A ONCE-BULGING beagle has won the UK’s largest pet slimming competition after shedding a third of his bodyweight in just six months.
Luigi, from Newport, was a whopping 4st 8lb after feasting on one too many Sunday roasts.
But after a six-month diet and exercise challenge, the former heavy hound has shed the pounds, now weighing in at a healthy 3st 3lb - losing eight inches on his waist and six inches on his chest.
Luigi with owner Perrie Jordan before his weight loss began
“Since overhauling Luigi’s diet and exercise regime, the change we’ve seen in him has been unbelievable, he’s a different dog now,” said owner Perrie Jordan, 28.
Luigi enrolled into veterinary charity PDSA’s Pet Fit Club - a slimming class for overweight pooches.
And his weight-loss supervisor Karen Jones, veterinary nurse at Cardiff's PDSA pet hospital, said: “Luigi has undergone an incredible transformation over the last six months.
“He is unrecognisable from the dog that waddled into out hospital for his first Pet Fit Club weigh-in six months ago.
“He is like a puppy again.”
Luigi is pictured with PDSA vet nurse Karen Jones, after his weight loss transformation. Picture: Tom Martin © WALES NEWS SERVICE
The going was not easy, though.
Mrs Jordan said that while she was away with her husband following their wedding, they put Luigi in a kennel for a few nights.
“While he was there he managed to break into the locked utility room where the food was kept.
“They found him head first in a bag of food.
“We don’t know how much he managed to eat but he didn’t lose any weight that month.
“On another occasion he also managed to steal a birthday cake I’d made and left cooling on the kitchen counter.
“He ate about half of it before I found him, and my poor husband was left without a birthday cake.
“Apart from those slip-ups he’s been brilliant. He’s so much more agile now, and full of energy.”
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She said that previously, Luigi's huge appetite and love of human treats had led his weight to spiral out of control.
“Since overhauling Luigi diet and exercise regime, the change we’ve seen in him has been unbelievable, he’s a different dog now. At first the weight came off slowly, but after a couple of months of being strict and really sticking to it, we noticed a big difference in him and his body shape.
The slimmed down Luigi is pictured with his owner Perrie Jordan. Picture: Tom Martin © WALES NEWS SERVICE
“The diet has impacted all of our lives for the better; we take him out for a walk without question first-thing in the morning which is a great kick-start to our day.
"We spend more time outdoors exploring new places with him now, and it’s helped me with my exercise too as I go out on runs and long bike rides with him.
"He has totally transformed from the dog we used to drag out on walks before, he’s often running well ahead of us now.”
Luigi’s closest Pet Fit Club competitor was Missy, a bulldog, who lost 24 per cent of her bodyweight.
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