We worked with IAMS to get a giant dog balloon ‘stuck’ between two buildings in Chicago in the lead up to the city’s Thanksgiving parade. The traffic-stopping spectacle was designed to show Americans that too much weight can stop dogs from doing all the things they love.

The project was born from an alarming stat: 59% of America’s dogs are overweight or obese, putting them at risk of diabetes, heart disease and a premature death. But less than a third of affected dog owners realise their furry friend is overweight. We needed to draw attention to the issue in a BIG way, and make it easy for dog owners to take action. 

Enter Waylon: a real-life, overweight beagle we used as the basis for our gigantic balloon. Waylon’s story has a happy ending: thanks to IAMS’ Healthy Weight product and free online support, his owner Amy has helped Waylon get on track to a healthy weight. 

Learn more about Waylon’s story and his weight loss tips and tricks on the IAMS Healthy Weight Hub.