Sometimes, especially as they get older, our dogs become obese. It is convenient to put them on a diet so that they lose weight and do not suffer the multiple adverse consequences that this serious problem entails.
While it may seem funny and even adorable, obesity in dogs is a cause for concern. The veterinarian must determine the problem of our dog, its causes and possible solutions. He must supervise the entire process so that it is effective and not counterproductive for our pet.
Keep reading this article on our site about the diet for obese dogs to find out what you should do and what step by step you should follow.
Mandatory veterinary visit
The first thing to do, and as is natural, if we observe that our dog gradually gains weight, we must go to the vet The professional will check your weight and will ask us about your habits, it will give us the diagnosis and the guideline to follow to remedy the problem as much as possible. Sometimes obesity can be the consequence of a disease, go to the specialist to rule out that possibility.
It is important to understand that each breed and age has an ideal weight standard that must set a maximum and a minimum for each dog in concrete.
Some of the breeds with a tendency to be overweight:
- beagle
- Basset hound
- pug or pug
- dachshund
- labrador retriever
- bulldog
- German shepherd
- etc
Start with a change of routine
To start you will need to make a change in your dog's routine. As you can imagine the best diet is physical exercise, obviously, with the green light from the vet. Not all dogs can perform intense exercise, as is the case with pugs, which are prone to choking and heart disease. Take caution before you start and find out how to act.
It is not the same to try to make a relatively young dog lose its excess kilos, than to try to do the same thing with an elderly and sick dog. In the first case we will be dealing with the he alth of our dog, in the second case it can become torture for the poor animal.
Even so, older dogs can also carry out activities adapted to their delicate condition.
Specific diet for obese dogs
In the same way that people when we carry out diets we must abstain from certain foods, our pets must do the same. Our veterinarian must adequately inform us of dispensable foods and those necessary for our specific case. A diet should not be generalized, since our pet's obesity is not necessarily due to overeating.
Sometimes an endocrine disorder or any dysfunction in its body can cause our dog to gain weight. Our veterinarian will give us the precise guidelines for the correct treatment of our dog: he will tell us what type of feed he should eat, the most appropriate exercise and the prohibited foods.
Ruling out he alth problems and diet being the main cause of our dog's obesity, the vet will most likely recommend administer light feed, a product with low fat content. Of course, it is only applicable to adult and he althy dogs, elderly dogs can suffer from an excess of protein and suffer from liver or kidney problems.
Make sure you offer the exact amount of feed your dog needs, usually it is indicated on the product itself and is based on its weight. Don't overfeed, but don't offer less either.
Initiation to exercise
Do you walk your dog as often as necessary? Each dog has specific exercise and activity needs, and while a Chihuahua will need short walks, a Boxer will need at least 20 to 30 minutes of time on each walk.
Even if you see your dog listless, apathetic and reluctant to practice his step routines it is important that you encourage him to move, motivating him with games or caresses, so that he begins to develop his muscles again. Do not impose large doses of exercise on him at once, it should be a gradual process that he gets used to in a positive way.
Start by extending his walks and leaving him in the pipi-can to play with other pets, this type of social motivation usually works very well
Easy exercise
Once your dog begins to adapt to his new active life, you should prepare to practice gentle exercise with him, it is important that you get involved in his problems
The bicycle is a very complete exercise in which you will hardly get tired while he will have to make an effort to keep up with your pace. For this reason we advise you to start little by little and slowly this activity with him:
- Get a bike and dog adapter
- Introduce the bike to your four-legged friend
- Practice short walks with the adapter so it gets used to it
- You will soon understand that his function is to escort us and stay parallel to our side. Dogs really enjoy this form of exercise.
- This exercise can be done with dogs of any size.
- It's not about forcing our dog to run wild, but rather to make him jog steadily and without danger of causing muscle injuries.
- We should always require the animal to make an effort, but without punishing or abusing it if we see it out of breath or running wildly.
Active exercise
Perhaps by starting this routine dedicated to your pet you will discover your potential as an athlete as well as greatly benefiting yourself You will find a he althy lifestyle in exerciseand different, Seize the moment!
There are many types of sports that you can practice with your dog, including jogging, cycling (mentioned above), Agility…
Practicing exercise in a positive and he althy way will help your obese dog begin to regain his ideal weight. Of course, it is important that you understand that you are favoring the development of your muscles and therefore you should not stop exercising even if you are in normal weight conditions. It is preferable that you adopt a light exercise routine before you actively practice with your dog and then leave it.
