How do I get my husky to lose weight

How To Help a Skinny Husky Gain Weight: 5 Top Tips

If your husky is skinny or underweight, youll want to know why and what the next steps are to get them at a healthy weight again.

In this article, I cover everything owners need to know about husky weight and how to help a skinny husky gain a few pounds!

I will explain the three main causes of an underweight husky, which is of course crucial to know before trying any of the following.

5 Tips to help your husky gain weight.

• Add unsalted chicken broth
• Use dog food seasoning
• Mix in wet dog food to his kibble
• Add organic unsalted peanut butter
• Limit the time they have to eat

Empty food bowls will definitely help get your husky to gain extra weight. However, theres more to it than that, so lets first take a look at some important things to think about.

Normal Weight For Huskies

Does my tail look big in this!?

Lets take a look at the normal weight ranges for huskies. You may be concerned about your huskys weight when you dont need to be! Most huskies are on the slim side, and thats perfectly normal.

If you can feel his ribs a tiny bit, this is ok, just as long its a small amount. Remember that in general, for dogs, its healthier to be slightly underweight, than overweight.

According to the American Kennel ClubThe normal weight for an adult male husky is 45lbs 60lbsThe normal weight for an adult female husky is 35lbs 60lbs

This can vary slightly but your husky should ideally fit within these weight ranges.

Related Article: Why Is My Husky So Small?

3 Main Causes of Underweight Huskies

Rule out health issues

Of course, ruling out health issues is the most important thing to do and should be done first. Its strongly recommended to take your husky to the vet in these situations:

1. Your husky has completely refused to eat for more than 2 days 2. Your husky is eating more than usual and is still very underweight

If your husky hasnt eaten in around 2 days, you will need to take him to your local veterinarian asap. Hell need to have some nutrients very quickly and further checks to discover what the issue is.

If your husky is eating a lot but is still skinny, its possible he has worms. Worms feed on your dogs body and can lead to weight loss.

1. Inadequate diet & nutrition

Perhaps your husky is not getting along with his current diet. A good starting point is to make sure you are using a premium, trusted brand of dog food.

Its important that your husky is only eating high-quality ingredients from trusted sources to avoid an upset stomach. If his food is giving him any kind of discomfort, he wont eat it.

I have an interesting article that goes in-depth about why your husky isnt eating.

There is a big discussion around huskies eating a raw food diet. This topic has been covered in much more detail in another one of my posts.

Although the raw food diet supposedly has great benefits for huskies, its a complicated diet, and getting it right is very challenging.

If you have recently tried changing diets to a raw food diet and your husky is struggling to adjust, then I strongly recommend you go back to commercial dog food.

2. Fussy eating

Although this coincides with the diet section, huskies can be so stubborn that it deserves its own little piece!

There may be nothing wrong with your huskys diet or the food youre giving him.

If your husky gets remotely bored with his food, hell just stop eating it. just. like. that

Fussy eating can also develop if owners offer too many treats or tidbits throughout the day. A husky will quickly realize that if they refuse their own food, they may get something better off our plates!

This is where youll need to spice up his food to get him eating it again. Before you grab the chili, read the section below!

Related Article: Why I Love Human-Grade Pet Food

3. Too much exercise

Yep, theres such a thing as too much exercise even for a husky!

If your husky is extremely active were talking about 3 hours a day of exercise. Then their caloric intake will need to be completely different to cope with this.

A regular diet for a husky this active will not suffice. So its either their exercise that needs to be reduced or their calories that need to be upped.

• Highly active adult huskies could eat up to 2500-3000 calories a day and be just fine, depending on their actual exercise levels.

• If your husky is highly active, try raising calories to 2000 per day and monitor their weight over 2-3 weeks. (most huskies consume between 1250-1750 anyway, so testing out 2000 shouldnt be too much of a jump.

5 Best Ways To Help a Husky Gain Weight

1. Add unsalted chicken broth

A simple but very effective way to get your husky actually eating his food is to pour some chicken broth over the kibble before you put it down.

Nothing is more attractive to a husky than some tasty chicken juice. You can save the broth leftover from your dinner and use it for your huskys mealtimes.

Be sure that youre using plain chicken broth. Its not a good idea to be adding salt and other ingredients that might upset the sensitive stomach of your husky. You can also make delicious, healthy chicken broth biscuits which serve as a great treat for your husky.

This doesnt increase calories too much, but more just encourages huskies to eat if their food if theyre currently refusing it.

2. Use dog food seasoning from Herbsmith

Herbsmith offers a fun and healthy way to make your furry friends kibble more exciting is to use dog food seasoning.

Much like we would add spices and herbs to our food to enhance the flavor, you can do the same for your huskys kibble.

They have various flavors in their range, all made from high-quality natural ingredients. Mix it into your huskys food and this will definitely give him something to drool over.

Their products have excellent reviews and are very reasonably priced. Check Herbsmith out here on Amazon.com.

3. Mix in wet dog food to his kibble

A small change in texture could be enough for him to start eating his food once again. Wet dog food is highly nutrition, high in protein and calories. So not only will this get him eating again, but itll increase his calories too (a little).

Preferably you use the same brand for the wet food as you already use for the dry food. Using the same brand will ensure the same quality of ingredients as your regular dry kibble.

Try introducing a small amount and always remember to follow the correct portion sizes.

