Looking After Pets

Dogs can get fat just like humans can.  However, unlike us humans, dogs don’t generally have a whole lot of control over the situation. Simply put, if you feed your dog a lot and let them lay around the house all day, they are going to get fat. As your dog gets older, the situation can escalate even more quickly; your dog will lose energy and seek food more often.

If you want your dog to live a long, healthy life, the excess weight is going to need to go. The risk of cancer, diabetes, or organ failure increases dramatically in obese dogs versus those with a healthy weight.  Attend to this issue early, and you can reduce the chance of health problems many times over.

Your Dog’s Diet

The very first thing to do for your dog is to get their diet under control. An obese dog usually ends up that way as a result of too much daily food intake. The actual amount your dog is fed is probably going to vary slightly from day to day, but here are some general recommended guidelines that have been offered by Veterinarians:

Less than 10 Pounds – 1/3 to 1 cup a day

10-25 Pounds – 1 to 2-1/4 cups a day 

25-50 Pounds – 2 Cups to 3 Cups a day

50-75 Pounds – 3 Cups to 5 Cups a day

Over 5 Pounds – 5 to 8 Cups a Day

Keep in mind, the above figures assume you are feeding your dog dry food and the weights listed are for healthy dogs. So, if your dog is already obese, you should base the food portions on what a healthy dog for their breed would approximately weigh.  As an example, a Labrador Retriever that weighs 105 pounds is likely over weight (their average size is around 60 pounds). So food quantities should be based on a 60 pound weight, not 105. 

To cut out the extra food, you’ll want to start by feeding your dog only twice a day. Split the total amount of daily food in half and feed your dog in two sittings.  What tends to happen in many households is that people will just put food down and keep the dog’s bowl filled throughout the day.  This is the easiest way to make your dog obese.

Additionally, you should try to cut out any excess doggie treats, as well as all table scraps. Treats can work wonderfully as a training tool, but they should not be given to your dog constantly throughout the day (which undercuts their training value anyway). One or two treats a day are not going to cause a problem, but treats throughout the day for no particular reason can be dangerous. Table scraps are almost always bad as well.

Step Two: Adding in Some Exercise

Much like humans, dogs are not going to lose much weight by dietary changes alone.  Any good weight loss routine should be a combination of diet and exercise, and this is no different for dogs. The good news is that (unlike us humans) most dogs are perfectly happy to exercise.

Unless your dog is already old and is no longer as energetic as it once was, it should generally be eager to get out and go for a walk or run. The important thing is to give your dog the opportunity to do these things. Don’t assume, just because your dog sits around all day, that it does not want to go outside.

If you don’t have the opportunity to go outside for a walk or run, try to play games indoors to keep your dog active. Play fetch, wrestle with your dog, and teach them to chase down toys throughout the house. If you own a small dog, you really don’t even have to get up to play fetch with them – you can do it from a chair or sofa.

Even with lethargic dogs, what you will find more often than not is that shifting their diet and exercise schedule will have an immediate impact on their energy levels.  Start taking your dog outside in conjunction with shifting their diet, and you’ll see them start to have a greater desire to become physically engaged.

Finally, if your dog is extremely obese or unhealthy, make sure you see a vet before making any dramatic changes to their lifestyle. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t make changes, but in very extreme cases you may need a gradual approach – so as not to put undue stress on their bodies too suddenly.

For more ideas on handling and preventing dog obesity, as well as many other potential health problems, check out The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health

Does Spot seem to be sporting quite a belly these days? As a dog owner, it can be very easy not to realize a decline in your pet’s health until the damage is already done. Obesity is a very becoming a very real concern for pets and it’s up to us pet owners to do something about it. This article is going to discuss a few tips for recognizing obesity in your dog and how you can help get him back into shape.

As sad as it is to admit, our dogs do not have free reign over their lifestyle as we humans do. Because dogs are dependent upon their owner for everything from food to trips outdoors, they have to adjust their daily life to accommodate ours. This is where canine obesity can come in. If a dog’s owner is a veritable couch potato and rarely gets out for exercise, the dog is also going to have to adapt to a lifestyle of laziness. It’s natural for dog’s to crave a little activity—heck, it’s natural for humans, too! All creatures need to perform some regular activity to remain in good health, so the first thing you can do to determine how your dog is keeping on those extra pounds is to map out a chart of his day-to-day activities. Does he go outside for an hour in the morning and again in the afternoon? What does he spend the majority of his day doing? Does he sleep more often than he’s awake? All of these questions are things you need to ask yourself when assessing your dog’s level of activity.

