I’m sure we’ve all said at one point or another that we love dogs with some extra weight to them. Yes, dogs who are a bit rounder or heavier-set can be extremely cute, but it can be dangerous for their health. The continued perpetuation of dogs looking cute when they’re on the heavier side has caused a great number of them to become overweight and unhealthy. In fact, there was a clinical study done by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) in 2018 in the United States, which showed that nearly 50 million dogs are overweight and 18.9% were classified as obese. That’s why, if you’re noticing that your furry friend is putting on some extra weight or showing signs of having less energy, your dog may be overweight or obese.
How to Know if Your Dog Is Overweight or Obese
Determining whether or not your dog has a weight problem isn’t as hard as it may seem. More than anything, it really just takes looking at your dog, not through the rose-colored lenses that you normally do, but with your real 20/20 vision. Yes, as dog owners we all tend to look past the negative changes in our dogs because we are too focused on all of the positive, cute ones. To make sure that you’re not falling into the puppy-eye trap, make sure to look at your dogs when they’re walking, when they’re sleeping, when they’re playing – Are they out of breath? Is it taking them longer? Are they struggling with movements that they used to carry out with ease? – and be honest with yourself. You should be able to determine whether or not your dog is overweight or obese just by looking at their physical appearance and behaviors. If you’re looking for more of a concrete, numerical sign that your dog is overweight or obese, try plopping them on a scale (can be for humans or pets). From there, take their numbers and compare them to the numbers found on reliable dog information outlets to determine if your dog is overweight compared to the average size of its breed.
Ways to Sustainably Regulate Your Dog’s Weight
In most cases, like with anything you do, results from dog weight loss programs can begin to plateau or halt altogether after a certain amount of time. Rather than putting your dog on an intensive weight loss regime for a short period of time, continue to carry out the smaller versions of those larger adjustments to their lifestyle for a long period of time, or potentially forever. Examples of these adjustments could include:
Regulate the Food Intake
One of the problems with any diet, dog or human, is that once the allotted amount of time for carrying out the extreme measures is up, the regular routine (prior to the diet) quickly comes back. This usually means going back to the amount of food eaten before the diet, but it’s essential to make sure you don’t fall into this trap. Continue to regulate both the amount of food and treats they intake, making sure to cap it at an appropriate, smaller amount than before.
Adjust to Higher-Quality Food Products
Raising a dog can be expensive, so this option may not be financially feasible for all owners. If it is, a great way to help improve your dog’s weight and overall health is to improve the food that’s being given to them. Instead of using dry kibble, for example, try using a natural, vegetable and protein-based food that has to be refrigerated. In fact, some owners opt to make their own dog food out of ingredients like brown rice, quinoa, carrot, ground beef, ground turkey, peas, etc.
Extend the Length of Exercise
This is an easy way to not only improve your dog’s overall health and weight but to also rid them of some of their pent-up energy. Either add an additional walk or park run into your daily schedule or lengthen the ones you already take!
Rule Out Any Medical Conditions
If these adjustments aren’t helping, it’s time to get the professionals involved. Sometimes dogs can’t lose weight due to a medical condition they have that you’re unaware of. If you don’t see results from your weight loss program, it may be time to take them to a doctor.
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