Hello everyone! I'm new to this forum, and will hopefully get some insight on my problem....so...here goes.
My 4 yr old shih tzu (Pepper) has lived with my parents since we got her when she was a pup. I had to attend school out of state and we all agreed that she would be better off with them. So, I left for school and Pepper stayed. Within the first year of my parents having Pepper they noticed she kept running into things in the house and eventually she went blind that same year. I went back and forth to visit my family from school and each time I went back Pepper was bigger and bigger. See, the thing is, my parents also have another dog (Sammy) who is a 10yr old medium sized mutt and he had been with our family since I was little. They love the dogs very much, they just don't know how much they are hurting them by what they are doing. Also, they don't feed them dog food, they feed the dogs steak, eggs, and some dog treats. Food is always available for the dogs. There is constantly some type of food on the floor for them.
So anyways, I went over to their house this weekend and Pepper was the biggest I have ever seen her, she had to weight at least 25lbs. I'm so scared she is going to die, that I am thinking of taking her without my parents knowing (they would never let me take the dog if I told them) and bringing her to my house for a couple of months so she can lose some weight. But there are quite a few concerns I have.
I have tried to take Pepper for walks and she never walks. Once she gets out the front gate, she just lays there on the ground unwilling to move for anything or anyone. I don't know if it is because she is scared or she can't see or both. I also took her to my apartment for a few days a couple years ago and she didn't eat, drink, go to the bathroom or anything she just lays there. She doesn't walk around AT ALL. So after a few days of her doing nothing at my apartment I ended up taking her home. Once she gets home she is barking and wagging her tail and everything, but once you take her out of that front gate she is stiff to EVERYTHING. I have tried taking her on walks on and off the leash, she just lays there. I have tried to take her on walks with Sammy, same thing. I have tried everything I can think of to help her lose weight, but nothing is working. My only option is to steal her from my parents house for a few months and put her on a diet here. If I do that, I'm worried she will be depressed and not eat, drink, or anything if she comes here. My parent's over feed her, and baby her, they are just blind of what they are doing to her. Please let me know if anyone has faced something like this before.
I would like to make it clear that Pepper gets very minimal exercise, she can hardly walk anymore, she lays down and sleeps most of the day. Please, any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Here's a old picture of Pepper
And here's Sammy and Pepper
My 4 yr old shih tzu (Pepper) has lived with my parents since we got her when she was a pup. I had to attend school out of state and we all agreed that she would be better off with them. So, I left for school and Pepper stayed. Within the first year of my parents having Pepper they noticed she kept running into things in the house and eventually she went blind that same year. I went back and forth to visit my family from school and each time I went back Pepper was bigger and bigger. See, the thing is, my parents also have another dog (Sammy) who is a 10yr old medium sized mutt and he had been with our family since I was little. They love the dogs very much, they just don't know how much they are hurting them by what they are doing. Also, they don't feed them dog food, they feed the dogs steak, eggs, and some dog treats. Food is always available for the dogs. There is constantly some type of food on the floor for them.
So anyways, I went over to their house this weekend and Pepper was the biggest I have ever seen her, she had to weight at least 25lbs. I'm so scared she is going to die, that I am thinking of taking her without my parents knowing (they would never let me take the dog if I told them) and bringing her to my house for a couple of months so she can lose some weight. But there are quite a few concerns I have.
I have tried to take Pepper for walks and she never walks. Once she gets out the front gate, she just lays there on the ground unwilling to move for anything or anyone. I don't know if it is because she is scared or she can't see or both. I also took her to my apartment for a few days a couple years ago and she didn't eat, drink, go to the bathroom or anything she just lays there. She doesn't walk around AT ALL. So after a few days of her doing nothing at my apartment I ended up taking her home. Once she gets home she is barking and wagging her tail and everything, but once you take her out of that front gate she is stiff to EVERYTHING. I have tried taking her on walks on and off the leash, she just lays there. I have tried to take her on walks with Sammy, same thing. I have tried everything I can think of to help her lose weight, but nothing is working. My only option is to steal her from my parents house for a few months and put her on a diet here. If I do that, I'm worried she will be depressed and not eat, drink, or anything if she comes here. My parent's over feed her, and baby her, they are just blind of what they are doing to her. Please let me know if anyone has faced something like this before.
I would like to make it clear that Pepper gets very minimal exercise, she can hardly walk anymore, she lays down and sleeps most of the day. Please, any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Here's a old picture of Pepper

And here's Sammy and Pepper
