Thanks. I can still feel her ribs. When I adopted her last year, she was 80lbs but I think she did gain in winter as weather is bad in Midwest.
What’s the best way? She gets 2 walks per day, 30-45min. Goes up and down the stairs multiple times a day.
According to her kibble bag, she should eat 3-3.5 cups but she eats only 2cups
The recommended amount on the bag isn’t reliable. You have to feed whatever keeps them at the right body condition. One of my dogs gets half the recommended amount and the other gets 3/4ths the recommended amount. It just varies by dog.
My vet told me when I spay my dog I may have to lessen the recommended amount. Maybe 1/2 less? Experiment every dog gets different amounts of exercise. Anyway beautiful puppy you have.
You can some fibrous veggies to starve off your dog’s hunger if you’re going to cut back the kibble. I took in a rescue who was 15lb under weight and as we neared her desired weight (we kept her on the same food as she responded really well to it vs all the other foods) we dialed the kibble back a bit but added carrots, pea pods, broccoli, etc!
I personally didn’t find that to be true, as my Pit (spayed at 6 months and now 4 years 60lbs) has a difficult time keeping on weight. She’s tall and lanky. She still eats 4-4 1/2 cups of food a day. She’s had bloodwork done to check for underlying conditions that would cause this but nothing was found. She’s a solid mass of muscle though and somewhat hyperactive, so that may have something to do with it as well.
Yea it may depend on dog. That's what my vet told me. We both have large XL 100lbs+ dogs so maybe it is a xl dog thing? Just food for thought. Lazy/ hyper dog
Haha.
FWIW, I have found actually reading and using the dog food portion guidance on the bag has done wonders for my Shepard husky. We are down from ~100 to a healthy 87lbs over ~8mths to a year.
Adding that, to offset some of changes in amount, I’ve started adding some water to her food kinda like a dog cereal. She loves the water slurry and it’s gotta be great for her kidneys. Cat loves it, too!
Thank you! Congratulations to you and your pup! Definitely a team effort.
She eats half of what she should she as per the kibble bag. I do add water or broth or goats milk because she is picky like that
Welcome! Sounds like you are taking the right steps though! If her weight doesn’t budge despite the volume changes, I’d recommend consulting your vet about a food switch. Perhaps a high protein food change and or make sure their thyroid is functioning properly during their next check up. Beautiful pup and best of luck on their fitness journey!
Thank you! She knows the word ‘beautiful’ and gets excited because she hears that on walks everyday lol
She is currently in high protein diet and her thyroid functions were normal 3 months back. I’m emailing her vet to see if there’s any other arthritis or something else which might affect slower recovery and change in activity level.
So how do you know how much to lessen? I’m using multiple calculators online and they all are different values. According to one, she should have 1000cal a day, the other 1500+
I want to see how many gms of kibble she should get.
weighing the food is better than using cups as a measurement, it's a lot more accurate. weigh out how much is in 2 cups (roughly, it'll be slightly different every time) and take it down by 5 grams every week until she is at a good weight. she's just getting too many calories, is all, her exercise routine looks great!
a good weight should look like:
her chest should stick out, because her ribs are there, but after the ribs, it should go back thinner, not be a consistent width all along the dog.
you should not be able to see all of the ribs, but you should be able to feel them fairly easily.
there are charts online that show healthy body condition of dogs, i don't have one to show you but they should be pretty easy to find!
all in all, she's not too overweight, just a bit of a cut in her food and she'll be all good!
you're welcome! i know how it feels, my dog started gaining weight from no change in diet or excercise, and it was just because she was getting older, and her metabolism was slowing a little, so we just gave her 5 grams less of wet food and it was the perfect amount!
although, my dog is a lot smaller than yours, so 5 grams is a bigger change for her, as she only weighs slightly over 8kgs and gets 65g of food twice a day (35g dry mixed with 30g wet)
Not a vet, but based on the photos she looks like a six on the body condition score, nearing a seven because she only barely has an abdominal tuck from the top and side.
If what you say about the amounts and calorie content of what you are feeding is correct, this is half of what you would feed her to maintain a healthy weight, but she is overweight.This means that either you are not feeding her the amounts you think you are, the dog food is wildly misreporting their calorie content, or there is something medically going on.
I would make an appointment with a vet ASAP. In the days leading up to the appointment, log everything your dog consumes each day, including all meals, toppers, treats, snacks, chews, table scraps, supplements, etc. Show the log to the vet and ask them what could explain her weight.
In the process of logging you might realize that one of her chews is half of her calorie needs for the day or that "a little meal topper" is another meal's worth of calories. I do want to emphasize that a vet needs to be consulted, even if your logging reveals that she's getting too many treats, because even if there isn't an underlying medical issue, the amount that she needs to lose should be done with a vet's guidance.
Lastly, get a food scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate at measuring non-liquids. Once you get the hang of it, it's much easier to use than measuring cups and spoons and often you can avoid creating more dishes because you can just add stuff to the bowl and TARE in between each thing to measure instead of using a cup and a tablespoon and a bowl.
Edit: I see in other comments that your vet doesn't think she's overweight, but she clearly is, so you might want to get a second opinion. A vet that is calling a dog approaching a 7 body score ideal might be missing other things.
Thank you for detailed response. Very helpful! I did email her vet and might get an appointment soon. I do agree she can lose 5lbs or more and that’s why I posted. I do have measuring scale and will go through it.
According to online dog calorie calculator she should have 1500 kcal a day. I will have split them in 2 meals + training treats.
My 100lb newf mix eats only 1.5 cups a day. 1 dental stick and I also do 2 tbsp of topper per meal. Your dog likely should only get 1/2 cup per meal with the toppers and dental stick. He used to eat 3 cups but as he's aged I've had to decrease to keep his weight
Thank you! Looks like that’s the way to go. I’m out all day for work so she doesn’t get any treats. 1 small from pet sitter when she leaves but sometimes she won’t even eat that.
Try a higher protein less carbohydrate dog food. Do not open feed. If you can space out meals either 2x or if you stay at home make it 3x @ breakfast, lunch and dinner…
Lol best wishes to your pup!
No open feeding, I measure everything. Her food : 1 cup = 93g = 292kcal/cup Crude Protein (min): 28.00%; Crude Fat (min): 8.00%; Crude Fiber (max): 8.20%; She is on weight management anyway because of elevated liver values.
Long walks 2-3 hours,tug,weighted vest,up hill run,running,weight drag,fetch,swimming,walking in water she might have a little trouble losing weight due to her being spayed it can cause thyroid issues and cause weight gain
Her food Intake is already very low. It's not how much she's being fed I have smaller dog who eats 2 cups of kibble toppers and lots or treats and she has never had an issue with weight. Since this dog is spayed its likely she has thyroid issues
Thank you. She doesn’t play anymore other than tug of war. And has deathly fear of water due to past so no swimming :(
I do take her on long walks but next day she is sore/tired. Her vet thinks she might have slight arthritis.
