Our story
Part 1
This is Sully. He's a Bernese Mountain Dog, roughly the size of a small couch, with a heart to match.
At his last vet visit, our vet gently pointed out that Sully is a bit over his ideal weight. In his defence, there's a paper trail. He is a big fan of Doritos and chippies, and honestly, who isn't? Add a steady supply of snacks from Dad, who claims to have no idea what we're talking about, and the numbers start to make sense. (Salty snacks aren't actually great for dogs, so please don't copy Sully.)
Sully is a very good boy, but what the vet said stuck with us. In big dogs, weight has a huge effect on how long they get to stick around, and we want Sully around for as long as possible. So we got walking.
We started tracking the walks on Strava and titled them “Weight Woofers”. We posted them to social media, and it gave a few people a good giggle. Turns out a very large, very fluffy dog doing a “personal best” at the letterbox is quality content.
What started as a bit of fun turned into an idea: Strava for your chonky dawg. Walks, streaks, a bit of friendly bragging, zero judgement. So we built it.
Part 2
It's not about shaming anyone. We went digging, and the research is pretty clear.
+1.8 yrs
median lifespan
In a 14-year study, lean-fed Labradors lived a median of 1.8 years longer than their littermates. The only difference was portion size, with the lean group fed 75 percent of what their siblings ate. They also stayed healthier for longer: at age 8, 10% of lean-fed dogs had arthritis in multiple joints, compared with 77% of the others.
2.5 yrs
fewer, at worst
A University of Liverpool study of more than 50,000 dogs found overweight dogs lived up to two and a half years less than dogs at a healthy weight, with the effect appearing in every breed.
59%
overweight (owners guess 37%)
A US study found about 59% of dogs there are overweight, but only 37% of owners said their own dog was. The UK looks similar, with vets estimating just over half of dogs are overweight or obese. We get used to what our dog looks like, so it creeps up on us.
1 in 5
always measure
Most of us eyeball the bowl: only about one in five owners always measures how much they feed. Feeding guides are also a bit generous for many dogs, as desexing can cut a dog's energy needs by 20 to 30%. Add a few extra snacks and it adds up fast.
+22 min
walking a day
In one UK study, dog owners walked at a moderate pace and clocked 22 more minutes a day than people without dogs. They also tend to feel less stressed and more relaxed on the way.
So that's why Weight Woofers exists. It's about keeping our dogs healthy and happy so they can be with us for as long as possible. And if it gets us off the couch and out in the fresh air too, Sully's not complaining.