When you have a family reunion, people from all over usually attend. Whether it’s your weird uncle or your sweet grandma, your whole family gets together to talk and eat some good home cooking. Occasionally, a friend or neighbor might stop by, but what about a neighbor’s dog?

A surprise guest

When Leslie Kowash and her family had their family reunion in Georgia, they were surprised when a local dog showed up. Seeming to come out of nowhere, the friendly pooch was a little on the plump side.

“We were in the yard of our cottage, with a big buffet table full of delicious southern food,” Kowash told The Dodo.

Trying to play to the crowd

All was going well for the dog. He mingled among the gathered family members, making sure to get plenty of pets and belly rubs. But soon, his true intentions were made clear. It seemed he had come mainly for the food, but before they could dish him up a plate, Kowash noticed something on his collar.

The dog’s owners were way ahead of him.

Looking closer at the tag on his collar, Kowash made a discovery. His owners were onto him and had made sure to let everyone know loud and clear he wasn’t to have any food outside that given to him at home. The tag on the back of his collar read:

“Please do not feed me. I’m getting too big. Send me home.”

Honoring his owner’s request, Kowash gave him a few more pats and sent him on his way. It wasn’t a total loss for the friendly dog.

“Fortunately for him, not everyone read the tag. He got a few bites from other people,” Kowash said. “Once we started cleaning up, he must have decided he wasn’t going to get much more, because the next time I looked, he had moseyed home.”

Obesity in dogs

For many dogs in the U.S., obesity is the most common preventable disease. With around 30 percent of dogs considered obese, it is paramount that dog owners get a handle on the problem before it gets out of hand. Fortunately, there are some concrete steps that dog owners can take to ensure that their dogs stay healthy.

Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise

One of the easiest ways to ensure that your dog stays at a healthy weight is to make sure that they get plenty of exercise. Depending on your dog’s breed, the expected daily activity for them can range from 30 minutes to two hours. Check with your veterinarian for a more accurate assessment.

The amount, type, and frequency of food is also important

You can also help them with losing weight by changing your dog’s diet. You can accomplish this by using food specially formulated for their age as well as controlling the size of their portions. As long as they get a balanced diet that provides them with the nutrients that they need to remain healthy, they should be fine.

Make sure to give them plenty of love

Ultimately, you want your dog to be as healthy as possible.

And while they might not like to have their diet controlled, it is in their best interest. The next best thing to giving them their way is to love them no matter what and give them all of the hugs and pets that they can handle instead of food.

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Sources: The Dodo, Instagram – lkowash, VCA Hospitals