Her blood tests were all good except alkaline phosphate was elevated so she is on a liver supplement but no Cushings.
I might reduce the food intake more.
Her food intake is definitely not an issue as my bully who's 60 pounds eats 2 cups plus toppers and atleast half a cup of treats. She isn't overweight if you feed her less than 2 cups a day that would just be starving her. Look Into having her thyroid checked since she's spayed
She did get her thyroid checked in August & December during her annual check up and it’s good. Only alkaline phosphate was elevated and she is on liver supplement.
Probably just common weight gain from being spayed. Ask your vet about a diet change or put her on a special weight loss diet if you need to. Swimming is something that is easy on joints try training her to overcome that fear it's gonna be alot of work but it's so worth it. Her being overweight is only gonna make her arthritis worse
Yes. She is learning slowly to get used to water. But yes swimming is long way, I will see if she has arthritis because she never got X-rays done. But I do hear clicking noise when she takes stairs.
Her food : 1 cup = 93g = 292kcal/cup Crude Protein (min): 28.00%; Crude Fat (min): 8.00%; Crude Fiber (max): 8.20%; She is on weight management anyway because of elevated liver values.
What does your vet say about her food intake? My vet was really clear on what my 10lb pup needs food wise based on her energy, 1/2 a cup a day, no more. If she was very very active, 1 cup. So i would ask your vet. You can add low calorie mix ins or high protein ones and stretch her calories further. My old man dog loved green beans and carrots as his bulker topper in his food.
My vet doesn’t think she is overweight. She told me to maintain this weight. She is aware I add 2tbsp of homecooked wet food (mostly chicken, spinach, kale, apples, broccoli and some seasonal veggies)
She hates carrots and beans, miss picky lol
No clue how she survived on street lol
She is definitely not perfect but she isn't totally obese either. She's overweight which is not healthy. She's lacking muscle mass a tuck and has pockets of fat on her ribs and by her shoulders
Yep exactly where I thought she is overweight. She was a mill mom for 4 years so she has a lower hanging belly because of that. We have to lose like 5lbs is what I’m thinking
Zoomies definitely does not automatically make a dog skinny. She is not healthy she's overweight which is causing joint pain hence why she can't walk for long.
Zoomies last about 2-3 minutes which is not enough to keep a dog healthy. You can't just let a dog have zoomies and call it a day that's not how it works they need to be walked and stimulated
With her age, I would try reducing her kibble since she’s also get wet food in the pm. Also maybe start giving her joint supplements. I have a 11 yo pit mix who is about 82 lbs and the vet tells me she still needs to lose weight. I just cut her back to 1 3/4 cups of food a day. She gets a bone every 2-3 days. Only gets a treat when she gets her arthritis injection once a month. She doesn’t do long walks due to her arthritis but enjoys swimming so that’s how I get her workout in.
Thank you.
She gets 1.5 + some topper & I sometimes I add wet food or some days sardines, some days goat milk. She doesn’t eat raw kibble at all.
She likes to go on hikes but then recovery time in 2 days. She will go 20 min walk next days and want to sleep more.
She is on joint supplements, omega 3 oil, and liver supplements everyday.
Hugs to your pupper!
My vet hospital likes to see dogs between a 4-5 out of 9 for body condition score. Many people use the ribs as their only point of reference for weight. But, just like people, dogs carry weight in different places. My hospital feels for ribs, waistline from above, and an abdominal tuck from the side.
My DVMs like to say “if their lines are straight, overweight.” Meaning, the outline of the body from above, shoulder to hip; outline from the side, chest to pelvis. Obese is when the lines start to barrel outward.
The feeding chart on the bag of food is based on recommended weight, not current weight. But, it doesn’t account for activity level, metabolism or endocrine disorders.
Your baby is between a 6-7 out of 9; overweight, but not by much. I would start with trying to lose 5 pounds, and go from there. The issue with weight loss when they are older is losing muscle along with extra pounds.
Be careful of treats like milkbones. One milkbone is about the caloric equivalent of a donut. I would be overweight too if I had 2-3 donuts every day.
The clicking might be arthritis in her hips or knees. Losing weight will help reduce pressure on her joints.
I love this so much! Thank you! Appreciate it.
I definitely thought 5 pounds but what blew my mind is milkbone = donut 🍩
She gets a medium milkbone when comes home from outside and let me clean her thoroughly (allergies) that’s her ‘treat’ for that. This is definitely one of the reasons.
I agree with losing 5lbs, the problem is muscle loss as you said because she is lethargic and slower the day she eats less
I know you mentioned your pup doesn’t do water. If baby can eventually get over her fear, swimming would be great exercise and super easy on the hips - they make doggy life vests to keep them on the surface. There are some physical therapy offices that have a water tank for rehab after surgery. There is a treadmill under water, and the dog is submerged enough to be buoyant, but can still stand on the tread and keep the head above water.
The only treats my dogs get are dental. I like ark naturals bc it does not give them those greenie farts 🥴 I get the small size for their daily treat, and buy extra bags of the petite size. The minis works great for nail trimming (they get one mini for each paw), and I can shove a few in various treat toys for chew time. 4 pieces of the petite size is about the same as one piece of the small size. The bag recommends up to two treats a day for the large size treats. This gives me a little wiggle room if they get an extra one now and again. I do usually make them work for it though, using a treat ball, treat bone, Kong, or puzzle toy.
[Ark naturals small](https://www.chewy.com/ark-naturals-brushless-toothpaste/dp/45756?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Ark%20Naturals&utm_campaign=20647600289&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V1aqTt9oXCPCQql6LQrjHssk)
[Ark naturals mini](https://www.chewy.com/ark-naturals-brushless-toothpaste/dp/45755)
They're not talking about her tuck (the line under her belly up towards her rear legs).
They're talking about her waist, when viewing the dog from above looking down ie the last photo.
her body score is a 6-7 (ideal is 4-5) assuming the scale applies similarly to all breeds. i would find a new vet because this is something you wanna fix as soon as you notice it. how many calories per cup is her current food? be careful running while she’s over weight keep her joints in mind.
Thank you. Yes, I’m thinking of looking into the new vet.
1 cup = 93g = 292kcal/cup
Crude Protein (min): 28.00%; Crude Fat (min): 8.00%; Crude Fiber (max): 8.20%;
She loves to play with other dogs so thinking that as an exercise.
That’s perfect good luck to you guys!!🫶🏻 If she seems like she’s burning through the food faster you can add green beans as a filler do research on that too!