Although huskies will never eat more than they need to, its still vital that YOU know the number of calories and the nutritional breakdown you are giving him.

I highly recommend Blue Buffalo Limited Ingredient Wet Dog Food. This avoids irritating sensitive stomachs.

4. Add organic unsalted peanut butter

It still seems that peanut butter is LOVED by practically every husky, so mixing in a small dollop to your dogs food will work wonders.

Yes its true that dogs should avoid many varieties of nuts however, peanuts arent actually nuts, theyre legumes filled with a lot of nutrition.

It is important to use organic unsalted peanut butter without the ingredient Xylitol. Other than salt and Xylitol, your husky should be perfectly fine eating peanut butter.

I recommend checking out the article below for more information on peanut butter and huskies.

Related article: Can huskies eat peanut butter?

5. Limit the time he has to eat (combat food refusal)

This is more of a training method. The goal of this is to train your husky to eat his food when you put it down.

Huskies can be left all day with food in the bowl and he will only eat when hes hungry, however, this is teaching him to graze and not eat properly.

Many husky owners have had great success by limiting the time that the food bowl remains down.

All you do is call dinner time, place the bowl on the floor, and in exactly 10 minutes pick the bowl up again.

Thats all the chance he has to eat until the next mealtime. By doing this, youre teaching your husky that food is not always readily available, he needs to eat his food when you give it to him or it will shortly be gone.

This actually simulates what it would have been like for huskies over thousands of years. Nothing like a kickback to the past!

Additional Info: The Honest Kitchen

Popular Articles on My Happy Husky:13 Signs That Your Husky Actually Loves YouHow To Completely Train a Husky Puppy

Exercise Requirements

This wouldnt be a real husky article if I didnt mention husky exercise! Seriously though, huskies need A LOT of exercise.

Due to their upbringing for many years with the Chukchi Tribe in Siberia and sled racing in Alaska, they crave intense physical exercise, this is normal for them.

Without sufficient physical activity, your husky will be conserving too much energy, and this will not create a healthy appetite.

Summary

Its always important to be aware of the overall health of your husky, or any pet for that matter! So please, if you have an inkling that something just isnt right, never hesitate to contact your veterinarian.

Its good to know the correct information specific to the breed of dog you have.

If you are paying close attention to your pet you will notice when things dont seem right.

I hope this article has helped you and has given you some ideas to try out!

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The Furminator Undercoat Rakeand aHertzko Slicker Brushare by far the two best brushes that any husky owner should use.

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Brain Training For Dogs has become very popular with Siberian Huskies in the last few years. Owners that have tried it say amazing things about the incredible results and how easily implemented the training is.

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If you would like an easy to read guide for training your husky puppy, check out my bookThe Husky Puppy Handbookon Amazon.All purchases are greatly appreciated.

How to help your husky lose weight

If you have a Siberian Husky at home, you will probably to take all necessary measures to maintain its overall health and well-being. One of the major problems you might encounter is your Husky becoming obese. Despite its strong built, your Husky needs a very small amount of food per day compared to dogs of similar size, usually only 1 to 2 cups of kibble or specially formulated raw diet. But this food has to be of superior quality to meet your huskys needs. Here is a list of important tips that will help you motivate your dog to lose weight and become fit.

1. Provide high-quality dog food

The food your Siberian Husky consumes plays a big role in their weight gain and fitness. You should never spend money on low-quality dog food brands, as they contain a higher amount of corn and other grains. You need to be careful when choosing dry food for your pup, checking its nutritious benefits and picking a brand that offers a big amount of meat in its products.

2. Understand the nutritional requirements

The nutritional requirements of Siberian Huskies differ from those of other dogs. You need to provide them with nutritionally balanced meals in order to maintain their physical stamina and muscular body. Such a diet should contain proteins and amino acids that are derived from plant-based foods and meat. Moreover, it is important to add vitamins, fats, and minerals to the meals.

3. Increase exercise

Exercise is one of the most efficient, healthy methods to help your Husky lose weight. If you dont take your dog for a walk every morning, its about time you start to make a habit out of it. If you already do, start prolonging the walks and maybe add some playtime to the daily schedule. If you use a bicycle for transportation, consider taking your dog jogging alongside you while running errands.

4. Give smaller treats

Have If you have a habit of giving your Husky treats every day, you might want to consider cutting that off. Dog treats do, in fact, contribute to the overall weight of your dog and therefore need to be given when truly earned and in small amounts. Dogs dont generally care how big the treat is, they just appreciate getting one. Consistently giving your Husky treats indirectly affects their continuous desire for food, whether hungry or not. Try buying treats with low-calorie counts to avoid adding unnecessary fats to your pups daily intake. Avoid treating your dog with foods we humans consume for pleasure, hence no peanut butter, cheese, hot dogs and etc. Replace these unhealthy snacks with broccoli, green beans, baby carrots and other healthy options.

5. Make your Siberian husky work for food

Last but not least, it is recommended that you make your Siberian Husky work for food. Huskies are natural hunters, therefore it shouldnt be hard for them to understand the concept of giving a little effort to receive a meal. Puzzles and food-dispensing balls can be considered as the best methods available for you to make your dog work for food. By doing this, your dog will be burning extra calories, exercise their natural instinct and feel rewarded when they get to eat. It will also help preventing your dog from being picky about the food, as some tend to avoid vegetables and go straight for the meat. The challenge will most certainly help your dog enjoy their entire plate.