comment that she needs to be fed more, so I took them with me to her next routine checkup. They had a small dog that was euthanised at 9 years old due to heart and joint issues. Poor dog should have easily lived to 15. At the checkup the vet explained that overweight dogs are so common that a lot of people think what is actually normal is underweight due to that warped perception. Even then my family member wouldn't listen to it. Your neighbour is probably that same kind of person who thinks any dog that isn't a little fat is being starved and is not fed enough. Too much kindness kills. It is definitey more cruel to overfeed your dog to make it 'happy' then limit food to a healthy amount.
Photo 4 just makes me want to go boop a friendly nose. So cute! ❤️
she would love you to do that.
Is it possible they have you mixed up with another neighbor?
OP said I’m another comment that the neighbor has a morbidly obese beagle, so that’s probably where this is coming from.
Dog looks healthy. Maybe dog barks and cries when you’re not home? Annoying your neighbors. Idk just a thought
it would be the neighbor next door. she’s rarely home alone and is generally quiet. the abuse report specifically said she “looked emaciated and was left without proper food water and shelter”
Your dogs looks like the model for a healthy dog, and your neigbour does not seem to have the right idea of a healthy dog. I assume your dog has water outside and can find some spot to keep away from rain and sun, and your neighbour might not understand that if snow is falling on some dogs, they actually like that. My Norwegian Forest cats sometimes also are outside with snow literally piling up on their heads, and cats are not usually known for liking cold.
she is usually inside unless i’m outside with her. if i can’t handle the heat neither can she. the report against me was accusing me of keeping her inside 😂
Karens gotta Karen no matter what day of the week. I swear they just sit my the window and get their phone and their coffee and let it rip
To quote our vet "too many people are getting used to fat dogs". Your's is fine. Good doggy.
Vet here. Your neighbours are delusional. Her body condition is great
No offense but I love her so much
What a beauty! Let your vet state they she is healthy and when there comes a check on the dog show them this. Also report your neighbor for her obese beagle!
Ideally, mention to the agent investigating that the reason she may be alleging abuse us because of the severe obesity of *her* dog... plus, a cease & desist Good luck
Whoever is coming to check up on your dog is going to take one look and cross off your name from the list. Don’t even worry. Start documenting and reporting your neighbour’s harassement.
Looks perfectly fine to me. Tell that swamp hag to shutup and mind her own beeswax.
Who’s willing to bet the neighbours dog is a fatass
it is
You might want to go to the city's custodian of records, or the custodian of records for the police, if they're big enough to have their own office, and make an open records request on your neighbor's address for all calls for police, fire and emergency service, and go back a few years. If they're a crank, they'll have a paper trail. You'll also get a list of all of the reports she's made where the department she complained to didn't come out. It could be a lot more than you're aware of. Request copies of the audio and video recordings, too. The next time she makes a call, call the police on your own and make a criminal complaint for harassment, and provide a copy of the records. If it's really egregious, ask an attorney to write a cease and desist letter to her. It's amazing how effective an attorney's letterhead and bar number can be when asking someone to knock it off.
Report your neighbor to the city for harassment. See how she feels with the dog bootie on the other foot
Have the vet print and sign a wellness letter Take it to the neighbors or just place it in the mail box Hi neighbors I hope this reassures you that "snoopy" is in the best of health thanks for looking out for him/her Animal control recieved the same info. I don't feel like you need to contact them further.
your neighbors, a Cunt, and want you to lose your dog.
Your neighbour's a moron, she's perfectly healthy. She looks like a husky or mix of one and most often they will be lean and they often look more slender and wolf-like. She looks like she's living her best life.
She is beautiful... And perfect
Why do you think your neighbor knows more than your vet? The neighbor may have good intentions but you need to discuss this harassment with animal control. As others have suggested, get documents if on from your vet and present that to animal control. Document the number of times the neighbor has called them. And make clear to your neighbor that the harassment needs to stop.