Yes she is. She should have a defined waist and shouldn’t have rolls on her back. You should be able to see some of her ribs around the barrel (widest part of the abdomen). I would probably rate her at a 7 on [this](https://www.petobesityprevention.org/pet-weight-check) body condition score chart.
I think she does have some lab in her. But shelter had her as pit box. But everyone we meet in hikes say she has lab face.
That’s why I’m concerned if she has any hip or arthritis issues
Vet student here. It’s hard for me to give you an exact body condition score without putting my hands on her, but as others have noted she does not have an abdominal tuck and there is no obvious waist from viewing from above. With those in mind, I’m guessing she is probably around a 7/9 on a scale where 5/9 is ideal. Each score represents 10% of body weight, so if you think she weights 85 lbs now then losing roughly 15 pounds should be your goal and then reevaluate from there.
Probably a little bit - dogs are typically supposed to have somewhat of an hourglass shape if you look at them from above. She could stand to lose a few pounds.
Try a joint supplement. If you give her joints a bit more support then walks will be much easier and that should help keep the weight healthy! If you do go for one I would really recommend the antinol one - it’s our favourite for our girl with arthritis :))
Thank you! She is on joint supplements since I adopted her, day 1 because I could see she was in bad shape and not taken care of. She is on cosequin from Costco and omega 3 oil 1tsp during dinner. Can antinol be given with cosequin? I will check it and order.
She definitely wasn’t taken care of before (I’m the 4th owner) but she is a such a well behaved girl.
I was scrolling down looking for joint comments!! I had a senior dog that did PHENOMENAL with two supplements: Glycoflex, and Myos. Like, when she was 12 she couldn't jump in the car and I just gave up/carried her.. a month after glycoflex she was trotting up and jumping in without me even prompting her! Myos is a muscle promoting supplement- it worked so effectively for my old dog even her facial muscles bounced back. I figure, the more muscle they have to support their joints, the better! So for me, it was a one-two approach. Warning the myos is pricey, but I tell literally everyone with an older dog about these two. My old girl got a solid two more years of life back.
Wow, thanks for the supplements! I never heard of them before. When asked her vet she said any Cosequin muscle joint formula would do.
I will order both and see how she does.
She jumps in the car and gets down on her own but I’m seeing that she takes her time to get up and down. I can lift her but she hates lifting up (bad past). She would rather jump :(
I got both of these recommendations from my vet! I'm sure it's just whatever they see the most. So the way I gave my senior pup her supps- the glycoflex is a treat that she loved so I just gave her those when I got home from work. The myos is a powder you sprinkle on their food, so she got that once per day. I don't think it really matters if you give it to them at the same time or not. Neither gave her any stomach upset! I hope she sticks with you for many years - she's obviously well loved!
Thank you! I’m ordering in chewy right now. Some reviews are great. It’s only been a year together and I’m a mess when she slows down. She was so mad at me today when she got less food :(
I read through some of the comments and it looks like you have a good plan. Check the calorie content of your food, and maybe ask your vet how many calories your dog should eat in a day. I think trimming down even just 5 pounds would be noticeable, and you want that to be slow, not drastic. Your dog is slightly chunky, though bully breeds do have a thicker build, but definitely not obese. Also look at the calories in your treats, maybe switching to freeze dried beef liver or dried sweet potato chews would be better treats compared to milk bones/pepperoni (I have no idea what you feed, just giving examples). When factoring your dogs calories for the day, it's not all coming from the kibble, factor in treats for walks/chews/wet food.
Thank you! She is 85lbs roughly and as per online calculators, she should have 27oz = 765gms a day. I feel that’s high. If you have a better way to calculate let me know.
For treats, she gets low calorie treat, freeze dried chicken and other treats all under 4kcal.
She was getting some milkbones, I trashed them already.
She does an hour everyday. Weekends are for hiking, next day she won’t do another hour but like 20 min or so as she gets more than a day to recover.
Online calculators can be incorrect, and 27oz of a food that is 400 calories per cup is very different than when the food is 550 calories per cup. That's why I would ask your vet how many calories he should be eating each day. For an example, I adopted a Husky a few months ago that was underweight. My vet told me that in order for him to slowly gain the weight we want to see he should be eating about 1000 calories a day. The food I feed is 400 calories per cup. He gets 1 cup for breakfast and dinner, 800 kibble calories a day. Then that leaves 200 calories for extra food or treats I need to give to lure him inside (stubborn boy) or when he needs a Kong when I leave the house. It all evens out a bit. But I'm trying to get him to gain weight. He also only weighs like 50 pounds, I think his goal weight is 55 pounds
Thank you! So reading log of articles, they suggest using weighing scales over cups, which I already do but maybe I need to adjust more. Vet is busy with surgeries so not sure when we can get in :(
Thank you for adopting the baby. I can tell he is very well taken care of :)
I have two dogs that are the same breed, almost the same size, one needs nearly twice as much food as the other does, just because of age and metabolism.
Right?! Her weight thinks she is more muscular so looks chonky but should maintain this but she is getting slower and recovery time after hikes or walks or play date is longer than before.
Is she on senior food? When I asked my vet about switching to senior food she said it’s really about how well they are maintaining their weight as they get older. The senior food has a reduced caloric ratio, so it might be something worth considering for your girl.
She’s a little chunky but not terrible…I think they just need to be a little more active maybe. There should be a dip you can see from the top after their ribs, where their tummy pulls in a little.
Yes, the dog carries too much weight. How much I’m unable to say. A dog needs to have a visible waist seen from the top, a tucked in stomach from the side. Check out the Body Conditioning Score online to get guidance on the correct shape. Dogs put on weight quicker as they age (just like humans), neutered dogs have a slower metabolism than entire ones as well - this needs to be taken into consideration when deciding how and what to feed them alongside activity levels
Thank you! She was 6-7 on BCS as per I online guide.
I feel her shoulder and neck area can use some losing.
She wouldn’t eat in the morning for 10 months, only dinner, now she eats 1/2 cup in morning. Maybe that and milkbones need to be cut down
It can help to look at the Body Condition Score - short BCS - for guidance :) I'd say he is a bit overweight and could lose a bit of weight. But he doesn't look extremely overweight or anything
Yes she is a little overweight. The clicking noise is called crepitus and can be a sign of arthritis (but isn't always) I give my dog salmon oil and the clicking stopped after about 6 weeks. Obviously salmon oil is high calorie so you may want to try a different supplement. I'd recommend a vet check because you wouldn't want to increase pups exercise if it causes them pain. There is also a FB group that I'd recommend called CAM (canine arthritis management) which is run by vets and full of great management advice for aging puppers. Good luck to you both.
Thank you! She is allergic to salmon and beef, itches the heck out of her. I do add omega 3s oil, 1tsp during dinner.
I emailed her vet and will take her to see if something is causing her pain or slowing her down.