One important thing to consider is this: does your dog get to spend regular time outdoors aside from potty breaks? If not, this could be a huge clue as to why your dog might not be looking as lean as he ought to be. Dogs love to be outside—it’s natural for them and it’s a good inspiration to be active. If you haven’t been able to take your dog outside in the past, set time aside for him or arrange for a friend or family member to do let him out several times throughout the day. Try to get involved with him when he’s outdoors to encourage him to move around. Throwing his favourite ball or toy around is great, as is a quick jog around the yard. If you aren’t in the best of shape yourself, you and your dog could go to a dog park or on walking trails and both of you can reap the health benefits of walking. This is also great for strengthening the relationship between you and your dog. You can even try getting a set of pet steps to train your dog on. Not only will he get a great workout from going up and down the steps, but being proactive will boost his happiness and confidence.

After you have made your assessment of your dog’s activity level, you might be surprised to find that he gets sufficient exercise but still doesn’t seem to be as lean as he should be. This is a very common scenario among people who feed their dog table scraps or gets a bit too liberal with the doggy treats. Regardless of the fact that human food is a lot more fattening to dogs, it’s also down-right unhealthy for them. A dog’s diet should consist primarily of meat, raw vegetables, and certain types of grain. Could you imagine a dog in the wild snarfing down some spaghetti? If you are guilty of feeding your dog human food—as most of us are—try to cut back on that altogether. If you don’t notice a difference in your dog’s weight, switching to a name brand kibble specifically designed for overweight dogs may be the right solution.

Any time you feel that there could be something amiss with your dog’s health, it’s always best to make an appointment with your dog’s vet to rule out the possibility of an underlying health condition.

For more great information about caring properly for a dog, or to buy a durable set of dog stairs, please visit Help Your Pets.

Have you begun to notice that your dog is looking a little overweight, or simply less lean than he should be? It might be time to start considering what your options are to help him get into shape. We’re going to talk about a few ways you can discover where your pet’s health is suffering and how to get it back up.

As sad as it is to admit, our dogs do not have free reign over their lifestyle as we humans do. Because dogs are dependent upon their owner for everything from food to trips outdoors, they have to adjust their daily life to accommodate ours. This is where canine obesity can come in. If a dog’s owner is a veritable couch potato and rarely gets out for exercise, the dog is also going to have to adapt to a lifestyle of laziness. It’s natural for dog’s to crave a little activity—heck, it’s natural for humans, too! All creatures need to perform some regular activity to remain in good health, so the first thing you can do to determine how your dog is keeping on those extra pounds is to map out a chart of his day-to-day activities. Does he go outside for an hour in the morning and again in the afternoon? What does he spend the majority of his day doing? Does he sleep more often than he’s awake? All of these questions are things you need to ask yourself when assessing your dog’s level of activity.

That brings us to our next topic: the great outdoors. Have you ever stepped outside on a nice crisp morning, taken a deep breath of cool air and revelled in how good it feels to connect with nature? Maybe you don’t do this all the time, but for a dog, this is a common comparison of how natural it is for them to crave the outdoors—because dogs are natively the “outdoorsy type.” Being outdoors can cause inspiration, not just ideas, but for activity—and this is what your dog needs. If your dog doesn’t get to go outside often enough, this could be an answer for why his spirit for activity has shrunk. Try taking him outside at least twice a day, and not just for a bathroom break. Encourage him to run about and play with toys. It might help to remember that your dog is more likely to want to play if he has someone to play with. If you don’t have a private yard, try taking him on pet-friendly walking trails or to do a dog park where he can socialize and spend some alone time with you. Walking is a great way to improve your owner-dog bond as well as lose weight. Going outside isn’t the only activity you can do. Dog steps are a great tool to use to give your dog a bit of exercise while staying in the comfort of your home (especially on rainy or snowy days!). Make a game of running him up and down the steps, such as pushing the stairs against your bed and hiding treats in your covers. This is a favourite of mine as I love watching my dog go crazy as he paws through the covers!

If your dog seems to be getting enough exercise but still seems to be overweight, it may be time to reconsider what you’re feeding him. Does he get a lot of table scraps? Most of the food humans eat simply doesn’t offer any health benefits to dogs. The canine diet is supposed to consist primarily of lean meat, supplemented with raw vegetables and specific types of grain. Feeding your dog leftover pizza crusts or the leftover casserole that no one else would eat is a sure-fire way to cause health decline. So cut out the human food! You can also try putting your pooch on a name brand diet kibble for a month or two to see if that helps.

If you have any worries that your dog’s health might be in jeopardy, it’s best to consult with a veterinarian. There could be underlying health issues causing a shift in your dog’s weight, or numerous other possibilities.

For more great information about caring properly for a dog, or to buy a durable set of dog stairs, please visit Help Your Pets.