Read This Before Putting Your Fat Dog on a Diet!

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Diet and fitness is obviously also important for dogs.

Let’s be honest…

Obesity is out of control and for canines too! Unfortunately, this trend continues even with increased awareness of this big fat pet problem.

Let’s discuss diet do’s and don’ts for dogs.

Can I Put My Dog on a Diet?You obviously don’t want your dog to be obese.

Diet (including calorie consumption and physical activity) will greatly affect your dog’s BMI.

Strike the right balance…

If Need Be, Put Your Dog on a Diet

Start here:

Do a weigh-in for a reference point. Then, if it makes sense, you may want to consider a doggie diet plan.

What’s the verdict? Is Fido overweight?

Owners have had success with Hill’s Science Diet Perfect Weight dog food. There’s no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.

In fact, over 70% of dogs lost weight thanks to that particular diet regimen.

Whatever your plan…

Don’t feel guilty about cutting canine calorie consumption if it is necessary!

Fido’s Age is a Factor

Older dogs have lower energy levels. They usually can’t burn much excess food beyond their requirements.

As such, seniors should get no more than 30 calories per pound of their body weight each day.

The thing is you don’t want an older dog to be adding fat. This is especially true if they’re already overweight!

Calories Verses Activity

Keep an eye on calories and use a balanced approach.

Factor in your dog’s level of physical activity. Higher calorie intake is OK as long as your dog is burning them off.

That’s one reason why playing throughout the day is great.

Dogs often don’t have the opportunity to be as active as they’d like.

Set aside time each day for outdoor leisure.

Fitness isn’t a cure for boredom as much as it’s a health benefit.

Also, get a fun and interactive toy for your dog. Use it for entertainment.

You Are What You Eat!

Evaluate your dog’s food (and the calories).

Avoid questionable human snacks.

As an example…

Don’t expect your dog to be healthy if they are regularly fed nachos. You need disciplined dog diet!

Make A Pet Pooch Plan

Health insurance for your dog isn’t the answer.

Spend your money on quality dog food.

Portion control is also key, even for younger dogs. The last 10 to 20% of your dog’s meals is what’s packing on the pounds.

Ration food and you’ll begin to see a noticeable difference.

It’s counterproductive to routinely feed table scraps.

Be selective. Grab the carrots instead of mashed potatoes.

Get going on a doable diet dog plan!

Regarding Special Diets

There are prescription diets that slow down the effects of kidney disease, heart disease and intestinal problems among other conditions.

Specialized diets are usually prescribed to geriatric dogs. Sometimes they’re life savers!

Talk with a vet (if your dog has a serious condition) instead of implementing a diet change yourself.

The Bottom Line

Your dog’s food portions should match their level of physical activity.

Watch caloric intake and limit treats. Reevaluate their dog food and the amount of playtime they’re getting.

Spend more quality time with your best buddy.

Remember! Overweight dogs have more health problems.

Get to work on a workable diet plan!

What Do You Think? Have Your Say Below…

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18 thoughts on “Read This Before Putting Your Fat Dog on a Diet!”

  1. As a personal trainer, I’ve worked with a lot of overweight humans. The most curious case I ever had was this woman who had a severely overweight Chihuahua. She wanted me to develop an exercise routine for the poor little guy. Obviously I suggested she work with a vet!

  2. Thank you so much for this information. As a new dog owner I look for help. My small dog is 7 kilograms and a mix. She thinks she is a giant so I have to watch her food intake.

  3. I’m definitely not an expert on this but I have an older Yorkie that has had stomach problems her whole life. She got to the point where she couldn’t jump anymore and it was hard for her to just get around. I took her to the vet with the fear they were going to tell me it was time to put her down. My vet advised me to stop giving her anything with preservatives in it and suggested I cook for her.

    I did a lot of research and decided to try it. It has made a drastic difference in her. She acts 10 years younger. She can jump up on the furniture again. She actually wags her tail again and has lost weight. I do give her a vitamin supplement just to ensure she gets all the nutrients she needs. It has been easy an easy transition for both of us. It has been well worth it too see the huge difference in my dog.

  4. I have a 3 year old female Yorkie. She’s extremely fussy with food and only eats, when she feels like, Cesar (chicken only) food or Mighty Dog. As for human food, only chicken and maybe occasionally pork. She doesn’t like beef or anything else. Everyone says she’s gaining weight, but she goes up to 3 days without eating a thing! She’s not a big water drinker either.

    I don’t give her any chicken skin, but is it okay to have her bite off just the ends of the cooked chicken bones? As for dry, she only eats Nutro, which is an excellent brand. Is it alright to give her cooked chicken livers occasionally?

    I heard it can kill her if she eats too much and it supposedly affects the pancreas. I don’t know what else to give her. She’s even fussy with certain treats and won’t eat milk bones either! I’d appreciate any advice you can give me to help make sure she’s getting enough nutrition.