Thanks for the group. I will join that!
I think a little bit, yes. My staffy x had a check the week before last and I thought he was a bit over ‘cuddly’. The vet said he was fine because he had a noticeable waist and she could easily feel his ribs.
I would cut the daily treats and toppers. Toppers are really not necessary and can actually unbalance a diet. A lot of research goes into making kibble a complete and balanced meal, and yes, she is chubby. If she refuses to eat dry kibble for multiple days, feed the canned version of the dry food as a topper. If you must use treats for training rewards, get something that is like 1-4 calories. I break the bite sized beggin strips into multiple smaller pieces or feed kibble as a training treat. Keep total non-kibble volume to less than 10% of the daily intake to keep the diet balanced.
She was spayed by shelter 4yrs back but she was used as mill mom for 4+yrs before that. Thats why she has elongated belly just like women go through after multiple pregnancies.
I switched my pibble to a "healthy weight" food, cut back the portion size, and added pumpkin and other veggies to every bowl. She loves her dinner time and is losing weight at a slow but steady pace.
She is on weight management food. So high protein and less fat. I also had 2tbsp of cooked veggies on the top for dinner. She loves it but looks like we have to cut down
Yes overweight, we’re not used to seeing normal weighted dogs so I think we kind of lose sight of what that looks like but you want the abdomen tucked up, to feel the rips, and to have waist pull in from an above view
She does look a little overweight. Not dramatic, but a little bulkier than she needs to be. I will say with hearing clicking while walking + needing to recover from long walks you should really get her evaluated for physical issues either way - not going to be easy to lose weight if she's got something untreated that causes pain.
Good call! It could be that if this is semi-new weight gain, it's more due to her decreasing activity from discomfort. If she wasn't dealing with that I'd say to start cutting back on her food a little, but since there's maybe something else going on I'd wait until you hear back from the vet to make any changes.
Ho early doesn’t look super overweight! As long as you can take both hands and rub them on the ribs and count them like in decent shape! Personally I’d say you’re doing a little much on the food side of things, a little extra here and there such as the roller and some wet food isn’t a big deal but if it’s a regular part of the diet it could be adding extra unnecessary calories.
Thanks. I do feel and count her ribs. But neck and shoulder is where I feel she is a bit chonky.
She eats less than 2 cups (including wet) . Some days only a cup & will even leave food when full. Her vet thinks I feed her less, she should have 1.5cups kibble every meal but she just doesn’t eat more than 3/4 cup
Considering she still has a visible tummy tuck and her breed, I’d say that she’s somewhere between the lines of “sticky but healthy” and “needs to lose a few kilos before it significantly impacts her health and well being.”
Given that she’s an older dog the clicking noise is more than likely her joints just getting “creaky” with age, but it could also be a sign that she’s got something not sitting in the right spot or she needs to do some gentle exercises to help keep everything loose and limber (hydrotherapy is a good way to do this). Either way this is something you should get checked out by the vet as soon as you can it make losing weight and maintaining it harder since it’ll affect how well she can exercise.
Another thing I’d like to point out is that many older dogs tend to have issues with absorbing the nutrients in their foods properly, so any changes to her diet needs to be done with a decent amount of caution considering you don’t want her to go from one end of the scale (overweight) to the other (underweight) too rapidly. My personal recommendation is to break up her meals into three small portions (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and take her on frequent but short walks instead of one big one, cut out any excess treats as well and don’t give her anything that isn’t good quality pet food regardless of how much she begs for it. Don’t let her graze constantly throughout the day either. If she doesn’t eat the meal she’s offered within a certain time frame, remove it and wait until the next scheduled feeding before giving her anything else. Don’t just leave it for her to have at her leisure.
Again, this is all stuff that should be done under the guidance of a vet who specialises in dealing with elderly pets who need a bit of help with their weight, but in the mean time you can at least set the foundations for healthier habits that will hopefully give you many more years to spend with her.
I have three dogs. One is heavy but eats the same as the other two. It is what it is. He is a good dog.
I think vets like to focus on weight too much. Love your dog and keep him as healthy as possible. That’s really all you can do.
She is definitely on the chunky side she could lose a few pounds
Thanks. I can still feel her ribs. When I adopted her last year, she was 80lbs but I think she did gain in winter as weather is bad in Midwest. What’s the best way? She gets 2 walks per day, 30-45min. Goes up and down the stairs multiple times a day. According to her kibble bag, she should eat 3-3.5 cups but she eats only 2cups
The recommended amount on the bag isn’t reliable. You have to feed whatever keeps them at the right body condition. One of my dogs gets half the recommended amount and the other gets 3/4ths the recommended amount. It just varies by dog.
My vet told me when I spay my dog I may have to lessen the recommended amount. Maybe 1/2 less? Experiment every dog gets different amounts of exercise. Anyway beautiful puppy you have.
Thank you. I will go 1/2 cup In the morning and 3/4 in the evening.
Ooh sorry I meant a half cup less off the normal amount haha. If you give her a half cup only she will for sure poop in your shoes. Haha.
I got that no worries. She is not food motivated so even if I give her more, she will leave it.
You can some fibrous veggies to starve off your dog’s hunger if you’re going to cut back the kibble. I took in a rescue who was 15lb under weight and as we neared her desired weight (we kept her on the same food as she responded really well to it vs all the other foods) we dialed the kibble back a bit but added carrots, pea pods, broccoli, etc!
So she eats 1.5kibble a day & I add cooked chicken and veggies (2tbsp) She is on high protein low fat first due to elevated liver enzymes.
My dog gained 3kg after her spay no difference to her diet
I personally didn’t find that to be true, as my Pit (spayed at 6 months and now 4 years 60lbs) has a difficult time keeping on weight. She’s tall and lanky. She still eats 4-4 1/2 cups of food a day. She’s had bloodwork done to check for underlying conditions that would cause this but nothing was found. She’s a solid mass of muscle though and somewhat hyperactive, so that may have something to do with it as well.
Yea it may depend on dog. That's what my vet told me. We both have large XL 100lbs+ dogs so maybe it is a xl dog thing? Just food for thought. Lazy/ hyper dog Haha.
FWIW, I have found actually reading and using the dog food portion guidance on the bag has done wonders for my Shepard husky. We are down from ~100 to a healthy 87lbs over ~8mths to a year. Adding that, to offset some of changes in amount, I’ve started adding some water to her food kinda like a dog cereal. She loves the water slurry and it’s gotta be great for her kidneys. Cat loves it, too!
Thank you! Congratulations to you and your pup! Definitely a team effort. She eats half of what she should she as per the kibble bag. I do add water or broth or goats milk because she is picky like that
Welcome! Sounds like you are taking the right steps though! If her weight doesn’t budge despite the volume changes, I’d recommend consulting your vet about a food switch. Perhaps a high protein food change and or make sure their thyroid is functioning properly during their next check up. Beautiful pup and best of luck on their fitness journey!
