How can my dog lose weight quickly?
If your dog →is overweight, the first thing you should do is let go of the desire for them to lose weight as quickly as possible. Just like with humans, losing weight too quickly health problems cause and can significantly impair your dog's quality of life! It's better to approach the process patiently and make sure your dog can still enjoy life even while on a diet.
You should also stay in regular contact with your veterinarian to ensure your furry friend stays healthy and happy. After all, your dog's excess weight might have other causes besides too much food and too little exercise. If no underlying illnesses are present, your vet gives the green light and you can create a diet plan together. Of course, you should stick to it as best as you can, because as so often, sticking with it at the beginning is the biggest hurdle!
Here are our 5 tips to help your overweight dog lose weight.
Our 5 weight loss tips for dogs:
Healthy feeding starts as early as →puppyhood. Too much or feeding too often can lay the foundation for your dog becoming overweight later on. So make sure to get informed before you get a dog. Take a look at our →feeding recommendations or get →free advice from us. If your dog is already an adult, the next tip will be interesting for you!
The feeding routine: How you feed can make a huge difference. To get an overview you can keep a feeding diary where you can see when and how often you feed your dog and how you use treats and snacks throughout the day. Changes to the feeding routine can affect the relationship between you and your furry friend, so the beginning can be tough at first. Once your dog gets used to the new routine, it will become easier and easier to feed them mindfully without them begging for food.
Type and →composition of dog food can vary greatly. Not only does true beauty come from within, but the same goes for your pet's health. So make sure to choose a high meat content with plenty of crude fiber, low fat, and a good amount of crunchy vegetables. Ingredients you can't even pronounce are usually not on the healthy side. It may also be the case that you are using particularly rich food even though your dog doesn't need that much energy because they're more of a calm, sleepy type.
Healthy on the go - with the best food!
Giving fewer treats and chew snacks or offsetting them against your dog's daily food allowance can help with weight loss. Some chew snacks with particularly high fat content, such as those made from salmon, herring, eel or mackerel, should be given less during the diet. Even well-intentioned treats can be real fatteners. Try using petting instead of treats during →training as a reward and reduce the amount that way.
Healthy snacking has never been so tasty!
Exercise! Our last but definitely not least important tip is all about →physical activity for your furry friend. Depending on the severity of the overweight, you can increase exercise by walking faster or longer . Swimming can also help water-loving dogs lose weight. However, if your dog is severely overweight, their joints could be further damaged by increased exercise in the worst case. In this case, always consult your veterinarian.
How heavy should my dog be?
Hundreds →of different dog breeds with different body types are known today. Males are usually larger and therefore heavier than females, and individual differences also play a role! Information about the ideal weight of a dog is therefore difficult to specify. Nevertheless, the rule is that a dog at ideal weight should have a distinct waistline, and there should be a thin layer of fat over the ribs so that they are still countable.
Depending on the amount of fur it can be easier or harder to check these criteria. For the →German Shepherd or →Bernese Mountain Dog the figure of the dog is often significantly hidden by the thick coat. It's much easier with →short-haired dog breeds, like →Miniature Pinscher and similar breeds.
If you want to be completely sure, you should remember your dog's weight at the end of their growth phase or ask your vet (they usually document your dog's weight development). At the age of 12 months, or a bit later for large breeds, dogs usually reach their individual ideal weight.
How dangerous is overweight in dogs?
Being overweight can significantly shorten your furry friend's life expectancy and should not be underestimated! It also significantly reduces your pet's joy of life. As joint activities, play and fun become less and less enjoyable as their weight increases. To make sure you can enjoy as much time as possible with your dog, you should make sure their nutrition is healthy and their exercise is regular as well. That way, your dog will keep you fit for a long time too!
