An overweight dog is an unhealthy and unhappy one. However your dog managed to get to be overweight, it’s important that you understand how to make your dog lose weight so that he or she can go back to being fit, happy and healthy. Those extra pounds are bad for your dog’s overall health, but especially for his or her heart, joints and range of movements. Fortunately, making a dog lose weight is much easier than losing weight yourself – you have 100% control of the food that it eats and how much exercise it gets. (Unless you have family members who are sabotaging your efforts.)
Use These Ten Dog Weight Loss Tips to Make Sure Your Beloved Friend Loses Weight
1. Know how much to feed your dog
Most dog owners just fill their dog’s bowl directly from the food bag, having no precise knowledge of how much they are feeding at any given time (and similarly no knowledge of how much they should be giving their dog). It’s a simple and well known fact: unless your dog has a condition that makes him gain weight, or is eating a highly un-balanced diet, the only reason he is overweight is that he or she ingests more calories than they have the opportunity to expend. Reduce the amount of food you give your dog. Your vet can tell you exactly how much he or she needs and how often they should eat. Puppies need to eat 4 to 6 times a day but older dogs only need to eat once or twice daily. If your dog is fat, give him or her less food. Don’t worry if it’s a little hungry. This is the first simple step to making your dog lose weight.
2. Feed your dog the right kind of food
Not all dog foods are created equal. Dog foods containing a lot of carbohydrates are conducive to weight gain because they spike the bod’s insulin levels, which send signals to your fat (and muscle cells) to grow. Look for dog food that contains less carbs and features protein as the first ingredient. Your vet should be able to help you choose the right food for your canine, and offer more tips as to how to make your dog lose weight. We aren’t recommending that you put your dog on a ketogenic diet necessarily, but lowering the carbs will have a great effect on weight loss.
3. Give your dog the right kind of treats
Treats are not a no-no per say, but treats high in fats and sugars certainly don’t help with weight loss programs. Choose treats made of a few natural ingredients and hand them out sparingly. Alternatively, you can also break treats into smaller bites, which will result in more snacks for the same amount of calories. This is a good way to figure out how to make your dog lose weight fast, and a healthy way to do so as well.
4. Offer healthy alternatives to treats
Did you know that many dogs enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables? Instead of offering the traditional dog treat, try to give your dog baby carrots, green beans or banana and apple slices. You’ll probably be surprised to see that your dog likes them, and they’re a perfectly healthy snack too. Stay away from foods that are poisonous to dogs like onions and avocado however!
5. Play and exercise – a lot
It should be obvious that exercise is one important answer to how to make your dog lose weight, but don’t discount play as a form of exercise. Overweight dogs are harder to get to exercise, so starting with smaller, less demanding activities like playing tug-of-war or a few games of fetch to get them going. Don’t forget that an overweight dog’s joints are prone to be stiff and sore, and muscles that haven’t been exercised in a while will also become sore more quickly. This might not be how to make your dog lose weight fast, but sometimes slow and steady is the way to go – until your dog has lost enough weight and gained enough strength for more demanding exercises. If you have access to a pool or lake, aqua therapy is also a great option! When dogs get excited – playing tug of war with you, seeing a new toy, etc., they will forget their laziness and exercise.
6. Supplements
Dog supplements are often a great way to get your pup moving. They are good for his health and the right supplements can help ease aching joints, facilitating movement and exercise. Talk to your vet about what supplements could do for your dog, and which ones he or she recommends based on your dog’s situation. This is a simple way to make your dog lose weight, and also feel better on his way to being healthier.
7. Adjust food intake based on age
As your dog gets older, he or she may become less active and thus require less food. If you aren’t adjusting the amount of food you feed your dog as his or her needs change, chances are your dog will just keep eating everything you offer – and pack on the pounds. It’s normal for older dogs to exercise less, so it’s your responsibility to make sure that you keep an eye on how much they eat. This might not be how you make your dog lose weight fast, but it certainly will help over time.
8. Be patient
We’d all like to have a magic answer to the question “How to make your dog lose weight fast?” The truth of it is, weight gain doesn’t happen overnight, and neither does weight loss. Losing weight too rapidly isn’t healthy either, as it means that your dog is undernourished and will have less energy to exercise and strengthen muscles. So keep a steady course and the pounds will come off.
9. Invest in a feeding ball
Feeding balls are great in that they make your dog work for his food, essentially forcing him to exercise in order to eat. All you have to do is fill the ball with food (or treats) and let your dog figure out how to get the morsels out, one at a time. This encourages exercise, both physical and mental, as well as slow eating, which is a good way to fill up faster and eat less. This might not be the answer for every owner wondering how to make a dog lose weight, but it certainly works for many dogs out there. Just search on amazon and you’ll find plenty of options. Our personal favorite is this one.
10. Set a realistic goal
Underfeeding your dog dramatically or over-exercising him is not a safe way to make your dog lose weight fast, or otherwise. Talk to your vet and figure out just how much weight your dog needs to lose, and how quickly. Show compassion and encouragement – stressing out your dog will serve no purpose in his weight loss, and might even hinder it. Remember, the best changes are the ones that come slowly and consistently.
Summary
There is no magical answer to the question of how to make a dog lose weight fast, but there are many ways to help your dog lose weight consistently until he is once more fit and healthy. By combining all the tips above, any determined and patient owner will see the weight loss results they seek in their dog sooner than they realize.
