 Obesity is a common medical condition in dogs, but it is often undiagnosed by first opinion veterinarians. This can lead to poorer quality of life, shorter lifespans, and increased risk of developing associated pathologies. Orthopedic diseases appear to be a key trigger for recording the obesity status in dogs, suggesting that this could be a useful prompt for identifying cases of obesity. Further research is needed to understand why obesity is so often missed in first opinion practices. This article was authored by Nicholas C. Rolf, Peter John M. Noble, and Alexander J. German.