Is your dog fat?

Or as I like to call it “fluffy.”

We can all get a little touchy when it comes to this topic, however the good thing about it is most of us are in the same boat and we don’t know what a “fluffy” dog or an ideal body weight dog looks like.

So, how can you change something when you don’t know what is best?

Once you know better, THEN you are able to DO better for your furry family member. 

Of course, we love to give those extra treats to our best friend because that shows how much we love them…right? 

However, we are accidentally hurting them in the long run and I know that is the absolute last thing that you want.

So I’d like to set the record straight for you and tell you how it is and more importantly how to fix it.

But first…

What does an overweight dog look like?

The easiest way for you to keep an eye on you dog’s weight is by how they look!

This is thePurina-Body-Condition-System that your vet uses to assess if you pet is too heavy or just right. Take a look at the descriptions and pictures and see which number your pet most resembles. 

Love handles and dimples might be cute, but it means your dog is too heavy and can be placing them at risk for many health problems down the road.

No one likes expensive vet bills plus specialized pet food because of a chronic illness that can be all together prevented by keeping your pet at a healthy weight.

I know, I can hear some of you now…”C’mon Amy, is it REALLY that bad for my pet to be overweight?”

Well, simply and straightforwardly put, YES!

What is the problem with an overweight dog?

Let me paint a picture for you…you and your pup love to go on walks, after you get back from a long walk, you give your pup a cup of food. You sit down to watch some TV with bowl of popcorn and your dog sits in front of you looking all cute, so of course you give him a few pieces of popcorn. That can’t hurt, right? A month down the road, your pup continues to give you those puppy eyes asking for food, so you give him some table scraps, still not so bad right? Well your pup starts to pack on the pounds, slowly at first, but then you notice that he is having to rest more frequently on your walks, so you don’t go as far. You come home and feel bad that he didn’t get his long walk, so you make up for it by giving him a Puppacino from Starbucks the next day…I’m sure you can see where this downward spiral is going. 

For an overweight dog, arthritis progresses quicker, they have a harder time moving around, and they are more likely to develop other orthopedic conditions (like CCL tear which is the same thing as a person’s ACL in the knee). They can also develop more severe and life threatening issues like diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease, and skin disease. And sadly decreased life expectancy which means we get less time with them =(.

If you have had any pets with these diseases, you will know that I’m being straight forward and honest when I say, it IS a big deal if your pet is overweight.

Hopefully, I’ve convinced you on the seriousness of this. Now, I’d like to show you how simple it is to help your pup lose weight and get him back to living his best life again. 

Firstly…Do you know how much you are really feeling your dog?

Do you have a regular drinking cup or coffee cup in the dog’s food bin and you scoop a whole cup a put it in the dish? That amount may be wayyyy more than your dog actually needs! The easiest suggestion that I give to clients is to use an actual measuring cup. 

The next question that I ask is: do you measure the food like you would flour with a flat top, even with the measuring cup? Or do you scoop a big ole’ overflowing scoop? Try simply measuring your dog’s kibble like you would flour, with a flat top. I bet you will see a difference in your dog’s weight in a few short weeks time.

Next, how much are you feeding? On the side of your dog’s food bag, there is a recommendation on how much food you should be feeding based on your dog’s weight. I would start there with the above 2 suggestions and see if your dog starts to lose weight. You should start seeing a difference in as little as 2-3 weeks. Once your pup STOPS losing weight, then you should weigh your pup and re-check the back. Is your dog getting the right amount of food for the new body weight? If he is getting too much food, adjust the portion again. This will take a little tweaking as your pup loses weight. Use the visual above as a guide for your dog’s progress. It is best to cut their food down a little at a time until you get to the ideal body weight (and ideal portion of food).

If you want to make this even better, talk with your vet about how many calories your dog should be getting based on his or her weight and activity level. Your vet can also recommend various diets if your pet seems excessively hungry between meals with the new portions.

Just keep in mind, just like people food, some dog food can be “McDonalds.” So talk with your vet about the best type of food for your specific pet.

Lastly, and maybe the most frequent area where we all mess up because our dogs have trained us so well to give them stuff when they give us those big puppy eyes…

What else is your dog getting? Is your dog getting table scraps, bones, treats, eating stuff outside? Do your kids or other family members feed your pup? All of these add extra calories (not love)! If you want to give your dog treats during the day make it something healthy like a piece of baby carrot, a green bean, or a low calorie dog treat.

You can also do fun stuff for your pet like freeze some kibble or boiled, unseasoned chicken and water in ice cube trays so your pup has to work at it to get to the treat. You can also get your pup a slow feeder bowl or hide their kibble in a towel so they take longer to eat their meals and have fun doing it!

I know you love your pet and your pet loves food so we feel that giving an abundance of what your pet loves (food!) will show how much you love them. However, food is not love! Giving your pet the best health so that they can live a long and happy, healthy life is the best love you can provide them (with the occasional treat of course!).

I hope these suggestions helped to set you on the right path to helping your pet. 

As always, please reach out if you have any questions or concerns.