How to Fight Dog Obesity and Get Your Dog Into Shape
Do you
have a porky pooch? Dog obesity is on the rise and it's up to us as responsible
pet parents to ensure our dogs stay healthy and happy. Unfortunately,
it's way too easy to slip our pups some table scraps under the table or give
into those pleading eyes for extra treats. However, all this love isn't doing
Fido and favors.
- Consult With Your Vet
Before you put your pooch on a diet, consult with your veterinarian for how much your dog needs to lose to be healthy. We as pet parents may not be able to judge Fido's weight loss goals by just eyeballing him. - Kibble Measuring
Whether your veterinarian recommends a diet food or your pup just needs to shed a few pounds, measuring out his daily kibble will help you know exactly how much he's getting fed. - Set His Meal Times
Animals are creatures of habit. Getting your dog use to a regular feeding schedule makes it easier for you to keep track of your dog's calorie intact and will also have Fido knowing when his next meal can be expected. - Watch those SnacksAs with
people, too many snacks for our dogs can lead to those extra unwanted pounds. If
you want to give your canine companion a treat stick to those healthy veggies and low-cal dog biscuits.
Note: Even though there are good fruits for dogs, this type of people food still contains high amounts of sugar which can add to weight gain. - Stick to a Walking Schedule
Giving your dog his daily dose of walking, or other vigorous activities, will help him burn off those calories. By making a schedule, you are less likely to forget or push off the activity due to bad weather or your own busyness.
Additional Tips
We're not
quite finished. Here are some additional quick tips to get your dog back into
shape;
● Move his food dish to a higher or
lower level where he has to "take the stairs" to get at it.
● Use an automatic timed pet feeder
to ration out his kibbles (especially good if you work and you want to keep
Fido on his feeding schedule).
● Use puzzle toys so your dog has to
work for his treats
● Use treats when teaching your dog
a new trick or skill
● No fatty table scraps
From Fat-to-Fit
It's
never easy to lose weight after it's been put on, but by getting your vet's
opinion on how much your dog should lose, amping up his exercise and playtime
and cutting back on those high-calorie treats, your pooch should be able to go
from fat-to-fit in no time.
Comments
Post a Comment