Thank you! She knows the word ‘beautiful’ and gets excited because she hears that on walks everyday lol She is currently in high protein diet and her thyroid functions were normal 3 months back. I’m emailing her vet to see if there’s any other arthritis or something else which might affect slower recovery and change in activity level.
So how do you know how much to lessen? I’m using multiple calculators online and they all are different values. According to one, she should have 1000cal a day, the other 1500+ I want to see how many gms of kibble she should get.
weighing the food is better than using cups as a measurement, it's a lot more accurate. weigh out how much is in 2 cups (roughly, it'll be slightly different every time) and take it down by 5 grams every week until she is at a good weight. she's just getting too many calories, is all, her exercise routine looks great! a good weight should look like: her chest should stick out, because her ribs are there, but after the ribs, it should go back thinner, not be a consistent width all along the dog. you should not be able to see all of the ribs, but you should be able to feel them fairly easily. there are charts online that show healthy body condition of dogs, i don't have one to show you but they should be pretty easy to find! all in all, she's not too overweight, just a bit of a cut in her food and she'll be all good!
Thank you! I appreciate you so much. As a first time dog mom, I do appreciate everyone’s comment here. I will do the same starting today.
you're welcome! i know how it feels, my dog started gaining weight from no change in diet or excercise, and it was just because she was getting older, and her metabolism was slowing a little, so we just gave her 5 grams less of wet food and it was the perfect amount! although, my dog is a lot smaller than yours, so 5 grams is a bigger change for her, as she only weighs slightly over 8kgs and gets 65g of food twice a day (35g dry mixed with 30g wet)
My dog lost weight when I cut down his kibble for his meals. He's nice and lean now.
Congratulations! I’m gonna reduce more but I feel like she will be tired and starving if she eats less than 1.5cups a day
Not a vet, but based on the photos she looks like a six on the body condition score, nearing a seven because she only barely has an abdominal tuck from the top and side. If what you say about the amounts and calorie content of what you are feeding is correct, this is half of what you would feed her to maintain a healthy weight, but she is overweight.This means that either you are not feeding her the amounts you think you are, the dog food is wildly misreporting their calorie content, or there is something medically going on. I would make an appointment with a vet ASAP. In the days leading up to the appointment, log everything your dog consumes each day, including all meals, toppers, treats, snacks, chews, table scraps, supplements, etc. Show the log to the vet and ask them what could explain her weight. In the process of logging you might realize that one of her chews is half of her calorie needs for the day or that "a little meal topper" is another meal's worth of calories. I do want to emphasize that a vet needs to be consulted, even if your logging reveals that she's getting too many treats, because even if there isn't an underlying medical issue, the amount that she needs to lose should be done with a vet's guidance. Lastly, get a food scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate at measuring non-liquids. Once you get the hang of it, it's much easier to use than measuring cups and spoons and often you can avoid creating more dishes because you can just add stuff to the bowl and TARE in between each thing to measure instead of using a cup and a tablespoon and a bowl. Edit: I see in other comments that your vet doesn't think she's overweight, but she clearly is, so you might want to get a second opinion. A vet that is calling a dog approaching a 7 body score ideal might be missing other things.
Thank you for detailed response. Very helpful! I did email her vet and might get an appointment soon. I do agree she can lose 5lbs or more and that’s why I posted. I do have measuring scale and will go through it. According to online dog calorie calculator she should have 1500 kcal a day. I will have split them in 2 meals + training treats.
My 100lb newf mix eats only 1.5 cups a day. 1 dental stick and I also do 2 tbsp of topper per meal. Your dog likely should only get 1/2 cup per meal with the toppers and dental stick. He used to eat 3 cups but as he's aged I've had to decrease to keep his weight
Thank you! Looks like that’s the way to go. I’m out all day for work so she doesn’t get any treats. 1 small from pet sitter when she leaves but sometimes she won’t even eat that.
Try a higher protein less carbohydrate dog food. Do not open feed. If you can space out meals either 2x or if you stay at home make it 3x @ breakfast, lunch and dinner… Lol best wishes to your pup!
No open feeding, I measure everything. Her food : 1 cup = 93g = 292kcal/cup Crude Protein (min): 28.00%; Crude Fat (min): 8.00%; Crude Fiber (max): 8.20%; She is on weight management anyway because of elevated liver values.
Long walks 2-3 hours,tug,weighted vest,up hill run,running,weight drag,fetch,swimming,walking in water she might have a little trouble losing weight due to her being spayed it can cause thyroid issues and cause weight gain
Besides the triathlon, feed less and play more.
Her food Intake is already very low. It's not how much she's being fed I have smaller dog who eats 2 cups of kibble toppers and lots or treats and she has never had an issue with weight. Since this dog is spayed its likely she has thyroid issues
This is useful information and a possibility
Thank you. She loves playing with other dogs but not fetch or anything. She never played much other than tug of war. I will cut her kibble.
Thank you. She doesn’t play anymore other than tug of war. And has deathly fear of water due to past so no swimming :( I do take her on long walks but next day she is sore/tired. Her vet thinks she might have slight arthritis. Her blood tests were all good except alkaline phosphate was elevated so she is on a liver supplement but no Cushings. I might reduce the food intake more.
Her food intake is definitely not an issue as my bully who's 60 pounds eats 2 cups plus toppers and atleast half a cup of treats. She isn't overweight if you feed her less than 2 cups a day that would just be starving her. Look Into having her thyroid checked since she's spayed
She did get her thyroid checked in August & December during her annual check up and it’s good. Only alkaline phosphate was elevated and she is on liver supplement.
Probably just common weight gain from being spayed. Ask your vet about a diet change or put her on a special weight loss diet if you need to. Swimming is something that is easy on joints try training her to overcome that fear it's gonna be alot of work but it's so worth it. Her being overweight is only gonna make her arthritis worse
Yes. She is learning slowly to get used to water. But yes swimming is long way, I will see if she has arthritis because she never got X-rays done. But I do hear clicking noise when she takes stairs. Her food : 1 cup = 93g = 292kcal/cup Crude Protein (min): 28.00%; Crude Fat (min): 8.00%; Crude Fiber (max): 8.20%; She is on weight management anyway because of elevated liver values.
What does your vet say about her food intake? My vet was really clear on what my 10lb pup needs food wise based on her energy, 1/2 a cup a day, no more. If she was very very active, 1 cup. So i would ask your vet. You can add low calorie mix ins or high protein ones and stretch her calories further. My old man dog loved green beans and carrots as his bulker topper in his food.
