New England Claims Two in Top 10 States With Overweight Pets

Editor's note: This article was written by a Townsquare Media Northern New England contributor and may contain the individual's views, opinions or personal experiences.

It is nearly impossible to say no to your furry friend who is eyeing you and doing that cute thing with their paw, knowing full well they are doing it just to get a few scraps of the filet you plan to dump in the trash.

I mean, what's the harm in the extra fat? Or those Cheez-Its that have been under the couch for a few weeks? It's not going to kill them, right?

Likely not. That said, much like humans, our beloved pets can get off track on their diets and very easily start packing on a few extra pounds.

During 2020, about 60% of Americans admitted to gaining weight, whereas nearly 40% of dog owners say their pet put on a few extra pounds according to an Insider article.

Although that seems accurate, dogs gaining weight with their humans, it is not right.

I was curious what states were allowing their dogs to gain weight the most, and let me tell you, the results are enticing and disgusting all at the same time.

"We asked respondents in each state to list the breed and current weight of their dog(s), then compared that number to the AKC-recommended weight chart according to each dog’s specific breed," according to a Vetrinarians.org article. "From there, we were able to determine the average number of pounds that pets are overweight by in each individual state."

Pennsylvania took home the number one spot with dogs being an average of 18.25 pounds overweight.

Is it just me, or does that seem very heavy? I am picturing a 180 pound human putting on an extra 20 pounds - you notice a difference. Put 20 extra pounds on a dog...that seems like a massive jump in weight.

The next two states, Virginia and Wisconsin, were nearly tied with their dogs putting on an extra 16+ pounds.

Connecticut and New Hampshire ranked six and seven, with their dogs being 15.5 and 14.2 pounds overweight, respectfully.

On average, pets were 11.83 pounds over weight across the United States. Massachusetts and Maine were pretty much right at the national average with their dogs being 11.56 and 12.24 pounds overweight, respectfully.

Idaho dogs were the least overweight, with only 6.9 pounds over the average. Other furry and fit states were Missouri and Texas, weighting in at 7 and 8 pounds overweight.

For more information about the data and to see where other states landed, click here.