Barney's slim win

Golden retriever Barney has always enjoyed his food - but when his weight reached almost nine stone his owner decided it was time for drastic action.

These days the five-year-old is a shadow of his former self after shedding an impressive three stone in just nine months. His hefty weight led to him suffering cruciate ligament problems, leading to him being taken by owner Thelma Brindley to Cornerstone Veterinary Centre in Featherstone for treatment.

Vet nurse Jackie Whiteway worked with Thelma on a new diet for Barney, which is especially designed to help dogs slim down by bulking food up with fibre rather than calories. As his leg got better and Barney was able to exercise more, the weight fell off and he now weighs in at around six stone.

Miss Brindley, of Fordhouses, said: "He's not a greedy dog so I believe it was the quality of the food that contributed to the weight gain - it just crept on without anyone really noticing.

Now though, he's like a different dog. He can walk for longer, he swims, he plays and it's just fantastic."

Cornerstone Veterinary Centre has a special free weight clinic for portly pets where staff advise on the right diet and exercise.

Pets are also monitored frequently to make sure they are keeping on the straight and narrow. Vet nurse Jackie said: "Being overweight is just as risky for a dog or a cat as it is for humans, and it can cause real health problems as well as simply making life uncomfortable for our pets.

"We really want to make people aware that by choosing the right diet and increasing activity levels, pets will be much happier.

"With Barney, his weight loss has been so successful that people looking at his before and after photos just don't believe he is the same dog."