The weight loss process is not a comfortable or easy one for anybody—not even dogs! Obesity in dogs has been associated with life-threatening diseases, and as a pet parent, that is a horror. Do you think that your dog is overweight? Choosing the correct way to assist your dog to lose the excess weight is not always easy; thus, I am here to support you!
In today’s guide, I will focus on several efficient techniques to help your dog lose weight and obtain a beautiful and proper figure. So, let’s dive in!
Lee&Pol makes the best treats with dried pollock, which helps dogs lose weight!
How to Know if Your Dog Needs to Lose Weight?
Confused that it is time for him to go to diet and decrease the calorie content of his meals? Well, that is one of the aspects that pet owners face when managing their animals most of the time. Therefore, before putting your dog on a diet, it is crucial to watch out for these telltale signs:
- Because of excess fat, their ribs are not clearly seen.
- Oversleeping
- Lack of energy and endurance
- No real waistline
If you find any of the above signs in your dog, then it will be advisable that you make a quick run to your vet before the situation gets out of hand and your dog gets sick by some other condition.
How to Help My Dog Lose Weight – The Top 6 Strategies
Hey, wait a minute, this looks like humans aren’t the only species suffering from obesity and body shaping issues; dogs do it as well!
More so, a study done by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention showed that approximately 59% of dogs in the United States were obese.
So, now what?
Let’s look at the top 6 vet-approved strategies to help your dog get back in shape again!
1. Healthy Food and Calorie Intake
“Weight loss for humans and dogs is 60-70% diet and 30-40% exercise.” — Ernie Ward, DVM (founder of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention)
You can utilize dog food to lose weight. Dieting your dog requires you to feed him the right portion size so as to lose weight without jeopardizing his health. Normally, it is advised that one should subtract the original amount by 10-15%. However, before deciding how many calories are suitable for your dog, there are some factors that should be taken into consideration, such as tumor, muscle condition score, and activity level.
We suggest you visit a clinician for a perfect diet plan and calorie requirements.
2. Regular Exercise
You can also utilize different exercises for overweight dogs. An extra game of fetch and longer walks are what your pookie friend dreams of. Now that could sound tiring to you, chances are that is a good way to shed a few pounds while having some added enjoyment. Hikes are very crucial in exercising your dog’s physical body and stimulating its brain.
Specific breeds require more walking, while some breeds require a walk of not less than thirty minutes each day. In addition, swimming is another good low-impact exercise that could be done by senior dogs or those that are affected by joint problems.
The underwater treadmill is another great way to lose weight. This is because it simply means there is some level of resistance that can be offered by water, thus helping them in developing their cardiovascular workouts and muscles. This should be combined with 15 – 20 minutes of underwater treadmill exercise 3-4 times per week and 30 minutes of fast-paced walking daily if the animal is overweight.
3. Count the Extra Treats
Positive reinforcement rewards are food treats that are used on the dog to encourage it to behave well or follow the owner’s company; however, these rewards often contain lots of calories. As a pet owner, it is advisable to minimize the treats that your dog is breaking per day and opt for healthier options. A dog needs to consume vegetables or special diet snacks that are specifically designed to help to reduce your dog’s weight and to let him have fun at the same time.
That is why treats can be thought of as additional regular food portions that are supposed to be included in calorie consumption as daily ones. During this time, you may not necessarily need to use several of the foods that contain a lot of energy for the dog. You, for instance, can take a little of the normal dry food they take and divide it into portions for use in encouraging them. This strategy enables the dog not to overfeed but, at the same time, is motivated to be part of the training process and follow command.
Lee&Pol’s dried pollock is a high-protein, low-fat, and low-calorie treat, making it the perfect treats for your dog’s health!
4. Use Puzzle Feeders
Puzzle feeders are an interactive way to slow down your dog’s food intake. They are designed in a way that requires your dog to actively manipulate the complex puzzle to access the meal. Moreover, it reduces boredom, which is one of the causes of obesity, by engaging your dog mentally and physically during mealtime.
Besides slowing down the eating pace, another great function of puzzle feeders is the fight against boredom—a likely cause for obesity amongst dogs. All of these feeders are therefore not only good for your dog’s body health but also good for your dog’s mental health as well because they facilitate the feeding process through natural stimuli that will keep the dog busy.
Furthermore, this mental activity may be very useful for dogs that stay alone for a lot of time or have restricted possibilities to run around. In the process of trying to figure out how to get the kibble, your dog is not only eating slower but is also burning calories, which aids in weight control and other health-related issues.
5. Encourage Hydration
Your dog should always have water because this can support his weight loss. Hydration of the dogs is also very important; thus, make sure that you provide your dog with clean and fresh water.
