How to slim down an overweight dog + 30-day diet plan

Staying fit and healthy and maintaining an ideal weight is just as important for dogs as it is for people. However, the fact is that dog obesity is one of the most rapidly growing health problems faced by canines in today’s society. This article discusses how excess weight will affect your dog and offers suggestions on how to slim down an overweight dog.

If your dog is carrying around excess weight, it will negatively impact his overall health and well-being over time. The more overweight your dog is, the faster it will impact him. If your dog is obese he may only suffer from breathing issues for a while, but rest assured that when left untreated obesity can cause major health issues and result in early death.

The good news is that your dog’s weight is 100% in your control. Dog’s have no say in what or how much they eat. They can’t get up and take themselves out for a walk. It’s up to us to keep our dogs healthy, and proper diet and exercise are the two best ways to prevent canine obesity.

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How To Slim Down an Overweight Dog

How will excess weight effect your dog? As with any animal, a dog’s body is built to carry only a certain weight and any extra places higher demands on both the organs and the skeletal system. Common health issues caused by excess weight include the following:

• Diabetes is one of the most prevalent conditions found in overweight dogs. The production of insulin is increased because there is a higher glucose level in the blood, and if the demand continues to increase over a long time, the pancreas (responsible for the production of insulin) fails to keep up and may eventually give out. The result is diabetes.

• Increased blood pressure is common in overweight dogs, just as it is in overweight people. The heart has to work harder to pump blood to the extra tissue, which may eventually lead to heart failure.

• Birthing issues are also not uncommon. An overweight bitch is much more likely to require veterinary assistance while birthing, with the high possibility of a C-section birth.

• Digestive disorders including constipation and flatulence are not at all pleasant for dog or owner and are often a problem with overweight pets.

• Breathing difficulties are likely to develop as the body struggles to inflate the diaphragm encumbered with extra fat. Obviously, the extra weight also puts more strain on the body, as the lungs have to supply oxygen – the result of breathing difficulties may be respiratory disease.

• Damage to bones, joints and ligaments is also likely if the skeletal frame is subject to more load than that for which it is designed. Studies have shown that 25% of dogs that are overweight suffer from severe joint complications. Osteoarthritis is just one of such complications.

• A dog with a bad heart or lungs may experience problems associated with anaesthetics and/or surgery.

For more information, you can check out the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention.

In short, the obese dog is likely to require a lot more medical treatment and veterinary care, is not going to lead such an active and enjoyable life and cannot be expected to live as long as one at optimum weight. So, while you may think that you are being kind to your canine companion by giving him that extra treat or letting him sleep peacefully instead of getting out to go for a walk, you may actually be doing more harm than good.

How Do I Asses My Dog’s Weight?

Sadly, many owners are in denial of their beloved canine friend’s weight issue, or simply fail to recognize the symptoms of obesity.

It is best to ask your veterinarian for expert advice on the ideal weight for your dog, however, as a starting point, it is not difficult to get a reasonable idea of your pet’s BCS (Body Condition Score) by making a simple physical examination yourself.

A dog in good condition should have a slightly ‘hour-glass’ shaped figure below the ribs. Feel along the chest – if you can easily feel the ribs down the side of the chest, then there is obviously no extra fat on them. You should be able to distinguish between the animal’s rib cage and his abdomen, and the latter should taper in slightly.

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If you can’t feel the ribs, the waist is flat or looks bloated or the stomach is dragging when he walks, then it’s time for a bit of change in your dog’s lifestyle and eating habits. Studies have shown that there are certain risk factors that may cause your dog to be at a higher risk of obesity.

These can include his breed, his diet, his age and whether or not he is neutered. If your dog falls into a higher risk category, it is most important that you stay on top of his physical condition.

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Dog Diets – Where Do I Start?

You have determined that your dog is overweight, so now what?

Before you embark on any type of diet, consult your vet and discuss your options.

You need to be sure that your dog is not suffering from any type of medical ailment that is causing the weight gain. Too many dogs are put onto a diet and down the road their owners find out that disease, not wrong diet, was the cause of their weight gain.

