本文音频及原文摘自杂志The Economist 2016年第33期，Britain版块。

Thinner pets

The curious incident of the dog and the waistline

Aug 13th 2016

WHILE their owners bulge[1], British dogs appear to be shrinking. Each year the Kennel Club, a dog-lovers’ association, registers the details of about 250,000 hounds[猎狗;(尤指)猎狐犬]; the club believes it has records for about one-third of the dogs in Britain. An analysis by The Economist using data supplied by the club suggests that the weight of the average British pup[幼小动物;小狗] has fallen by about 12% in the past decade (see chart). As smaller breeds[(动植物的)品种;种] grow in popularity, the average size of a dog, as measured by the circumference[圆周;周长;周线] of its neck, has also fallen.

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Squeezed[2] living standards may be the culprit[3]. Lower wages have encouraged people to guzzle[4] cheap, unhealthy food, causing them to pile on the pounds[5]. But the same drop in incomes has had the opposite effect on pets: it is much cheaper to feed a dinky[small小的] dog than a big beast[6]. A pug[哈巴狗] needs about one-quarter the daily calories of a German shepherd[德国牧羊犬]. Vets[兽医]’ bills tend to be more affordable, too.

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Likewise, city living has encouraged people to opt for[选择] littler dogs. As house prices have risen by half since 2001, the rate of overcrowding[过度拥挤;拥挤的状况] (as measured by the number of people per bedroom) in private rented households has increased by one-third. Smaller houses, with cramped[狭窄的;拥挤的] rooms and gardens, need smaller pets.

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Miniature breeds are therefore booming. In the past decade the number of pugs registered each year has jumped by nearly 300%, while beefier[结实的;强壮的] bull terriers[牛头㹴;一种短毛凶猛的小型犬] have fallen by over 50%. The number of standard-sized dachshunds[达克斯犬], otherwise known as “sausage dogs[腊肠狗]”, registered with the Kennel Club has fallen by 2.5%, while the number of cocktail-sized miniature dachshunds has risen by one-quarter. Registrations of giant and miniature schnauzers[雪纳瑞] have similarly diverged. As British pets slim down, it is surely time for owners to follow their dogs’ lead.

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[1]bulge [bʌldʒ]

to stick out in a round shape 膨胀；凸出；鼓起来

[注]与后文shrink(缩小，收缩)相对。

[2]squeeze [skwiːz]

If you are squeezed by financial demands, they cause you financial problems 给…带来财务困难，使陷入财务困境

Small businesses are being squeezed by heavy taxation.

重税使小企业在财务上捉襟见肘。

[3]culprit

1）someone who has done something wrong 过失者；责任人

Police hope the public will help them to find the culprits.

警方希望公众能协助他们抓到罪犯。

2）a fact or situation that is the reason for something bad happening 问题的起因；罪魁祸首

Children in this country are getting much too fat, and sugar and sweets are the main culprits.

该国儿童过于肥胖，糖和甜食是罪魁祸首。

[4]guzzle ['gʌz(ə)l]

to eat or drink quickly, eagerly and usually in large amounts 滥吃；狂饮；狼吞虎咽

I'm not surprised you feel sick after guzzling three ice-creams!

你一口气吃了3份冰激凌，你觉得不舒服我一点也不奇怪！

You're bound to get indigestion if you guzzle like that!

你要是那个样子狼吞虎咽，一定会消化不良！

[5]pile on the pounds：To put on weight quickly, especially a large or excessive amount 发胖

[6]beast：an animal, especially a large or wild one （尤指大型或野生的）动物；野兽

a wild beast

野兽

The room wasn't fit for man or beast.

这个房间根本没法住。

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以上言论不代表本人立场。

原文摘自The economist，仅外语学习之用。

其中生词解释来源于Cambridge Dictionaries

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