  5. I agree with the suggestions. All good there, but I also agree that just because the label says “Dog Food” absolutely doesn’t mean it’s something you would want anything you love to eat. I toured an unnamed pet food plant a few years back and what I saw was awful.

    The meat and protein, the labels referenced come from 55 gallon containers of animal “sludge.” It looked awful, smelled worse and was all I needed to see to begin cooking for my animals every day. I also supplement their diets with highly regarded animal vitamins.

    However, it’s not a one size fits all. A large part of this discussion includes cultural and financial considerations. Not everyone has the time or resources to cook for their pets. For folks in either category, researching the various consumer dog foods online can very quickly equip you with the information needed to make the best decision for your animal’s diet.

  6. I will not comment on what other folks choose one way or the other, but will share my dog’s diet with you all:

    I soak 1 bag of lentils over 24 hours, then boil them for 1-2 hours. When they get mushy, I measure out 1/4 cup servings in zip-lock bags and freeze them. I use it like a paste mixed in with either fish, chicken or beef (poached – no seasoning) and steamed mixed veggies. I also add in 1/2 cup of his grain free kibble, making a stew. Sometimes he gets a 1/2 a sweet potato in there as well.

    For breakfast, I make oatmeal 1-2 times a month, and scrambled eggs 1-2 times a month just to mix it up. For a nice summer cold dessert, I mix up plain yogurt and water with a sweet potato and pour into ice trays. Our dog is a 100 pound Sheprador, a registered service animal, and my little baby. His good health is extremely important. Happy cooking!

  7. My baby is a 3 month old 9 kilogram Chi Apso. He is a very picky eater. I have tried feeding him a mix of chicken, vegetables and rice combo but he doesn’t touch it and will go hungry for days. Now we have started giving him dry food called Royal Canine adult.

    One a day for lunch and dinner we gave him boiled chicken leg plus 10 grams of chicken liver. On certain days a mixture of grated carrots, cottage cheese, rice combo and sometimes beef pan-cooked. Any other suggestions?

    1. My 5 pound Pomeranian was similarly super picky when she was little. She’d regularly ignore all dog or human food prepared for her. Eventually, the vet suggested we get her on the I/D diet which is for digestive health issues.

      She liked the soft I/D food and that was the only soft kind she would eat. As far as hard food, I tried every good brand including Blue Buffalo, organic, gluten-free, etc. with little luck.

      Eventually I stuck with Royal Canine MINI for puppies and she liked that. Now that she’s 2 years old, I’ve switched her to the adult version. She likes that also which is a big relief! Try giving her the hard food mixed with a few drops of water. It makes the food soaked and most dogs like that.

      Be assured it will get better. Your puppy is so small and still figuring things out. They’ll get better and eat better. Good luck!

  8. My little doggie has kidney failure. I struggle to give her food because she just doesn’t want to eat. Any suggestions?

  9. What is best for dogs? Is it buying what we think to be quality dog food or cooking for them? What are the best meals to cook for them? Is it okay to feed our dog brown rice or quinoa?

    1. Hi Jessica. You are asking a very good question for which there is no agreed upon answer. Some people think premium dog food is the way to go, while others prefer canine friendly homemade meals. In regards to quinoa, yes you can try it but start out with small portions to see if it agrees with your dog. Best of luck!

  10. My dog is a little Miniature Pinscher and he is about 9 pounds overweight. I’ve tried everything to help him lose weight. He was fixed and everyone says that’s why he gained weight. He was my ears when I went deaf. I know he would feel so much better and have more energy. Please help me to come up with a diet for him.

  11. One of my dogs almost lost all of his hair. In fact, he had no hair on his tail. I suspected a thyroid problem but the vet, at the time, dismissed the idea. I found another vet, got a T-4 test and indeed his thyroid was low.

    Now on Siloxine, his diet had to change to lower his weight. He gets a cooked egg, green beans, cooked chicken and broth, cheese and rice. He has lost 15 pounds. He gets plain cheerios for a snack and I have started to put them in his food. He loves it, he is full of fur, and it’s healthy. Once lethargic – he is now hopping, spinning, running and jumping.

    I have also used a few drops of neem oil in some distilled water which I spray on dogs that have itchy skin.

    1. This is interesting, neem oil? I will look into this.

  12. Can you give your dog a ‘master cleanse’ diet? My dog is 15-20 pounds overweight. She is supposed to be around 55 or at least she was when we got her (she’s an 8 yr old English Lab) and she is now coming up around 70 pounds! I tried feeding her a 1:1 ratio of dry dog food with green beans and wetting the food. It is coughed up. Please help because nothing is working!

    1. Hi Meg. I am going to have to research this topic further and get back to you. It’s a good idea for a new article.

  13. What about a severely underweight dog?

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