Dr Michelle Dickinson: nanotechnologist explains why Labradors are more likely to be fat

Is your dog fat? If it’s a Labrador, then science now provides an excuse.

All dog owners know the challenge of resisting your pet's big, sad eyes as they beg for one more treat, but there is one dog breed that pushes its owners by begging more than others according to new research published this week in the journal Cell Metabolism.

That dog breed is the Labrador Retriever, which was found in the study to be more likely to engage in behaviour that related to getting extra food - including begging.

The scientists genetically tested 33 Labradors, of which 18 were fit and healthy, and 15 were obese. They found that the obese dogs were more likely to be carrying a variation in the gene called POMC. The variation in this gene turned off hunger cues in the dog meaning the dogs were much more food motivated and more likely to overeat.

They then expanded the genetic study to include 700 more Labradors and found that the gene variation was in 23 percent or 1 in 4 of the Labs. All of the dogs that had the gene variant were also obese- and according to their owners, renowned for scavenging food and begging.

To see if it was just Labradors, the researchers then studied 38 other dog breeds. They found this gene variation occurred in only one other breed - flat-coated retrievers, which are related to Labradors.

The conclusion of the study was - if you own a lab and it constantly pesters you for extra treats - you as the human owner are going to need more will power to deny them if your dog is going to remain fit and healthy.

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