How do I know if my dog is getting too fat

8 Ways to Help Your Overweight Dog

Most of the time, its a joy to share things with our dogs. Unfortunately, we share bad habits, too. It turns out our dogs are just as prone to one of our most common health problems obesity.

A few extra pounds on your pup can have serious health implications, putting your dog at risk of experiencing a wide range of diseases and conditions, including a reduced life expectancy. Added weight can also impact your dogs quality of life by affecting their mobility, energy for play, and overall mood.

As in humans, we now recognize obesity as the most important medical disease that affects our companion animals, says Dr. Alex German of the University of Liverpool/Royal Canin Weight Management Clinic.

Talk to your veterinarian for information and guidance when it comes to your dogs diet and potential weight-loss plan. In the meantime, here are eight ways you can start to help your overweight dog.

1. Know Your Dogs Healthy Weight

Different breeds and ages have different healthy weight ranges. Check what the AKC breed standard says about the ideal weight for your breed. If your dog is beyond that range, consult your vet. Its best to get a professionals help as you assess your pets accurate weight, body condition, and diet, determine if the dog would benefit from a weight-loss plan, and set a target weight to work toward.

Note that some dogs may be shorter or taller than their breed standard requirements, so the ideal weight would be within those dogs breed standard height descriptions.

2. Keep Your Dog Active

Just like humans, exercise is crucial when it comes to helping your overweight dog get healthy. Increasing your dogs activity helps burn off energy (and calories consumed).

Dont panic! Exercising your pet doesnt have to mean running marathons or going for long hikes. Regular walks and the chance to run and play in a safe off-leash environment are good forms of exercise for your dog. Participating in AKC FIT DOG is a great way for you to get moving with your pet.

Even creating a stimulating indoor environment that gets your dog moving can help. Remember, different breeds need different amounts of exercise, so consult your vet, breeder, or your dogs breed standard for guidance on how much activity is recommended.

3. Know the Difference Between Begging and Hunger

Begging is not always about wanting more to eat. In fact, its often a ploy to get more attention. (And, when its rewarded, you reinforce and encourage the behavior to continue.) If your dog begs, dont assume that theyre hungry. Trust your instincts and keep track of when the last mealtime was.

If your dog is prone to begging and youre prone to giving in to those puppy dog eyes, talk to your vet about a high-protein diet with a blend of fibers to help manage your dogs appetite and reduce their voluntary food intake. That way, you can feed your dog while knowing that they will feel fuller and stay satisfied longer.

4. Limit Treats and Table Scraps

Even when our dogs dont beg, many of us volunteer too many treats and table scraps. Dogs dont need to share everything we eat. Think of treats and scraps for your pet as you would candy for children to help you keep them to a minimum.

If you use treats for training, look for low-calorie, low-fat options and limit the amount. As an alternative, remember that clickers work great for reinforcement, and theyve got zero calories! After all, a few extra pounds can make a huge difference for dogs, who are much smaller than we are. (Even those large breeds!) So, concentrate on a healthy diet, and curb the urge to treat them with more.

5. Measure and Monitor

Once your vet has designed a weight-management plan, you should have a clear idea of how much your dog should eat at each meal. Be vigilant. Dont free-feed or eyeball how much you scoop out. Instead, use an appropriate measuring device to ensure youre managing portion control.

6. Customize Your Dogs Diet

Not all weight-loss foods are created equal, so its important to match your dog with a nutrition plan that directly addresses their specific needs. Look for a brand that offers dog food designed for your pets own issues, whether its weight management, sensitive stomachs, or something else entirely.

7. Dont Go Cold Turkey

No, this isnt about feeding your dog leftovers. Its important to ease your dog into a new diet, rather than abruptly changing what they eat. Always consult with your vet before starting your dog on a new regimen. A good guideline is to plan for at least a seven-day transition when starting a new type of food. Heres what that could look like:

• On the first two days, feed your dog 75% of their old food and 25% of the new food.
• On the third and fourth days, increase the percentage of new food to 50%, with the other 50% being the old food.
• On the fifth and sixth days, feed your dog 75% of the new food, and 25% of the old food.
• By the seventh day, you should be up to 100% of the new food.

8. Stick With It

Like human, like pet! Studies have shown that after successfully losing weight, approximately half of all dogs regained weight. The good news is that researchers also found that rebound weight gain was significantly reduced by keeping dogs on a weight-loss diet, even after achieving their target weight. So, now that youve done the hard work and transitioned to a new formula thats working, stick with it! As with so many things in our dogs worlds, consistency is the key.

How Can You Tell If Your Pet Is Overweight?

Reviewed for accuracy and updated on November 5, 2019, by Dr. Katie Grzyb, DVM

According to the Association for Pet Obesity Preventions (APOP) 2018 Pet Obesity Survey, 55.8% of dogs are classified as overweight or obese.

That means that most pets these days are overweight, even if many of their owners dont realize it.

