Daisy and her Yo Yo Dieting

I remember the first time someone told me my dog was fat. We were at the dog park, throwing the ball with the chuck-it, minding our own business. Then some rude and inconsiderate woman came up to me and said “Your dog is so cute and pudgy!” I was devastated. It was as if someone had told me “Hey thunder-thighs, you may want to put down that DQ Blizzard and go clock some miles on the Stairmaster.” I couldn’t believe someone thought MY DOG was chubby.

So I went home and called all my friends. “Is my dog pudgy?” and the answer was a resounding YES. I was dumbfounded. When had she become chubby? She was a skinny little thing when I got her. I mean, sure, she’s gained a little weight over the winter, but doesn’t everybody?

It wasn’t long after that that I took Daisy into the vet for her yearly shots. When Daisy stepped on the scale I saw a scowl on the vets face. “We’ve got a problem here” she said. I felt like a bad dog owner.

Then she started telling me some facts about dog weight gain that got my attention. Apparently, dog obesity is an epidemic (like the rest of America). Obesity can not only reduce stamina and endurance in dogs, but can also create a plethora of other physical problems. Problems include breathing difficulties, joint pain, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and decreased immune strength. Dog obesity can also be the cause of hypothyroidism. They are more at risk in surgery and more prone to injury. And this is the one that REALLY got my attention… obesity can shave up to 5 years of a dog’s life.

Well that was enough to make me change my, I mean Daisy’s, ways. This was tough. Daisy will eat anything you put in front of her. She’ll gulp the food down before she even realizes it’s something she doesn’t like. So what do you do when your dog is overweight? Let me tell you.

Cut the serving size

Just like with humans, sometimes cutting back on portions is all it takes to start shedding those pounds.

Look at Labels

Fat content for adult dog food should be between 11-16 percent. Less for more sedentary dogs.

Up the Exercise

I know you are busy. I am too. Yes there are days where Daisy has to make due with a quick trip to the backyard. Just make sure your dog gets prolonged exercise at least a few times a week.

Cookies

This is the killer. My vet was very adamant about me giving Daisy a dog biscuit ONCE A WEEK. When she saw the mortified look on my face she followed up with “your dog should get toys instead of treats”. So now Daisy gets a Kong with just a tiny bit of peanut butter inside to keep her busy for a while.

Snacks

Guess what? You CAN give her other snacks as long as they are healthy. Try carrot sticks, green beans, peas, unbuttered popcorn, orange or apple slices, pretzels or bits of banana instead. If your dog is like mine, she won’t know the difference.

No “People Food”

Have you been sneaking your talk scraps under the table when your spouse isn’t looking? It’s time to stop that. Human food is the worst thing you can give a dog with a weight problem.

Be ready, your dog is going to lay it on thick with the big-eyed, droopy-headed, frowny-face. Dogs are pros at tugging at your guilt strings. Just remember, she doesn’t understand the concept of “I’ll live longer if I keep my weight down”. All she knows is that she’s hungry, and you aren’t giving her what she wants.

With me, it only really took me being more mindful of Daisy’s diet for her to lose weight and be her old svelte self. Every once in a while the weight starts to creep up, but now I’m paying attention and I adjust her diet accordingly. With any luck, she’ll be giving me that pouty face for at least 10 more years.

Tags: dog diet, dog health, Dog Obesity, Health Pets, healthy dog food, Hypothyroidism, Overweight Dog