Dog Obesity Symptoms and Weight-Loss Strategy

We admit that we love to spoil our dogs with some extra cuddles or treats from time to time. The problem arises when those extra calories start to build up. Earlier on, we wrote about is the dry dog food better than the wet one, and we continue our dog nutrition series with an article about dog obesity.

Symptoms of dog obesity

Maybe it looks cute to you when your dog is a bit chunky but is it healthy? To answer this question we must define dog obesity and see what its symptoms are.

According to petmd.com dog obesity is an excess of body fat, and is associated with several major health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis. Also, it can result in serious health issues that could shorten your dog’s life, even if your dog is slightly overweight.

The 3 main symptoms of dog obesity are:

• weight gain,
• excess body fat and
• inability (or unwillingness) to exercise.

Fortunately, you can help your pet with a good canine obesity strategy.

Dog weight loss journey: meals and training

To fix your pet's weight issue you should change its diet and start or improve its training.

As for nutrition, the American Kennel Society suggests this plan:

1. Measure meals: Keeping a diary is one of the most important steps in any human weight-loss program. Since dogs can’t write, you’ll have to do it for him. Keep track of how much kibble you are feeding by using a measuring cup.
2. Establish a schedule: If you free-feed, leaving food down all day, offer meals on a set schedule. Put the food down for a certain time, perhaps 15 minutes, and take up any food that the dog does not eat.
3. Limit between-meal snacks: Dogs get a lot of calories in addition to their regular kibble. These can include anything from training treats to a biscuit slipped over the fence by a friendly neighbor. Those calories add up. Find out where the extras are coming from and manage how many extra goodies the dog is getting.
4. Choose low-calorie treats: Many store-bought treats, especially biscuits, can be fattening. The same goes for chews. Some dogs will be just as happy with fruits or vegetables, like bananas, carrots, green beans, and apple slices, for example.

If you want to know more about dog training, check out our blog post How often should you train your dog.

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