Diet For Overweight Dogs
Just as with humans, a few extra pounds on a dog can mean an increased risk of illness, lameness and shortened life span. But unlike humans, dogs don’t know or care if they are overweight, so it is up to you to put your overweight dog on a diet, or make sure that your dog doesn’t become overweight in the first place.
So, just what is a right diet for an overweight dog? Obviously, you want to feed your dog a healthy dog food, but if he is already overweight you have to also feed him food that is low in fat and calories. When it comes to keeping the extra weight off your dog, one of the simplest things you can do is to limit the portion size by feeding your dog the correct amount of food for his size. If your dog is overweight, the likelihood is that you have been feeding him too much to begin with.
While you may be tempted to give your dog treats aside from the regular meals, you need to really control them when he is on a diet. Stay away from food prepared for people, unless it is fruits or vegetables. If you feel you most give you dog treats, shop for dog treats labeled diet and limit the treats to only special occasions. If your dog is used to getting a treat at a certain time, try feeding him a bit less during regular meals and using some of his regular food as treats, that way he won’t be taking in any extra calories.
The right diet is not the only consideration for an overweight dog, a regular feeding schedule for your dog is also important. You’ve probably heard that it’s better for overweight people to eat several small meals a day instead of three big meals – well this may apply to an overweight dog as well. You may want to split up your dog’s one big meal into at least 2 smaller meals and not leave uneaten food in the food dish after your dog stops eating the meal.
Before you can determine how much your dog should be eating on his new diet, you need to figure out how much his eating now. So, feed him as you normally do, but measure out the amount you give him. You can use a regular measuring cup and you really only need to do this for 1 or 2 days to get an idea how much he is eating now. Then simply reduce his food by 25% for each meal.
Certainly, this sounds simple in theory, but if there are several people in the household feeding the dog then you will all have to coordinate your efforts. Set a schedule or appoint 1 person responsible for feeding the dog. Once your dog begins losing some weight and seems to level off, then reduce his food intake by another 25%. Keep reducing your dog’s food intake until the dog reaches his ideal weight.
There are many commercial dog foods available at the grocery stores that are formulated specifically to provide a balanced diet for overweight dogs. Depending on how much extra weight your dog is carrying and any other health issues, an off the shelf dog food may not be best. It may be that your dog needs a specialized blend of food. You should talk to your veterinarian to be sure that any particular food you are considering is best for your dog’s condition to be sure that the health of your dog is not compromised.