Is Fido in need of a diet plan?

One of the most common health issues our dogs suffer from is excessive weight. 

An overweight dog is an unhealthy dog for many reasons. Particular breeds, especially larger breeds of dog, can be prone to hip and spine issues, any extra weight on them can bring this on earlier in life and even shorten your pets life span. Not only can extra weight cause problems in the hips and spine but it also puts extra pressure on your dog's joints, which can also lead onto early arthritis and cause serious pain for your pet.

A lot of us make the same mistake, we all want to spoil our mates and make them feel like part of the family, but how much is too much?

Dogs are very smart creatures and can work out our routine very quickly.

One of the most common things is;

'He's hungry, he's looking for more food.'

If they know that food is going to be given to them when they display a certain behaviour then they will continue that.

It is a common problem that a lot of us can't give our dogs the amount of exercise they require, all dogs would enjoy one decent walk a day. Weather, work and other factors can come into this and change the routine.

Dogs gain weight because they are feed too much and not burning enough energy to get rid of this excess weight. Whether your dog if fed a dry diet, a raw diet or a mixture of both there are guidelines you should always follow. Most dog food's will have stated the amount your dog requires for their size. If your dog is overweight, speak to your vet about the ideal weight they should be at and feed them to this sizing, not their overweight size.

A lot of doggy owner feed twice a day, which is great, but you must remember to break up their daily requirement into two meals, not two servings of the daily requirement. The best thing you can do is feed a larger serving with their morning meal and a smaller serving overnight. Dogs are a lot more active throughout the day so can burn their morning meal a lot quicker. Generally once they eat their night time meal they will head off to sleep for the night, therefor this meal just turns into fat. Keep in mind that their night time meal should just be something little so they aren't sleeping on an empty stomach.

Exercise is obviously another key factor. If your dog isn't getting regular exercise, not only will they get bored but they will gain weight. Depending on the breed and energy levels will depend on how often and how long a walk they will need, but if for some reason their regular amount of exercised is shortened, then adjust their meals accordingly. You are not starving your dog! Many people worry that because their dog can't tell them what they want that they are doing the wrong thing. Dog's are very similar to humans in many ways, if we reduce our meal sizes safely, our body adjusts and our weight is maintained. Dogs are no different to this.

If your not sure if your dog is at a healthy weight it's best to ask your vet, there are guideline for certain breeds but just like humans, every dog is different. Once you work out a good routine with your vet, stick to it! If your dog is used to getting treats throughout the day and you want to keep this up, that if fine! Just reduce their morning and night meals slightly to compensate.

Below is a dog weight chart that you can use as a rough guide, again if you are concerned the best thing to do is speak with your Vet and work out the right food plan for your pet specifically.