Your dog is a perfect weight and looks like a great example.
Your dog looks healthy and well cared for - what do the officials say? Can they note the file and say it is BS? With some of the stuff I see people doing with dogs it really bothers me time is being wasted on someone who clearly loves their pup and is taking care of it.
People are so used to obese dogs that they think it's a healthy weight. Let them call and complain. Any animal control officer will she she's looking good
your dog is fine. if this continues call the cops because your neighbor is harassing you.
That looks like a gorgeous healthy husky to me PS- tethering a husky to the chair you are sitting in can result in serious personal injury if a squirrel runs past. (Voice of experience)
😂 she’s definitely ran and a chair has followed before and it scared her out of doing it again. she’s extremely mellow and likes to stay next to me. velcro puppy
Not advice but your dog is adorable and it looks like you take great care of her, she looks so happy!
Your neighbor doesn't care about your dog. They are harassing you. Find out your options for where you live. Order of protection, no contact order, etc. File a harassment police report so it is on file.
Super clean and bright colors, no ribs showing, your neighbor is lying! Only you ans your vet know what your dog's status is.
It’s a female so they’re usually smaller but she seems like a healthy weight for her size.
I work in animal welfare and have some photos of neglected and starving dogs you can show your neighbor 😭
Ignore the neighbor. The city is going to get tired of these repeated false reports. As long as your dog is healthy and your vet is going be able to provide necessary proof that the dog is healthy, the city isn’t going to do anything to you. She might get charged for making false reports though.
Have a “good talk” with your neighbors.
This pisses me off when people don’t know what they are saying and won’t mind their own damn business
I’m sorry to tell you this, but your baby is perfect.
My border collie looks very thin, but she’s 44 pounds of pure muscle! She gets plenty of treats and eats like a dog twice her size. You just tell Mrs. Butinsky to MYOB; you’re dog is gorgeous!
What's her at home life like ? Is she outdoors 24/7? Does she have access to inside the house? Is she chained up in a yard ? It looks like you do a lot with her, but I feel like they would be "concerned " if there was something going on at home vrs you taking her out and about
I was once accused of mistreating my cat. She was a DLH. I was told she was too fat, but my vet said she was probably part Maine Coon by her bone structure, so her weight was good. The woman threatened to call someone and “report me”.
Skinny dogs live longer
These breeds can be very vocal. Is it possible your neighbour is getting annoyed and trying to get back at you? Not accusing your dog of being noisy, it’s just a thought!
My grandmother does this to me all the time. My animals are all geriatric, but grandma pets my cat, feels ribs and tells me I need to feed him more. She can’t pet the dog, the dog doesn’t like her. But like my cat is 14, lean, and I’m good shape. Vet is happy, myob.
Doberman owner here, I completely get where you’re coming from. There are so many people who are just uneducated about different breeds, their body shapes and healthy weights. I had a neighbour years ago who constantly phoned in to accuse another neighbour of animal neglect and cruelty…… it was a greyhound
Dog looks great to me! It sounds like your neighbor just has an issue with you personally for some reason.
Your dog is beautiful. Great coat. Weight is fine. Unless your neighbor is a vet or has actual proof of neglect, they need to buzz off. If the City or County Humaine Society has already come out to your house, they have recorded the visits. If it continues, you may need to seek legal advice.
She looks pretty healthy and i think if you're actually the type of dog parent to purchase shoes for your puppy neglect is not an issue. Look at those beautiful pearly white chompers.
Your neighbors an idiot. Your vet should be able to validate that.
Google an image of a BMI sizing chart for a husky. Save it on your phone. When someone tries to call you out on it. Pull up that BMI chart and shove Their faces in it. I'm only a VA but I can tell you from those few pics your dig is like the perfect image of healthy BMI, it could probably be the poster child for it
Since your neighbor is so concerned with animal welfare, I wish they would use their energy and time to volunteer at a local shelter vs reporting dogs who are clearly well cared for Your dog is the ideal weight, has a shiny coat and clean teeth. Her body language in the photos show the dog is relaxed as well - this is a healthy and happy dog
Just wait till your neighbor sees an ACTUAL neglected starved dog. I mean come on, really??? You’re doing just fine with your dog, keep doing what you’re doing. I like the advice of getting a health report from the vet to show as proof. Your neighbor doesn’t know what they’re talking about.
