Overweight Dogs

Posted on 07. Jul, 2009 by admin in Hot Dog Topics

Standing at the grocery store this afternoon, I saw the cutest dog I’ve seen in a while. There he was lying down waiting for his master tied up on his leash panting with the smallest little face, tiniest paws, but it was his eyes that captured my heart. When he finally stood up, something about him captured my breath…his weight! This dog wasn’t chubby…he wasn’t fat…he was downright obese. It was the first time I’d ever seen a case this bad; it was frightening and sad really. This dog, I’ll name him Charley, had spindly legs that could barely hold up his weight; he was at least the size of an oversized toddler with ruler width limbs and a stomach that grazed the ground. Worst of all, he could hardly walk, much less run if he ‘wanted’ to lose weight.

Would anyone in their right mind allow their child to get that way? Would anyone in their right mind want themselves to get that way? Of course not! Alright, so I’ve spent enough time on the problem, let’s focus now on the solution. Diet and exercise! Not a surprising combination since humans follow the same advice. Now of course we all know there are several causes of canine obesity, but whether your dog is overweight because of overfeeding or because of a disease process, one thing is for certain, he is still taking in more calories than he is using.

The most common reason for an overweight dog is the same most common reason for an overweight human, over eating. For a dog however, the primary reason they over eat is because often we use food to reward them or feed them table scraps. It might be cute to see Charlie’s puppy dog eyes staring down our barbeque ribs intently, but rather than give in with a soft heart initially, train him to stop begging for food by not giving in to his cuteness.
Low calorie pet food exists and a vet can recommend some great brands that will satisfy the hunger of all the Charlie’s in the world without sacrificing on quality or taste. Then again, having never eaten dog food myself, I can’t say for sure. Increasing fiber or water intake might also be a great for Charlie to get some energy back. You might have to walk him a little more frequently but consider it a positive since you’ll get some exercise too.
Little or no exercise is another common reason why dogs gain weight. The doggy paddle wasn’t named the doggy paddle for nothing. Unfortunately an obese dog might sink instead of swim if they can’t stay afloat but staying with your dog, holding around their belly the way you would with a small child allows them to stay up, paddle their limbs and get some exercise.

Your Charlie’s lungs and heart can’t function properly at an ‘obese’ level, so be sure not to over-exasperate them with long running bouts or jumps. Short walks with your dog for a few minutes every day with increasing daily activity such as playing fetch, will help burn stored fat. And when he brings back the toy, don’t reward him with a cookie, instead give him some loving by rubbing his fur for a minute or two and send him back out to play again.
Most dogs require an 8 to 12 month weight loss plan to reach their ideal weight so be patient when seeking desirable results.
Here are some tips that might help you to better deal with Charlie’s oversized love handles:

• Reduce his daily caloric intake by 50 percent of that required for his ideal body weight. He won’t starve but he might linger around the kitchen table longer than usual.
• Speak to your vet about a pet food product specifically designed for weight loss containing:
  - between 5 to 10 percent fat
  - less than 340 kcal per 100 grams of food on a dry matter basis-
  - between 10 to 30 percent crude fiber- greater than 25 percent crude protein
• Give Charlie a prescribed measured amount of food several times daily – no more than required
• Low calorie snacks or raw or cooked veggies make great treats – give them only as instructed
• Get Charlie to exercise exercise exercise
• As he loses the weight, make regular visits to your vet to adjust your pets meal sizes