Is your dog a little fatty? If he is, then really it is your fault, dogs that are overweight have a shorter life span, you are actually putting him in danger of so many ailments. He could be at risk of developing painful conditions like arthritis and life-threatening ones like cardiovascular disease or diabetes.Knowing what is in the food that you feed your dog and making sure you are not feeding him too much or too often is an important part of good pet care, So, how fat is too fat for your dog?,read on to learn more:
Don't overfeed him
An overweight dog is not a healthy dog, and lets face it he doesn't get up and make his own meals does he. Your dog needs to go on a special dog diet. Your dog relies on you for his meals and falling for those big brown puppy eyes will almost always end up with a overfeed dog.
Did you know that in the USA alone 40% of pets are overweight, according to a recent survey? If your dog is overweight then it is eating more calories than necessary. Period! If your dog is overweight and is otherwise healthy then it is eating way too much. Certainly have your pet examined by your Vet to check for heart, thyroid or other metabolic disorders to rule out a possible medical cause. Be honest with your vet about how much or how little exercise your dog gets, and how often, as well as how much you feed, what and when you feed, and how often you give treats to your dog.
Feeding your dog every time he barks or makes a fuss is a huge mistake, this is teaching him that bad behavior reaps reward, so ultimately he will misbehave even more simply because he knows that he will get a treat. Your dog can't help overeating whilst ever you keep feeding him he is certainly not learning any good manners this way but he is getting fat.
We as pet owners often make excuses for the fact that our pets are overweight and the classic excuse for overweight dogs is the one that goes "My Dog won't eat dog food." He only likes table scraps and treats, lets face it this is our dog training us to give him whatever he wants and it works, but the dog is paying the price for it physically It's hard not to overeat when you're getting the "yummy treats" isn't it? Remember it is up to YOU the owner to choose the best high quality nutritious feed on the market or make it at home yourself.
The most important ingredient listed in the dog food that you feed to your dog should be MEAT not a grain like corn, make sure that you check carefully what is in the feed that you use.
The hardest part about putting your dog on a weight loss diet is NOT to give in to him when he begs, make sure you have him properly weighed before you start his diet. You will need to reduce his total daily intake by one third in order for your dog to lose weight this includes all treats and snacks, then weigh him again after two weeks. If at the end of two weeks he has lost weight you can stick to this new diet until he has reached his perfect weight, of course if his weight has not gone down then reduce his intake by another one third but check first that someone else in your family has not been sneaking him a few treats.
If you're wondering about low cal diets for dogs, you CAN get them, but many vets don't like to recommend them as they have very restricted fat levels BUT because the fat is reduced the carbs are increased. Increased carb production produces extra insulin that tells the dog's body to store the unused calories as fat.
There are plenty or nutritious foods which have loads of doggie palate appeal out there, so you should never feel like your dog is missing something by not dining at the family table.
You should try the internets best selling ebook published by Sharda Baker "Complete Guide to Your Dog's Nutrition".
Why not grab Sharda's Special Free Dog Food Report just visit the link below.
