6 tips to reduce the weight of your dog
If your dog is overweight, it is obviously important that it gets the help it needs to get down to a healthy weight. It's a good idea to consult a vet to help you decide what is a sustainable and appropriate weight loss for your dog. Here we've gathered our top 6 tips for reducing your dog's weight.
1. Plan the amount of food
You can take help of the food manufactured to know approximately how much food your dog needs. Usually, your dog needs food twice a day and in many cases it is not beneficial to let your dog have free access to food. Remember that dogs are individuals and it is important to adjust feed intake to provide an optimal amount for your particular animal. This can be either increasing the amount of food slightly for lean dogs or reducing it for overweight dogs.
2. Dog food adapted for weight loss
If you find that you have to adjust your dog's food intake so much, it may be beneficial to look for a food that is more adapted for weight loss or dogs that do not need as much energy. The food is usually called Light and contains less fat, which is the dog's way of getting energy.
3. Feed only the dog's food
Now that you've started losing weight, it's a good idea to think about how much other good your dog is getting besides his food. Some chews and treats are high in fat and can be the culprit for your dog's weight gain. Exclude anything other than your dog's food at first, then you can introduce chews or treats and then adjust your food intake to find a good balance.
4. Reward with food balls
If you train a lot with your dog and bring treats with you on your walks, instead of using treats that often contain more fat, you can take your dog's meals out for training or walks. It's always positive for dogs to work for meals whether it's during a training session or in an activation toy.
5. Exercise your dog
In addition to thinking about feeding your dog a diet that is appropriate for your dog's energy level and needs, it is a good idea to exercise your dog according to your dog's needs. The best way to exercise your dog is to let it run loose, or in a long line, in the woods where it can stretch out and get over logs and rocks on its own. Most dogs do well on about an hour's walk a day. Once your dog has managed to lose some weight, you can then introduce running, cycling or other activities for your dog.
6. Monitor your dog's weight
Being overweight is a clear risk factor for many common diseases and it can also affect your dog's quality of life. Most dogs become overweight because they expend less energy than they consume. Getting a dog to lose weight is about doing the opposite, getting the dog to expend more energy than they consume. So be sure to monitor whether your dog is going in the right direction by weighing it from time to time.
