Weight Loss for Dog

Has anyone had to put their dog on a diet? If so, what did you do? My vet recommended Hill R/D, my friend who's a vet tech recommended Hill W/D, but then I see both have corn in it which I've heard is not good for dogs. I'm so confused! I'm also eliminating the treats - cold turkey! This will be harder for me than it will be for him, i have a feeling!

TIA!!

Re: Weight Loss for Dog

I had to put my dachshund on a diet. he was about 14lbs instead of 11. he loves to eat everything! i used wellness food for weight loss and instead of milk bones like the other 2, i gave him carrots and snap peas. the weight flew off him! he looks amazing now and looks like a real mini dachshund, not an oompa loompa!

Re: Weight Loss for Dog

cool thanks! did he have any poo issues with wellness? my boy had issues as a pup, but maybe not now.

ETA - how long did it take to lose the 3lbs?

Message edited 12/1/2009 11:17:13 PM.

Re: Weight Loss for Dog

You don't have to stop treating, just give him things that are better for him. Like the PP said, carrots, green beans, even apples and bananas.

Cut back the food by 1/4 cup and give him at least 15 minutes more of structured exercise a day than you currently are. Like walks and fetching instead of letting him out. Keep removing 1/4 cup and adding 15 minutes until you get to a weight your vet is comfortable with.

Extra weight on our pets is a much bigger problem than people talk about - even 5 pounds is a big difference! You can do it, don't feel bad about anything. Just keep remembering it's your job to do what's right for them when you feel guilty.

Message edited 12/2/2009 11:15:43 AM.

Re: Weight Loss for Dog

Thank you, ladies!
Last night he was crying at his cookie jar. I went over and just petted him (after he stopped crying) and told him how much I loved him. Going to the store for green beans and apples now. Also, I just bought wellness core lowfat dog food.

we already take four walks a day, at 30-45 minutes each walk. it'll be hard to add more exercise to that, but i'll try getting him to run after a ball in the hallway a bit (we live in an apt building). I feel in our situation it's the food that will make a huge difference. No more cheese in his dinner bowl. and now green beans/apples instead of high fat treats.

Re: Weight Loss for Dog

That will make it a lot easier then, I didn't realize he was getting so much exercise in the first place.

You could try freezing anything you give him too. We tried out a lot of stuff on Brinkley, fruits and veggies. Bananas are his favorite! We've given him watermelon which was another biggie. He likes apples a lot but they tend to soften his poop so we don't do that daily.

You could even freeze a Kong with all good veggies and stuff inside and give it to him as a toy!