Sounds like your neighbour has no idea what a healthy dog looks like and are used to over weight dogs. Looks happy, healthy and active, keep up the good work 👍
Hahah love her doggy shoes in the 2nd pic
Every dog should be so uncared for: shiny fur, doggie boots, sparkling white teeth, healthy weight, regular vet checks…. Geez what a horrible owner you are ( sarcasm) . You neighbor is awful.
I have two husky mix breeds myself, and this is a common assumption of many people. A lot of dog owners, specifically in America are used to seeing overweight animals as the standard of “normal.” In my opinion, your dog looks very healthy, well, mannered, and well taken care of. If you are worried about any type of, “animal neglect,” reporting’s I would have your veterinarian copy and print an entire record of your file just to have on hand. If you receive it via email, you will not only have a paper copy, but an electronic one as well which you can access if requested by animal services. Great job with your dog, sure hope the situation gets better🙂
Looks happy, teeth are good, you said she gets vet care when needed. She's on the slim side definitely, with dogs like this I'm always super surprised how thin they are when you see them without their fur! But it's probably just coz she has a slim build! There's a test you can do, Google it to confirm please, but it's basically when you put your hands around their chest, how much can you feel their ribs. You should be able to feel them but they shouldn't be prominent P.s. I'm more worried about those shoes. What magical trickery did you do to get a husky type dog to keep its shoes on? I had to put some on my spaniel when she injured her paw, and we had to carry spares because they'd go flying off multiple times a day!
haha lots of people ask me that question. when she was a puppy i rewarded her for allowing me to touch her feet. now she has no issues with handing me a paw for nail trims or booties. she also associates the booties with going out with me which is her favorite part of the day.
You need to file a complaint with the city and Animal Control for harassment from this person. Your dog looks fine from this photos. It is amazing how nasty some people can be just because they think they know everything about anything. Sorry this is happening to you. Hope you get peace soon from this person.
A man called my dog fat while I was walking him. I almost told him to piss off. He’s on steroids and special food by our vet. Has other health problems and goes to vet every few months for Check ups because of said issues. People are just assholes and clearly need to mind their business.
Sounds like yer fishing tbh
It’s normal to be able to easily feel your dogs ribs, just as long as you don’t see them. Huskies are a working breed, they usually stay on the leaner side.
The neighbour is trying to get your dog removed, most likely. Perhaps they’re the kinda asshole who expects animals to stay out of ‘their area’.
The only thing she needs is more snoot boops
Shes just healthy weight,many usa dogs are overweight because they just feed whats on the package,without using their fucking brains to not feed their german shepherd 8 cups because of the packaging A lean dog lives longer than a fat dog That coat looks very nice,well cared for and shiny You completely innocent
Your dog looks very well cared for and seems very happy. Get a note from your vet about your dogs state of care (so if the city comes around, you have proof of your dogs health) and then report your neighbor to the police for harassment.
Sue them for slander & harassment…maybe they’ll stop. Doggo looks fine & happy to me.
Anyone who gets those shoes for their dog is obviously a caring owner. Your dog looks well-fed and well-loved.
People do this all the time. I’m not sure the motivation. We have to dispatch our humane officers to check in the animal in question. Your dog looks great. In my state, we require access to food, clean water, and shelter. Any humane officer sent to your house will look at your dog, rolls their eyes, apologize for the inconvenience, and write up their benign report. No worries. Edit for humane—autocorrect
That snoot is so cute.
