Overweight Dogs: How to Slim Them Down to Keep Them Healthy

Overweight Dogs: How to Slim Them Down to Keep Them Healthy

 

By Lisa Selvaggio

Sure, you might find your pudgy pooch super cute and you would never think to call him fat or make him feel bad for his size, but the truth is that an overweight dog is an unhealthy dog. And unless you can get your pooch’s weight under control, you’re increasing his risk of running into more serious health problems in the future, including heart troubles, arthritis, and diabetes.

Just like humans, canines need to maintain a healthy weight in order for the entire body to function optimally. Once an overweight dog slims down, you should notice that his energy levels increase and other ailments improve or disappear.

Determine If Your Dog is Overweight

The first thing you need to do is determine if your dog really needs to shed a few pounds or not, as different dogs come in different shapes and sizes, just like people. In addition to having him weighed at your vet’s office, where you can be told whether or not your pet is overweight based on his breed and age, you can also do the following:

Stand above your dog, looking down to see if there’s a definitive waistline, sort of like an hourglass figure on a woman. Generally, there should be a tapering between the hips and the ribs. If your dog lacks this figure and looks more like an oval, he’s overweight. You should also be able to slightly feel the ribs with a layer of muscle and skin above them. If you can’t feel the ribs in this manner, your dog is overweight.

What You Can Do

If your pet is overweight, your vet will be able to check him for other health problems and also guide you in what foods you should feed and how often, as well as what exercise schedule you can put your dog on to help him slim down.

• The Right Food and Activity Level

You should switch to a canine-appropriate diet that contains high quality animal proteins and good fats. Your dog’s body will use fat and carbohydrates for energy so that protein can be utilized to build and maintain muscles and tissues instead. But to avoid weight gain, your dog needs to be active enough to actually burn off the fat and calories he’s consuming.

A grain-free diet is a good option, as it will reduce the amount of carbohydrates that can contribute to weight gain, especially if your pet isn’t very active. Stick with foods that contain higher quality carbohydrates and sources of fiber, such as barley, alfalfa, flax, and oats. Stay away from potentially allergenic grains like soy, wheat, and corn.

• Portion Control Throughout the Day

Portion control is also key in helping your dog lose weight, so talk to your vet about how many calories your pet should be eating and then feed the appropriate amount only at mealtime. When it comes to treats, switch to all-natural, grain-free varieties that are low in calories and contain no artificial ingredients, meat by-products, or preservatives.

• Weight Loss Supplements

You can also supplement your dog’s diet with a product like K-9 Slim Down, which works by blocking the body’s ability to absorb calories from carbohydrates. This can be really helpful if your dog isn’t very active, especially if it’s due to another health condition, such as joint pain.

Again, once your dog has slimmed down, he’ll be able to move around more easily, will be in less pain if the weight was putting too much pressure on the joints, and will be a much happier and healthier companion.

Animals have taught Lisa all about unconditional love and forgiveness, and she loves sharing her home with her fur babies. After volunteering in animal rescue, she acquired her certification in canine and feline nutrition and continues to study holistic health for both people and their pets.