In some extreme cases, a dog is able to get its thirst and its hunger mixed up, or it might be used to getting a ‘dinner’ at a specific time; therefore, it will eat regardless of whether it is necessary or not.
Another great way to help your dog drink more water is by preparing wonderful ‘edible’ ice cubes, which can be launched as colorful ones created with natural dyes or pieces of fruit allowed for dog consumption. In addition to being good for thirst, these congelés are a deliciously cold, little calorie food that gives your dog what it needs to chew.
6. Monitor Progress
It is crucial to measure your dog’s progress in weight loss to determine if the program is effective and to modify it if needed. Regularly measure your dog’s weight. It is advisable to do it once a week and then keep a record of the results. Remember that the process of slimming should be slow, mainly a decrease of 1 to 2 percent of the dog’s weight per week.
Otherwise, certain health risks may occur.
Can I Determine if Dog Food is Working?
Selecting dog foods is time-consuming, especially when you are faced with many brands in a supermarket. Here are the features you need to consider when selecting the best dog food to use for weight loss of your pet.
- Protein: 10-20 g per 1,000 calories
- Fat: 2-3.5 g per 1,000 calories
- Fiber: 60 g per 1 thousand calories
What to Feed My Dog to Lose Weight?
The dog has to lose weight; therefore, it is crucial to limit its movements and provide it with fewer calories. Here’s what you can feed your dog to make their weight-loss journey easier:
Dried Pollock
Dried pollock is in fact a healthful source of protein. One of these privileges is that it contains low calories and even less saturated fat, which will help your dog to lose, let’s say, one-two pounds a week.
Dried pollock is rich in protein and omega-3, and it also contains calcium, iron, and various other minerals and vitamins. It is good for your dog’s health, such as heart, liver, kidneys, brain, and joint problems like patellar luxation.
Lee&Pol offers the best treats by combining dried pollock with freeze-dried vegetables and fruits to provide more nutrition!
Apple
We have always heard that ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away!’ Indeed, the dog community has a word for it: an apple a day keeps the vet! Apples have fibers and will help make your dog full for some good amount of time. It has vitamin C, vitamin A, and potassium, apart from containing antioxidants.
Despite this, apples possess some properties that can lead to diarrhea if one takes too many, and therefore one should take them in moderation.
You should not offer it more than once or twice a day in the form of one or two slices.
Carrot
Rabbits are not the only large consumers of carrots. Dogs are very fond of them as well and share the same affection towards them. Carrots are particularly preferred mostly because they are low calorie; thus, they make a better treat than the homemade cookies for the dogs.
Carrots also contain fiber, and this helps the stomach of the dog and also makes the dog feel full and thus take less food. This is very useful for overweight dogs and those that have food-related issues.
Strawberry
Sweet taste of strawberries does not make them a high-sugar product and are much better than other dog treats. Training your dog is a cumbersome process, so did your dog complete training effectively? Feed them a strawberry! Also, strawberries contain quite a lot of fiber; thus, they promote feelings of satiety and facilitate digestion processes.
Cucumber
In fact, cucumbers are about ninety-six percent water and, as such, are well suited for water replenishing between meals! They are also low in fats and contain about 8 calories per half cup; therefore, they are very suitable for consumption by dogs that have been diagnosed with obesity.
Conclusion
The first and probably the biggest obligation a dog owner has is to maintain the healthy weight of the dog for the whole of its life. Well, let me tell you one more time that obesity treatment in dogs is quite a slow process that has to be done gradually with frequent health checks for the pet. In some way, whether it is as simple as substituting the food or as drastic as the beginning of an exercise regime, you will observe the positive changes in the form of a happier, healthier, and higher energy level companion.
FAQ
Yes, wet food is considered better than dry kibble because of its low carbohydrate content and high protein level. It is just another method of adding more water to the diet, especially for those dogs that are not keen on drinking so much water. Apart from that, it looks like real meat, and so it becomes more appealing and attractive to everyone.
Dogs can safely lose 1 to 2 percent of their body weight per week until they reach their target weight. Body condition assessments of your dog should be done as frequently as the diet, which should be every two-four weeks. This can most often be done at your veterinarian clinic.
While exercise is the key component of losing weight, if your dog has joint issues, you can try the diet control method, where you carefully measure your dog’s diet a and stick to the recommended serving size based on their ideal weight, not their current weight. Reducing portion sizes slightly can lead to gradual weight loss over time.
Fruits and vegetables are generally safe for dogs, but they shouldn’t exceed the desired limit. Make sure they are fed occasionally as treats with limited portion sizes. They shouldn’t make more than 10-20% of the overall diet.
