Ava, our German Shepherd, has put on some weight. It’s not her fault. She’s been on steroids. Even before the steroids, she has always been a big boned girl, with the vet commenting quite frequently on her size. “She’s big boned,” I insist. “She’s extra-large, especially for a female,” the vet will respond. “Big boned,” I repeat. “She’s huge, no other way to say it,” the vet states. “She’s not overweight, but she is a big girl.” There you have it – Ava has a medical diagnosis of being a big girl.