But dog owners should be paying more attention to their dogs weight, since being overweight puts your dog at risk for many diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease andarthritis.

And while your vet can diagnose an overweight or obese dog, its easy for you to determine, too, if you know how.

Here are some tips for how to tell if your dog is overweight so that you can start a conversation with your veterinarian and help get your dog back to a healthy weight.

How to Determine If Your Dog Is Overweight

Here are three of the most reliable tools for determining if your dog is overweight.

Body Condition Score Charts

The best way to determine whether a pet is obese is by using a measurement system such as the body condition score, says Dr. Jim Dobies, a veterinarian with South Point Pet Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina, and a member of the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association (NCVMA).

Body condition score charts help you figure out where your pet falls on the healthy weight scale. Most body condition score charts work on a scale of 1-5 or 1-91 being emaciated, and the highest number being morbidly obese.

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has a great example of a body condition score chart that depicts the side view and top view of dogs that are emaciated, underweight, average, overweight and obese.

Visually Assess Your Dogs Body

But you can also assess your dog without using a dog body condition chart, Dr. Dobies says.

The best way to visually assess your dogs weight is to stand above them and look down on them. You should be able to feel their ribs but not see them. If you can see them, they are too skinny, Dr. Dobies explains.

If you cant see your dogs ribs, and you cant feel them by placing your hands on the sides of their chest, your dog is overweight, says Dr. Dobies.

Dogs should also have a nice taper at their waist (between the abdomen and where the hips go into the socket), he says. If there is very little or none at all, they are too heavy and theyll be oval-shaped.

And a very obese dog, he says, will have a pendulous abdomen, hip fat and neck fat, all of which are very noticeable. But pets dont usually reach this point of obesity until theyre at least 7 years old, he adds.

Healthy Weight Protocol for Dogs

Veterinarians can also use tools like the science-based Healthy Weight Protocol, which was created by Hills Pet Nutrition in conjunction with veterinary nutritionists at the University of Tennessee.

A vet takes measurementsfour for a dogthen inputs them into the Healthy Weight Protocol system to determine your dogs body fatindex. By comparing this with a chart, your veterinarian can tell you exactly how much weight your pet needs to lose if they are overweight.

This system allows vets to take a more scientific approach to a dogs weight loss needs. It helps them to determine exactly how many pounds a dog would need to lose and how many calories a day they need to do that healthily.

Talk With Your Veterinarian

Your veterinarian is your greatest ally for maximizing your dogs overall health. They can help you determine whether your dog is currently overweight and help you devise the best plan for helping your dog shed the extra weight in a safe way.

By: Amanda Baltazar

Featured Image: iStock.com/Firn

Is My Dog Too Skinny?

If you feel that your dog is too thin, you should consult your veterinarian. They will assess your dog's body condition to either confirm your suspicions or put your mind at ease. And if your dog is underweight, it could be a sign of a larger health problem that needs to be addressed. Apart from starvation and improper care, here are the biggest reasons dogs tend to be underweight.

Poor Nutrition

If your dog is too skinny, one of the first things to check is that you're feeding them properly. Be aware that not all dog foods are created equal in terms of calories and nutritional value. Depending on the manufacturer and brand, one cup of dry dog food can contain anywhere from around 200 to 600 calories, says Tufts University. So while you might think one cup a day is plenty for your pooch, it's possible their food isn't meeting their daily calorie requirement.

Some commercial dog foods also use improperly balanced and/or poor-quality ingredients that don't provide your dog with adequate nutrition. Check with your veterinarian for their recommendation on a high-quality dog food, and be sure to check the number of calories per cup to be sure you're giving your dog the correct amount for their size and activity level. Ask your veterinarian if you're not sure how many calories your dog should be getting each day.

Obesity in dogs

How to help your dog lose weight

Weight loss plans should be individual to your dog, so it is best to speak to your vet practice for help if you would like your dog to lose weight. Plans will generally consist of changing their diet and making sure they are getting enough exercise.

Diet The best option for many dogs will be a special weight reduction food which has the correct levels of fat, protein, and nutrients to support weight loss whilst helping your dog to not get too hungry. You should measure the amount of food carefully. Your vet or vet nurse can help you work out how much you should be giving to your dog. You should also restrict the amount of treats you give your dog. Read our advice on what to feed your dog and visit our Weigh Up page for more information.

Exercise Alongside a change in diet, you should make sure that your dog is getting enough exercise. The amount of exercise your dog needs depends on their age, breed, and health. Read our advice on how much exercise your dog needs and visit our Weigh Up page for more information.

Monitoring Weight loss in dogs is more successful when you have regular weigh-ins. Many vet practices offer weight clinics and have scales in their waiting room that you can use without an appointment. You should continue monitoring your dogs weight regularly, even after they get to their ideal weight as this will help to keep them at their ideal size. Check out our video on how to weigh your dog at home.