Diet Plans for Overweight Dogs

Dogs are one of the most preferred pet animals amongst humans. They are known for their loyalty as well as security. It is believed that having a dog in the house makes it secure and prevents it from dangers of theft and other risks. However, your vigilant dog can prove to be grouchy if he becomes overweight. Just like humans, obesity is a problem in pets also, especially dogs. If your dog is overweight then it means that you are treating your dog extra amounts of food. Not to forget, an overweight dog is an unhappy one and is also susceptible to various illnesses including cancer, heart disease, canine diabetes, respiratory disorders, osteoarthritis and so on. To solve this problem and to make your dog fit as a fiddle, the best thing to do is to adopt a weight loss plan. Help your dog to live better by following this simple diet plan for overweight dogs. The diet plan basically stresses on less calories and more nutrition. To know more, read on.

Weight Loss Plan for Overweight Dogs

Make sure you cut out all the snacks, treats and food items from your dog’s meal. This implies that the high carbohydrate or sugary treat given to your dog should not be given anymore. You can feed your dog treats that are low in calories, such as, carrots and apples.
The dog should not be allowed the scraps left at the table or even any dog cookies.
If you are worried as to what if the dog loses too much weight, you can always add limited high quality treats to its diet, once the weight loss has been achieved.
You should cut down on dog food by a quarter, to start. This means that if you normally feed 1 cup, twice a day feed ¾ of a cup twice a day.
Make sure you do not cut out a meal. Emphasis should be on simply cutting down the amount of each meal. It is advised to feed two smaller meals rather than just one lavish meal. This will keep the blood sugar regulated for the dog.
Give your dog food in portions, instead of an unlimited quantity.
You can feed some canned food to your dog to substitute for some of the dry food. It will be more appetizing for the dog and is even lower in caloric density, as it contains over 75 percent moisture.
Do not feed your dog with human food. Human foods are calorie laden foods and will definitely pile your dog with extra kilos.
An average-sized adult dog should not be given dog food for large dogs. This type of dog food contains large amounts of calories that your average-sized dogs will not require for the body.
If your dog is older than six months, stop providing him with puppy food. Puppy food also contains enormous amounts of calories.
When you are purchasing dog food, check the label for fat and calorie content. Your overweight dog should not be given food containing high fat or calorie content.
Avoid feeding your dog specialty homemade foods. This type of food is prepared from vegetable oil, macaroni, oatmeal, hamburger, rice, eggs and other high calorie content foods. Specialty homemade foods are meant for malnourished dogs and not already-nourished dogs.
You diet will work better if you can provide an outlet for your dog to play and exercise. Lack of exercise also contributes to gaining of weight in dogs. With sufficient exercise you can help your dog to lose all that extra weight and risk weight gain in the future. So take your dog out for a walk every day.
To see if your dog is making progress in losing weight, check the weight of your dog every two to four weeks.
If you feel that your dog does not seem to lose weight even still, schedule an appointment with your vet and discuss other ways to slim down your dog.

Overweight dogs have a shorter life span when compared to other slim dogs. Most pet owners do not realize when their dogs are gaining weight. One thing that we should always remember is that, our dogs have faith in us. It is our duty to provide them with healthy food so that they can live happier and longer. Keep in mind that food does not substitute love. Pay more attention to your dogs by playing and spending more time with them. Like with every diet plan, these diet plans for overweight dogs too require determination and commitment.

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