Meet Oscar, the King Charles Spaniel Who Lost 40 Percent of His Body Weight in 6 Months

Not long ago, Oscar the King Charles Spaniel had a nickname: “Fat Pie.” At least that was what owner Karen Allen of Wolverhampton, England, used to call her 10-year-old dog before he shed nearly 18 lbs. in a pet weight loss competition.

The sales coordinator entered Oscar into Pet Fit Club, a contest organized by the charity The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) after his weight spiraled out of control. “He couldn’t even jump on the sofa,” says Allen, 57. A constant companion to Allen’s late parents, Oscar had been rewarded for his loyalty and good nature with people food — and too many treats. “My dad spoiled him rotten and treated him like a person, giving him Sunday roasts on his own plate,” Allen says of the dog’s previous lifestyle.

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But Oscar’s diet went through a major overhaul when the contest began in April 2016. For the next six months he ate only nutritious dog food twice a day — at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. — and exercised in the form of long walks and hydrotherapy sessions. “At first he could only be in the water for 15 seconds before needing a break, but now he swims for ten minutes at a time,” says Allen. He ended up losing 18 lbs. — nearly 40 percent of his body weight — and was crowned the Pet Fit Club champ.

And while Oscar’s slimmer figure was the intended outcome, Allen has noticed other changes in him as well. “Before, he had a very dry nose and skin and a patch where his coat would not grow,” she remembers. “Now his nose is wet and his skin is much better and his coat grows everywhere.” And of course, he has a renewed sense of energy. “He plays catch and fetch and jumps on the furniture,” she says, adding that he has no trouble leaping onto the bed, which is even higher than the sofa.

As for Oscar’s future, it seems to be in good hands thanks to Allen’s commitment to keeping him fit. “We have learned not to leave half-eaten packets of biscuits around for him to sniff out,” she jokes. “We will never go back to the way he was.”