Low energy overweight Siberian Husky
 

Hi Everyone,
I am at my wits end with our 5 yr. old siberian husky, Maximus. We have had him since he was 8 wks. old and specifically wanted a high energy dog that would run with my husband. Maximus does not like to run. He has had his thyroid tested twice and it is normal. He sleeps most of the day and is 104 lbs. I realize this is big for a husky. His dad was fairly large for a husky. He should be ~90 lbs. We MAKE him run daily with my husband and he resists practically every step of the way. The most we can get out of him is 1 mile to 1.25 miles. We only feed him 2 cups of "Taste of the Wild" each day. We have been supplementing his food with carrots at dinner time. He gets 1/2 chicken strip in the a.m. and 1/2 at bedtime. That's it! No table scraps, etc. He had gone to a dog daycare 2 days a week for the first 3 1/2 yrs. of his life. He would interact with other dogs sometimes, but most often would lay in a comfortable spot at the daycare and try to sleep. He sleeps most of the day. Any suggestions?

Were the thyroid tests middle of normal or close to the low end of normal?

Has he always been on Taste of the Wild?

I would stop "making" him run until you get his joints/ligaments looked at, has the vet ever mentioned hip/knee xrays or felt/tested his knees/legs for ligament issues? Do his knees feel "hot" after exercise? Any limping?

Dogs that are overweight are at risk for cranial cruciate ligament injuries and high impact exercise such as running can do a fair amount of damage.

Has Maximus ever been swimming? Swimming is a great low impact exercise gentle on the joints but great for the muscles.

[QUOTE=growler~GateKeeper;1027307]Were the thyroid tests middle of normal or close to the low end of normal?

Has he always been on Taste of the Wild?

I would stop "making" him run until you get his joints/ligaments looked at, has the vet ever mentioned hip/knee xrays or felt/tested his knees/legs for ligament issues? Do his knees feel "hot" after exercise? Any limping?

Dogs that are overweight are at risk for cranial cruciate ligament injuries and high impact exercise such as running can do a fair amount of damage.

Has Maximus ever been swimming? Swimming is a great low impact exercise gentle on the joints but great for the muscles.[/QUOTE]

this is A+ advice

co-signed.

larger breeds are known to be prone to joint issues - if there is a clean bill of health id be surprised, as huskies/northern breeds are known for high energy levels.

are you using frontline? just thinking lyme disease

Thanks for your reply. He doesn't limp. When we is really interested in something, he runs at top speed but we are talking about short bursts of energy. His legs are never hot after exercise. The vet has not been concerned with any ligament issues. His thyroid tests were middle of the road. He isn't a borderline case. He has been on Taste of the Wild for about 2 1/2 yrs. because he has severe food allergies. He has been on frontline every month since he was a pup.

We bought a home with a pool a year ago and tried to get Maximus to swim. He HATED it...although he will sit out in a snow storm with no problem :).