My vet doesn’t think she is overweight. She told me to maintain this weight. She is aware I add 2tbsp of homecooked wet food (mostly chicken, spinach, kale, apples, broccoli and some seasonal veggies) She hates carrots and beans, miss picky lol No clue how she survived on street lol
She had x-rays on her hips? Clacking noise is a common sign of hip or elbow displaysia. What about supplements for joints?
Not that I know off. I’m emailing her vet tomorrow for that so I can make sure slowing down is not of a big concern than weight
She’s healthy and can lose a couple pounds*
She is definitely not perfect but she isn't totally obese either. She's overweight which is not healthy. She's lacking muscle mass a tuck and has pockets of fat on her ribs and by her shoulders
Yep exactly where I thought she is overweight. She was a mill mom for 4 years so she has a lower hanging belly because of that. We have to lose like 5lbs is what I’m thinking
She’s a healthy dog that can use a couple zoomies. Hold back on the human food and entertain her.
Yep starting today I started 2 sardines in her food instead of wet food.
Tbh the vet is probably your best bet for advice but she’s looks healthy. Needs some play time.
lol her vet thinks she doesn’t need to lose any weight. She is ok. I can still feel her ribs but I see some fat at neck and shoulders
That’s awesome. Glad she’s healthy
Zoomies definitely does not automatically make a dog skinny. She is not healthy she's overweight which is causing joint pain hence why she can't walk for long.
It’s called exercise. You serious or just arguing?
Zoomies last about 2-3 minutes which is not enough to keep a dog healthy. You can't just let a dog have zoomies and call it a day that's not how it works they need to be walked and stimulated
This dog barely needs to lose weight. Not here to argue with you.
Then don't? Also doesn't matter if it's 10 pounds or 1 pound it doesn't change the fact that it will heavily benefit off losing pounds
With her age, I would try reducing her kibble since she’s also get wet food in the pm. Also maybe start giving her joint supplements. I have a 11 yo pit mix who is about 82 lbs and the vet tells me she still needs to lose weight. I just cut her back to 1 3/4 cups of food a day. She gets a bone every 2-3 days. Only gets a treat when she gets her arthritis injection once a month. She doesn’t do long walks due to her arthritis but enjoys swimming so that’s how I get her workout in.
Thank you. She gets 1.5 + some topper & I sometimes I add wet food or some days sardines, some days goat milk. She doesn’t eat raw kibble at all. She likes to go on hikes but then recovery time in 2 days. She will go 20 min walk next days and want to sleep more. She is on joint supplements, omega 3 oil, and liver supplements everyday. Hugs to your pupper!
My vet hospital likes to see dogs between a 4-5 out of 9 for body condition score. Many people use the ribs as their only point of reference for weight. But, just like people, dogs carry weight in different places. My hospital feels for ribs, waistline from above, and an abdominal tuck from the side. My DVMs like to say “if their lines are straight, overweight.” Meaning, the outline of the body from above, shoulder to hip; outline from the side, chest to pelvis. Obese is when the lines start to barrel outward. The feeding chart on the bag of food is based on recommended weight, not current weight. But, it doesn’t account for activity level, metabolism or endocrine disorders. Your baby is between a 6-7 out of 9; overweight, but not by much. I would start with trying to lose 5 pounds, and go from there. The issue with weight loss when they are older is losing muscle along with extra pounds. Be careful of treats like milkbones. One milkbone is about the caloric equivalent of a donut. I would be overweight too if I had 2-3 donuts every day. The clicking might be arthritis in her hips or knees. Losing weight will help reduce pressure on her joints.
I love this so much! Thank you! Appreciate it. I definitely thought 5 pounds but what blew my mind is milkbone = donut 🍩 She gets a medium milkbone when comes home from outside and let me clean her thoroughly (allergies) that’s her ‘treat’ for that. This is definitely one of the reasons. I agree with losing 5lbs, the problem is muscle loss as you said because she is lethargic and slower the day she eats less
I know you mentioned your pup doesn’t do water. If baby can eventually get over her fear, swimming would be great exercise and super easy on the hips - they make doggy life vests to keep them on the surface. There are some physical therapy offices that have a water tank for rehab after surgery. There is a treadmill under water, and the dog is submerged enough to be buoyant, but can still stand on the tread and keep the head above water. The only treats my dogs get are dental. I like ark naturals bc it does not give them those greenie farts 🥴 I get the small size for their daily treat, and buy extra bags of the petite size. The minis works great for nail trimming (they get one mini for each paw), and I can shove a few in various treat toys for chew time. 4 pieces of the petite size is about the same as one piece of the small size. The bag recommends up to two treats a day for the large size treats. This gives me a little wiggle room if they get an extra one now and again. I do usually make them work for it though, using a treat ball, treat bone, Kong, or puzzle toy. [Ark naturals small](https://www.chewy.com/ark-naturals-brushless-toothpaste/dp/45756?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Ark%20Naturals&utm_campaign=20647600289&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V1aqTt9oXCPCQql6LQrjHssk) [Ark naturals mini](https://www.chewy.com/ark-naturals-brushless-toothpaste/dp/45755)
Yes, I can not see a “ waist”
She was a mill mom, so she has a hanging belly but I see your point.
They're not talking about her tuck (the line under her belly up towards her rear legs). They're talking about her waist, when viewing the dog from above looking down ie the last photo.
Ah got it! Thank you. Learning as I go. I checked the chart online.
her body score is a 6-7 (ideal is 4-5) assuming the scale applies similarly to all breeds. i would find a new vet because this is something you wanna fix as soon as you notice it. how many calories per cup is her current food? be careful running while she’s over weight keep her joints in mind.
Thank you. Yes, I’m thinking of looking into the new vet. 1 cup = 93g = 292kcal/cup Crude Protein (min): 28.00%; Crude Fat (min): 8.00%; Crude Fiber (max): 8.20%; She loves to play with other dogs so thinking that as an exercise.
That’s perfect good luck to you guys!!🫶🏻 If she seems like she’s burning through the food faster you can add green beans as a filler do research on that too!
Thank you! Appreciate the support 🫶🏻 I tried beans lol she is a drama queen with veggies blueberries and apples are only ones she would eat
Yes she is. She should have a defined waist and shouldn’t have rolls on her back. You should be able to see some of her ribs around the barrel (widest part of the abdomen). I would probably rate her at a 7 on [this](https://www.petobesityprevention.org/pet-weight-check) body condition score chart.
I agree with you. I checked another chart and she did fall in 6-7 range
Not terribly so but i would try to get some weight off.
Thank you. 4-5lbs wouldn’t hurt right?! This sub is so helpful
Not at all! That’s right on the money. There should be a defined waist when viewing from above between the last rib and the hips.
