Dog Harmony

Overweight Dogs Are In Danger

It's happening all over America. Waistlines are stretching. And it's happening to our dogs as well with the same risks to their health as to ours. Many of us have trouble sticking to the habits that keep us in top shape, for many reasons. Your dog is lucky on that count because he or she looks to you to provide the diet and exercise that keeps him healthy. Additionally, dogs usually do not have the access to 'break' their diets and the exercise is a part of their day they look forward to.

During my dog's checkup at our vet's, I was told my dog was a few pounds overweight. He's a fairly large dog so 5 or 6 pounds didn't seem like much to me, but it's the beginning of a cycle where he exercises less, keeps eating in the way that put on those pounds and he keeps gaining. My vet explained that pets that are overweight will die early from heart problems, stroke, cancer, diabetes, etc.

I wasn't sure where to start. I didn't know anything about dog nutrition, I just bought the food my vet recommended and tried to keep the treats somewhat healthy. I've never given my dog table scraps either. I was worried about just cutting down on his food and not knowing how much he should really have a day or how fast he could lose safely. My vet said to follow the servings on the bag. My problem was I had been following the servings on the bag. It turns out the dog food manufacturer is in the food selling business and is 'generous' in their recommended servings per day.

'50 Healthy Ways to Slim Your Pet' is the resource I found that helped me get my dog back into great shape. It was a practical guide full of 'how to' tips. I was able to find many that fit for my dog as well as get help on low-cal treats and ways to keep him feeling satisfied with their Stretch Diet. My dog loved the Monster Mash version. We're closer than ever as we exercise and play together and I'm looking forward to many years of his love and companionship.