How To Put Your Dog On A Diet
If you thought that the obesity epidemic was only affecting humans, you are incorrect. Dogs are also piling on the pounds alongside their human owners. Just like humans, if dogs consume more calories than they expend, they will gain weight. If you have a dog that needs to go on a diet, here are tips that you can follow to help your dog weight.
Find Out The Ideal Weight Of Your Dog
The first step in this process is to find out what your dog is supposed to weigh. You can do this by visiting your veterinarian. Once you do, the veterinarian could also tell you if your dog has any condition that is leading to their weight gain such as diabetes or hypothyroidism. Once you have your dog’s optimum weight, calculate how much weight they actually need to lose on the diet. Now you can make your start.
Do Not Free-Choice Feed Your Dog; Instead, Feed Him/Her Three Measured Portions of Food a Day
Free-choice feeding your dog means that food is available 24/7. Your dog then gets to graze on this food whenever they want. When your dog needs to lose weight, free choice feeding is not a good idea. Dogs, like humans, could eat when they are bored instead of when they are actually hungry. What you need to do is regulate mealtimes for your dog so that they eat only at specific times per day.
The total number of calories for these three portions should equal the amount that your dog needs to lose weight. This is something that you could discuss with your veterinarian. If you are not home when you need to feed your dog, consider buying an automatic feeder, which will distribute food to your dog at specific times.
Since the calorie count of your dog’s food is very important during the weight-loss phase, make sure that you measure your dog’s food instead of guesstimating. The nutrition label on your dog food lists a specific unit of measure for calories, you need to use this measure to ensure that you are quantifying the calorie count for your dog’s food so that you will be able to accurately tally the calorie count.
These simple tips will help your dog to lose calories over time and get back to a healthy weight. Consult with a veterinarian like Faithful Friends Animal Hospital for additional ways to help your dog lose weight.