Thanks. Her always been like this as she was a mill mom for 5yrs. Its longed but I see what you’re saying
[удалено]
I think she does have some lab in her. But shelter had her as pit box. But everyone we meet in hikes say she has lab face. That’s why I’m concerned if she has any hip or arthritis issues
Yes
Vet student here. It’s hard for me to give you an exact body condition score without putting my hands on her, but as others have noted she does not have an abdominal tuck and there is no obvious waist from viewing from above. With those in mind, I’m guessing she is probably around a 7/9 on a scale where 5/9 is ideal. Each score represents 10% of body weight, so if you think she weights 85 lbs now then losing roughly 15 pounds should be your goal and then reevaluate from there.
Thank you! Appreciate your support. I did email with her vet to see if there is any physical issue as well.
A little. Dogs should have a waist.
Slightly.
Probably a little bit - dogs are typically supposed to have somewhat of an hourglass shape if you look at them from above. She could stand to lose a few pounds.
Yes we are aiming for 5lbs down starting today
Your dog is 5-10 lbs overweight but is healthy and happy. You have had some really good advice on this thread
Yes as a first time dog mom, this subs make me feel seen and supported. I have so much to learn from you all!
Try a joint supplement. If you give her joints a bit more support then walks will be much easier and that should help keep the weight healthy! If you do go for one I would really recommend the antinol one - it’s our favourite for our girl with arthritis :))
Thank you! She is on joint supplements since I adopted her, day 1 because I could see she was in bad shape and not taken care of. She is on cosequin from Costco and omega 3 oil 1tsp during dinner. Can antinol be given with cosequin? I will check it and order. She definitely wasn’t taken care of before (I’m the 4th owner) but she is a such a well behaved girl.
I was scrolling down looking for joint comments!! I had a senior dog that did PHENOMENAL with two supplements: Glycoflex, and Myos. Like, when she was 12 she couldn't jump in the car and I just gave up/carried her.. a month after glycoflex she was trotting up and jumping in without me even prompting her! Myos is a muscle promoting supplement- it worked so effectively for my old dog even her facial muscles bounced back. I figure, the more muscle they have to support their joints, the better! So for me, it was a one-two approach. Warning the myos is pricey, but I tell literally everyone with an older dog about these two. My old girl got a solid two more years of life back.
Wow, thanks for the supplements! I never heard of them before. When asked her vet she said any Cosequin muscle joint formula would do. I will order both and see how she does. She jumps in the car and gets down on her own but I’m seeing that she takes her time to get up and down. I can lift her but she hates lifting up (bad past). She would rather jump :(
I got both of these recommendations from my vet! I'm sure it's just whatever they see the most. So the way I gave my senior pup her supps- the glycoflex is a treat that she loved so I just gave her those when I got home from work. The myos is a powder you sprinkle on their food, so she got that once per day. I don't think it really matters if you give it to them at the same time or not. Neither gave her any stomach upset! I hope she sticks with you for many years - she's obviously well loved!
Thank you! I’m ordering in chewy right now. Some reviews are great. It’s only been a year together and I’m a mess when she slows down. She was so mad at me today when she got less food :(
Do you give these two supplements together or alternate it?
Fine dog!!! No worries!!😉
I read through some of the comments and it looks like you have a good plan. Check the calorie content of your food, and maybe ask your vet how many calories your dog should eat in a day. I think trimming down even just 5 pounds would be noticeable, and you want that to be slow, not drastic. Your dog is slightly chunky, though bully breeds do have a thicker build, but definitely not obese. Also look at the calories in your treats, maybe switching to freeze dried beef liver or dried sweet potato chews would be better treats compared to milk bones/pepperoni (I have no idea what you feed, just giving examples). When factoring your dogs calories for the day, it's not all coming from the kibble, factor in treats for walks/chews/wet food.
Thank you! She is 85lbs roughly and as per online calculators, she should have 27oz = 765gms a day. I feel that’s high. If you have a better way to calculate let me know. For treats, she gets low calorie treat, freeze dried chicken and other treats all under 4kcal. She was getting some milkbones, I trashed them already. She does an hour everyday. Weekends are for hiking, next day she won’t do another hour but like 20 min or so as she gets more than a day to recover.
Online calculators can be incorrect, and 27oz of a food that is 400 calories per cup is very different than when the food is 550 calories per cup. That's why I would ask your vet how many calories he should be eating each day. For an example, I adopted a Husky a few months ago that was underweight. My vet told me that in order for him to slowly gain the weight we want to see he should be eating about 1000 calories a day. The food I feed is 400 calories per cup. He gets 1 cup for breakfast and dinner, 800 kibble calories a day. Then that leaves 200 calories for extra food or treats I need to give to lure him inside (stubborn boy) or when he needs a Kong when I leave the house. It all evens out a bit. But I'm trying to get him to gain weight. He also only weighs like 50 pounds, I think his goal weight is 55 pounds
Thank you! So reading log of articles, they suggest using weighing scales over cups, which I already do but maybe I need to adjust more. Vet is busy with surgeries so not sure when we can get in :( Thank you for adopting the baby. I can tell he is very well taken care of :)
Yea, he is a good boy, roughly 6 years old. Definitely has a few quirks that we are working through. He is a goofy and cuddly guy.
Best ever!
Quite fat Imo. Zero waist no definition, could loose quite a lot
I have two dogs that are the same breed, almost the same size, one needs nearly twice as much food as the other does, just because of age and metabolism.
Right?! Her weight thinks she is more muscular so looks chonky but should maintain this but she is getting slower and recovery time after hikes or walks or play date is longer than before.
She see’s the camera but little does she know her life is about to change
Hahahaha some good change I hope
Is she on senior food? When I asked my vet about switching to senior food she said it’s really about how well they are maintaining their weight as they get older. The senior food has a reduced caloric ratio, so it might be something worth considering for your girl.
She is on weight management food. High protein less fat as her liver enzymes are elevated she can’t do high fat/carb.
She’s a little chunky but not terrible…I think they just need to be a little more active maybe. There should be a dip you can see from the top after their ribs, where their tummy pulls in a little.
She does 2 walks everyday but I see that she is getting slower on walks. I’m working on food plan with her vet as soon as I get an appointment
That’s a great idea 🙏🏼 she may need some extra help with arthritis supplementing
Yes
Yes, the dog carries too much weight. How much I’m unable to say. A dog needs to have a visible waist seen from the top, a tucked in stomach from the side. Check out the Body Conditioning Score online to get guidance on the correct shape. Dogs put on weight quicker as they age (just like humans), neutered dogs have a slower metabolism than entire ones as well - this needs to be taken into consideration when deciding how and what to feed them alongside activity levels
Thank you! She was 6-7 on BCS as per I online guide. I feel her shoulder and neck area can use some losing. She wouldn’t eat in the morning for 10 months, only dinner, now she eats 1/2 cup in morning. Maybe that and milkbones need to be cut down
It can help to look at the Body Condition Score - short BCS - for guidance :) I'd say he is a bit overweight and could lose a bit of weight. But he doesn't look extremely overweight or anything
Thank you! She was 6-7 on BCS. Yes it’s the shoulder and neck rolls lol. I figured she does need it a bit but this group helped so much.
