Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How genetics and environment affect obesity risk in pet dogs
By Morros-Nuevo, Anna et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2026·Department of Physiology, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Behavioural susceptibility to environmental influences in obesity- evidence from a companion animal model.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at how certain dog breeds are more likely to become obese due to their environment and their natural drive to eat. Researchers analyzed health records from over a million dogs and found that some breeds had a higher chance of obesity, suggesting genetics play a significant role. They also surveyed around 15,000 dog owners and discovered that dogs with a strong motivation for food are more vulnerable to gaining weight in environments where unhealthy food is available. Understanding these factors can help pet owners manage their dog's weight better.
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Abstract
UNLABELLED: Obesity is often pejoratively viewed as the consequence of poor self-restraint with the influence of genetics on individuals’ drive to eat overlooked. We studied pet dogs () as a compelling animal model in which obesity develops spontaneously, subject to similar environmental influences as in their human counterparts and in which artificial selection means dogs within a breed are genetically homogeneous. In electronic health records from 1.1 million dogs, we showed wide variation in the probability of obesity in different breeds, evidence that obesity is highly heritable in this species. Using a validated questionnaire in ~ 15,000 dog/owner dyads we show that food motivation is a key driver of obesity in dogs, and that high food motivation renders affected dogs particularly susceptible to an obesogenic environment. As well as being of veterinary interest, this is of relevance to human obesity as compelling, data-driven evidence of how behavioural susceptibility to environmental risk governs obesity outcome. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12917-025-04990-8.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41491967/