Is There More Puff Than Woof In Your Dog?

yawning-dogJust like us, your dog can become overweight and just like us – it is insidious, the pounds just seem to creep up and before you know it, your dog has a problem. Some people can keep their weight nicely balanced and not ever have a problem with their weight, for others it is a constant battle.

Dogs are just like us in that way, because some have no problem maintaining an appropriate weight and others have to fight the good fight all the time.

Why dogs gain weight

The problem is that your dog’s weight is a reflection of the amount of exercise he or she is given and their food intake. Just like us, if they eat too much of the wrong foods, and do not exercise enough, they gain weight.

Even more problematical is that dogs don’t generally feed themselves, we give them their food. So it is up to us to help our pet pooches maintain a healthy weight. Yes, this can be easier said than done sometimes, because we do tend to pamper our furry friends – don’t we?

Just a little piece of pie maybe? Or the leftovers from dinner? Their sorrowful eyes and the look on their face when they really want something to eat or another snack, makes us give in to them too often. The end result is s porky dog that needs to lose a few extra pounds.

So the reason your darling pooch is overweight is because you have fed them too much and they have not run it all off with exercise.

The problems of overweight dogs

Exactly like us, being overweight can cause serious health problems in your dog. More than a few extra pounds can cause diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. The excess weight can also impact their mobility with arthritis and pains in their joints. An overweight dog can have real problems walking very far and the more overweight, the less exercise they are able to do.

How to help your dog lose weight

The solution is twofold, your dog needs to eat less and exercise more. We already know that this is how to fix their weight problem, but as with ourselves, sometimes we just don’t do what is best for us.

If you love your pet however, it might be time to bite the bullet and make an appointment with your vet to discuss your plan of action. Your vet will weigh your dog and tell you how much weight they need to lose and also suggest an eating plan for them.

Your vet will likely tell you not to let your dog graze all day long and eat whenever they feel like it, but to give them regular meals with no snacks. They will advise you of the correct amount and type of food you need to give your dog, so that they lose weight slowly and keep it off.

As you know there is nothing like a hungry dog’s sad eyes to make you go running for the cookie jar, so you will have to be strong for the sake of your dog’s health.

Don’t forget that you will need to increase their exercise as well, which is something you can both enjoy together. As your dog loses their excess weight, you will feel really proud that you were able to help your lovable pet achieve a healthy lifestyle.

For information on our dog walking services in the Northern Beaches area of Sydney, call Tracey on 0413 097 821 or complete our online enquiry form.