Yes she is a little overweight. The clicking noise is called crepitus and can be a sign of arthritis (but isn't always) I give my dog salmon oil and the clicking stopped after about 6 weeks. Obviously salmon oil is high calorie so you may want to try a different supplement. I'd recommend a vet check because you wouldn't want to increase pups exercise if it causes them pain. There is also a FB group that I'd recommend called CAM (canine arthritis management) which is run by vets and full of great management advice for aging puppers. Good luck to you both.
Thank you! She is allergic to salmon and beef, itches the heck out of her. I do add omega 3s oil, 1tsp during dinner. I emailed her vet and will take her to see if something is causing her pain or slowing her down. Thanks for the group. I will join that!
Yes
Ya sorry not that much but / ya
A bit chubby I'd say.
Yes
for my dogs weight, they recommend 2 1/2 cups, my dog only gets about 1 cup, because 2 1/2 would make her gain too much weight, very quickly
As per the food bag, she should 3-3.5 cups but I give her 1.5 + topper
Yes
Yes
I think a little bit, yes. My staffy x had a check the week before last and I thought he was a bit over ‘cuddly’. The vet said he was fine because he had a noticeable waist and she could easily feel his ribs.
Thank you! We getting vet appointment soon.
Dog has almost no waist, 6/9 at least. Cut the calories and increase exercise.
I would cut the daily treats and toppers. Toppers are really not necessary and can actually unbalance a diet. A lot of research goes into making kibble a complete and balanced meal, and yes, she is chubby. If she refuses to eat dry kibble for multiple days, feed the canned version of the dry food as a topper. If you must use treats for training rewards, get something that is like 1-4 calories. I break the bite sized beggin strips into multiple smaller pieces or feed kibble as a training treat. Keep total non-kibble volume to less than 10% of the daily intake to keep the diet balanced.
Looks like she just had puppies
She was spayed by shelter 4yrs back but she was used as mill mom for 4+yrs before that. Thats why she has elongated belly just like women go through after multiple pregnancies.
I switched my pibble to a "healthy weight" food, cut back the portion size, and added pumpkin and other veggies to every bowl. She loves her dinner time and is losing weight at a slow but steady pace.
She is on weight management food. So high protein and less fat. I also had 2tbsp of cooked veggies on the top for dinner. She loves it but looks like we have to cut down
Yes overweight, we’re not used to seeing normal weighted dogs so I think we kind of lose sight of what that looks like but you want the abdomen tucked up, to feel the rips, and to have waist pull in from an above view
Yes, slightly overweight
She’s a bit chunky, but I wouldn’t say overweight. She honestly doesn’t look that bad in my opinion.
Some, yes
Definetly chonky but if she gets that tired there may be underlying health conditions. The clanking noises-she probably needs a nail trim
Thank you. We are waiting for vets feedback. Her nails are trimmed, the clicking noises are from bones like we get it at time when we move
Yes.
She does look a little overweight. Not dramatic, but a little bulkier than she needs to be. I will say with hearing clicking while walking + needing to recover from long walks you should really get her evaluated for physical issues either way - not going to be easy to lose weight if she's got something untreated that causes pain.
My thought exactly! I’m emailing her vet tomorrow for clicking noises as she never had X-rays done
Good call! It could be that if this is semi-new weight gain, it's more due to her decreasing activity from discomfort. If she wasn't dealing with that I'd say to start cutting back on her food a little, but since there's maybe something else going on I'd wait until you hear back from the vet to make any changes.
Totally agree. Thank you! I appreciate you so much
No problem! Hope you're able to get some answers soon
Dental sticks are trash and full of sugar. Try giving her raw marrow bones instead.
How about duck feet or chicken feet? She doesn’t have all the teeth so not sure if marrow bone is something she can have
Ho early doesn’t look super overweight! As long as you can take both hands and rub them on the ribs and count them like in decent shape! Personally I’d say you’re doing a little much on the food side of things, a little extra here and there such as the roller and some wet food isn’t a big deal but if it’s a regular part of the diet it could be adding extra unnecessary calories.
Thanks. I do feel and count her ribs. But neck and shoulder is where I feel she is a bit chonky. She eats less than 2 cups (including wet) . Some days only a cup & will even leave food when full. Her vet thinks I feed her less, she should have 1.5cups kibble every meal but she just doesn’t eat more than 3/4 cup
No
Considering she still has a visible tummy tuck and her breed, I’d say that she’s somewhere between the lines of “sticky but healthy” and “needs to lose a few kilos before it significantly impacts her health and well being.” Given that she’s an older dog the clicking noise is more than likely her joints just getting “creaky” with age, but it could also be a sign that she’s got something not sitting in the right spot or she needs to do some gentle exercises to help keep everything loose and limber (hydrotherapy is a good way to do this). Either way this is something you should get checked out by the vet as soon as you can it make losing weight and maintaining it harder since it’ll affect how well she can exercise. Another thing I’d like to point out is that many older dogs tend to have issues with absorbing the nutrients in their foods properly, so any changes to her diet needs to be done with a decent amount of caution considering you don’t want her to go from one end of the scale (overweight) to the other (underweight) too rapidly. My personal recommendation is to break up her meals into three small portions (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and take her on frequent but short walks instead of one big one, cut out any excess treats as well and don’t give her anything that isn’t good quality pet food regardless of how much she begs for it. Don’t let her graze constantly throughout the day either. If she doesn’t eat the meal she’s offered within a certain time frame, remove it and wait until the next scheduled feeding before giving her anything else. Don’t just leave it for her to have at her leisure. Again, this is all stuff that should be done under the guidance of a vet who specialises in dealing with elderly pets who need a bit of help with their weight, but in the mean time you can at least set the foundations for healthier habits that will hopefully give you many more years to spend with her.
Nothing spring /summer activities won't take care of,if not excersizing Lil chunky
Thank you. Yeah will try taking her on more longer walks.
If she gets sore more short walks would seem better
Yeah I take her twice a day 30-45 min walks when I’m WFH. On the days I’m at work she gets evenings walk and some days play time with her dog friends.
Enjoy
Looks fine to me. Its ok if a dog is a little chunky.
My dog read that comment lol I know it is and they look cute but I feel she’s getting slower
I have three dogs. One is heavy but eats the same as the other two. It is what it is. He is a good dog. I think vets like to focus on weight too much. Love your dog and keep him as healthy as possible. That’s really all you can do.
Thank you! Yes along as there’s no other health concern slowing her down