Help Your Overweight Dog

After a great walk with your dogs, you notice they just seem really exhausted. You noticed on the walk they were really struggling, and now they seem worn out. It was just a simple walk, the one you have been doing since they were a puppy.

Something occurs to you for the first time- they look really heavy. You really have not noticed until this moment that they have gained quite a bit of weight. But surely this could not have happened overnight; this must have been taking effect for some time now.

Don't feel guilty, there can be several reasons why they have gained weight. The solutions are simple, and affordable. Loving your dog the right way is a sure key to them achieving good health.

Sometimes as we begin to get older and tired, we enjoy resting and assume our dog does too. But this does not always benefit the dog, and comparing their health and their needs to our own can be detrimental to them. So finding out what works best for them either through diet or exercise can really benefit them.

One way is finding out through your vet a good diet food, and talking over with them the amount of food you give to your dog. Sometimes we think they need to eat as much as we do, but this is a definite misconception. Smaller dogs especially, who are prone to weight gain, have small stomachs so picture how much food you are putting into their little bellies.

To control their weight, do not trust the labels on the dog food bag, which are put there to maintain dog weight, not contribute to weight loss. Calculate how many calories are in a cup of dog food, and after having talked to your vet, feed your dog the right amount of food according to the calorie intake. A vet can actually help you customize a weight loss program for your dog.

Another misconception is that a dog should have free choice when they should eat, so people leave food out all day. This is simply unnatural, because just like us, a dog will eat when they are bored, it is pure entertainment for them. So a solution here would be to feed them at scheduled times, depending on the size of the dog, and that way they eat because they are hungry, not because they need stimulation, which contributes to portion control.

If it is hard for you to do the scheduled feedings because of your busy schedule, there are timed automatic pet feeders that can aid you. There are weight loss foods available, but the precaution here is to avoid a food that uses carbohydrate fillers in replacement of meat leaving your dog feeling hungry after a while and increasing their stool production. Find a food with higher protein content so the dog feels more satisfied.

Exercise is always the best thing you can do, so if you are already exercising your dog, maybe you need to increase their daily activity. We all want the best for our beloved pets. Take their health as serious as you do your own and they will love you forever.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Help-Your-Overweight-Dog&id=9098926