“He’d Be Happier if He Wasn’t Chonky”–Qualitatively Exploring Canine Obesity Perceptions Using YouTube™ and Discussion Fora

Abstract

Canine obesity is one of the top welfare problems of pet dogs. Owners are often unable to successfully recognize and manage their dog’s condition, even with assistance from veterinarians. The aim of this exploratory study was to appraise people’s perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors relating to canine obesity and weight management by analyzing comments made in online public fora and about online video clips. Data comprised 450 posts on 15 threads related to canine obesity from online discussion fora (www.petforums.co.uk, www.reddit.com, and www.mumsnet.com) and 637 comments posted about five videos published online (www.youtube.com). These fora sites either had a dedicated topic area or were entirely for discussions regarding pets. Threads and videos chosen represented a diversity of obesity-related topics, dog breeds, and a range of overweight severities. Data were anonymized and analyzed using thematic analysis. Four key themes emerged: (1) Balancing conflicting responsibilities–Individuals appeared to balance their responsibility in providing their dog with happiness, health, and love, and differences in emphasis placed on these impacted feeding habits and weight management; (2) Need vs. greed–Individuals felt compelled to alleviate perceived hunger in their dog, which made sticking to reduced food diets difficult for some; (3) Minimizing–Individuals varied in the extent to which they perceived excess body fat to be problematic, and language used to describe their dog’s body changed when excess body fat was seen as an issue; (4) Control–Individuals’ perceived control over their dog’s body condition and food intake varied hugely, with some owners believing they had little-to-no control. Whilst such publicly available data need to be interpreted with caution, due to self-selection bias, this study provides valuable insight into factors that impact feeding practices and could impact compliance with weight-reduction programs. These findings can be incorporated into future research and behavior-change initiatives to increase engagement and compliance.