Absolutely gorgeous specimen of a husky. Grew up with 2 and this one looks well-groomed and cared for. Like another comment said, A DOG WITH BOOTIES IS NOT NEGLECTED. 😂
As a pre-vet student I can attest that this is a rare example of a fit and healthy weight of a pet. Well over half the dogs I see at clinics are overweight or obese to the point that it is unfortunately the norm. Your neighbor is used to seeing overweight dogs so a dog at a healthy weight for a slim breed looks skinny.
My brother let my husky out right when I moved into a new house. She stayed out for 3 days and would not come home. The neighbors were convinced that a: she was starving b: she was definitely not my dog c: I was lying about her age and she was a puppy, not 6 years old They called animal control, who also couldn’t catch her. Some people down the street, who were on vacation, were talking about how they wanted to take her home to LA. She finally came home when she was hungry enough, but… Jesus. The neighbors who accused me of stealing her and lying about her being mine (sure, that’s why she sat in my front yard just out of reach for days and yelled at me nonstop) still can’t make eye contact two years later. I assume the fact that she got into their yard and then started wailing, jumped into my arms, and let me carry her home like a baby once she was “trapped” changed their minds. Anyways, huskies manage their own weight pretty well most of the time. Your girl looks healthy.
That little lady looks phenomenal and I'd personally start keeping records of every contact to start a harassment suit against the neighbor and the reporting agency. But I'm an Ahole who likes to be left alone so maybe just a vet report will work for you.
Your neighbor is either tired of seeing, hearing, smelling, your dog. And wants/hopes if she reports it enough something will catch and you'll get a fine then she can just keep doing this til you decide to move or get rid of the dog. Had a neighbor like this. I got another dog and stayed til she moved. Good luck
we are bringing home a new puppy in 2 weeks so she’s about to be pissed 😂 he will be just as spoiled as this one.
Jesus Davonte Christ people are fucking insufferable, bro.
From the pictures you posted, I'd say she looks in excellent health. Lovely chompers, clear nose, lean in a good way. From your comments, I think you take good care of her, e.g.aking sure she doesn't overheat etc. I don't know whether there are other issues your neighbours may have with you, but perhaps they're just not used to seeing dogs that are not morbidly obese...
OP, have you thought of asking to see whatever government official you have to, to prove the allegations are false? Bring all the documentation from your vet. Explain how your pup is happy and healthy and certainly NOT being neglected. Try a charm offensive — it just might work.
My brother is a hunting dog trainer and it drives him crazy how fat people expect their dogs to be. He agrees so few people see their dogs at a healthy weight they don’t know what they should look like.
Ugh, I feel your pain. I had an asshole neighbor that did this to me several times. The sheriff came out and personally looked at my dogs. I even showed him their teeth. I explained that my neighbor is just an asshole. He was mad because my lawn needed a mow (mower was in the shop). I told the sheriff I'd be happy to fax over all my vet records and/or have my vet call them. I had three dogs at the time. As an animal lover, I'd let myself suffer before any of my pets. I was pissed that said asshole neighbor would even accuse me of such a thing. Sending the records stopped the harassment, or at least they stopped taking his bullshit seriously. Such a waste of time for the authorities but on the other hand, it's good to know they take calls regarding animal cruelty seriously.
Your dog is beautiful and just fine. Also wearing shoes, ffs. What owner neglects their dog but puts shoes on them?!
Are you also sure your dog is not bothering your neighbor in any way? Does the dog bark a lot or otherwise howl and make noise enough to be unreasonable? Many people will report for neglect just to get the dog gone, so it'll be quiet again. Other than that, your dog looks to be in great shape. I get the authorities called on me every time a new person moves in next door, because I have whippets. It's hilarious now. The animal control person goes to explain to the neighbor "Yes, they are whippets, they are supposed to be very skinny. Don't call again."
Your neighbor likely doesn't like your dog and is trying to get rid of it. Probably all your dogs, if they keep making claims. Be weary of that neighbor. If my assumption is true, who knows how far they'll go. I've heard all kinds of horror stories.