The daily caloric needs of your pet will vary according to his age, stage of life and daily activities. Factors such as pregnancy will also increase the daily needs. Your vet will also be able to advise you as to the correct daily caloric intake for your pregnant dog.

As we all know, the weight-loss equation is actually relatively easy – eat less and move more.

Armed with the knowledge of how many calories your dog needs in a day, stand back and take an objective view at the food that he is consuming. Don’t forget to add in those extra treats you give him for good behavior or simply as an ‘I love you’ gift. Treats should really only comprise about 3-4% of his total caloric intake.

Time to Take Action – Some Helpful Tips

Implementing a diet, be it for the four-legged or two-legged, must be done responsibly and sensibly. It must be introduced carefully and gradually – you can’t simply decide to halve the amount today that you fed your pet yesterday. Also, any diet must be complimented by a sustainable exercise program – slow and steady wins the race, not a strenuous hike today and nothing for the rest of the week.

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Below are a few general tips which you may find interesting and helpful:

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• Start a meal/food diary for your dog. Record how much he eats and tally up the caloric intake.

• A high protein diet is necessary for dogs, so don’t try and eliminate all fat, simply reduce the amount. It is also really important to remember that there are different kinds of fats – some ‘good’ and some ‘bad’. Fish oil, flaxseed oil and foods containing omega 3 are good for both humans and dogs, in contrast to trans-fat and animal fats that may be contained in many of your pet’s favorite treats and cookies.

• Remove separable fat from meat portions and try to avoid obviously fatty meats such as pork and lamb. Try cooking meat before serving so that you can separate as much of the fat as possible.

• Prepare healthy alternatives to biscuit or cookie snacks and have them readily on hand. Such snacks may include fruit, vegetables and other unprocessed foods.

• If you have more than one dog in the house, stealing from other pet’s bowls may be a serious issue that will have to be stopped. This problem is likely to increase if one of your dogs is on a restricted diet, so be very watchful and don’t leave bowls of food lying around.

• If you are expecting visitors, take the initiative and reduce the amount you feed prior to a visitor’s arrival – it is inevitable that your guests will hand out an extra treat or food scrap of some sort.

• Garlic, though not good for the breath, is a natural weight-loss assistant. Try crushing a small amount of garlic into your dog’s food bowl, although if your dog has not been used to it, do not do this every day.

• Dogs are by no means stupid and they know how best to make us feel bad about not feeding them when they want it. You will need to totally ignore any whining or begging that your canine companion resorts to – these are ‘sympathy’ tactics that your dog knows will melt your heart. By paying no attention to this behavior, your pet will learn that pushy and demanding actions are no longer acceptable and that he will have to calm down before the meal will be given out.

• Does your dog gobble and eat too fast? Try and slow him down. How about smearing the food around the sides of the dish so that he has to lick harder to get it all out? You can also try using a slow feeder – there are many options available and they are usually very affordable.

• Many commercial foods lack sufficient nutrients and the result is that the dog is always craving more. Now might be just the time to upgrade to a premium food, so that your pet is satisfied with less.

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• How about reducing the amount of bought foodstuffs you hand out and complimenting the diet with healthy home-made alternatives? There are plenty of recipes available online to help you create exactly what your pet needs, with the assurance that you know exactly what is going into it.

• Talk to other family members and friends about the diet plan you are implementing for your dog and ensure that they too understand that it is no longer acceptable to hand out table scraps and extra treats.

• Ensure that the garbage cans are no longer accessible – if your pet is feeling hungry it is much more likely to resort to such undesirable food sources.

• There are many dog food options which are labelled ‘lite’ or ‘diet’ – thoroughly read the ingredients list and calorie intake per serving, as these may not necessarily be the best meal option. Many of these types of diet foods substitute meat content with higher volumes of carbohydrates so that, while they may make the animal feel fuller, the effect will not last long and it may have the side-effect of increasing stool production.