How to Help Your Overweight Dog Lose Weight

by Donna Spector, DVM
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Want to know a simple secret that can help your overweight dog lose weight? And live longer, too?
Dog Overweight
To be successful, every weight loss plan must be based upon one simple principle…

Dogs that consume fewer calories than they burn lose weight

Simple, right? Yet if weight loss was truly that easy, why are so many pets overweight?

An Epidemic of Overweight Dogs

Today, dogs are fatter than ever. It’s now estimated that 45% of all U.S. dogs are either overweight or obese.1

That’s 35 million dogs.

What’s worse, obesity can be life-threatening, too. An overweight dog is more likely to suffer from a disabling medical condition like…

  • Diabetes
  • Arthritis
  • Heart disease
  • Lung disorders
  • High blood pressure
  • Immune dysfunction
  • Cancerous tumors

Add Two Extra Years
to Your Dog’s Life

A recent study proves that dogs maintaining ideal body weight live almost two years longer (and with significantly less disease) than their overweight siblings.2

An overweight dog is more likely to die at a younger age

In other words, you can add nearly two extra years to your dog’s life just by maintaining your pet’s ideal weight.

A Couch Potato Eating Machine

Unfortunately, many fail to recognize a fat dog.

Veterinarians report that although nearly 50% of all the dogs they see are overweight, only 17% of pet owners agree.

It can sometimes be difficult for an owner to admit her 80 pound dog is 20 pounds overweight — not just “big-boned”.

Every day I hear pet owners comment, “How can he be overweight? He hardly eats anything”.

Obesity is frequently indicative that our dogs are sedentary, couch potato eating machines burning almost no calories.

The Solution

The obesity equation is actually very simple. Dogs that consume more calories than they burn gain weight.

So, to lose weight…

Your dog must eat less — and exercise more

That’s all there is to successful weight loss. Best of all, if you work out together, exercise can be great for you, too.

The Goal
Your Dog’s Ideal Weight

Start your plan by knowing your dog’s ideal weight. Not only can your veterinarian help you do this, but she can also screen your pet for certain conditions that can contribute to obesity…

  • Diabetes
  • Cushing’s Disease
  • Hypothyroidism

You can also visit the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention for some suggested weight ranges for specific breeds.

How to Calculate Calories
for Weight Loss

Once you know your dog’s ideal weight, you’ll be able to discover the amount of calories to feed your dog daily to achieve steady weight loss.

Use the Advisor’s dog food calculator to determine this important number.

While most dogs will experience predictable weight loss when fed this amount each day, others may require even fewer calories. This can depend on a dog’s age and activity level.

The Problem with a Dog Food Label

Label recommendations are designed for weight maintenance… not weight loss. Following these instructions will likely lead to continued gains.

To control weight, you must know how many calories are in a cup of food. Then, feed according to calories.

Also, if your dog is severely overweight, your vet may need to help you design a custom weight loss program for your pet.

The Wrong Way to Feed a Dog

Many dogs are fed free choice — which means food is available 24 hours a day. So, the dog eats whenever it wants.

Free choice feeding is completely unnatural for any mammal. And (just like us humans), a dog will eat when bored — instead of just when hungry.

What’s more, free feeding can contribute to unnatural hormonal changes — which can make weight loss even more challenging.

And the Right Way

A dog should be fed two to four small portions a day. And the total number of calories for all meals and treats must equal the number of calories desired for weight loss.

If your schedule makes it difficult to follow this strategy, there are timed automatic feeders that can help your pet get the right amount of food.

And only at specific times.

Don’t Guess — Measure

It’s critical to actually measure your dog’s food. Never guess. Use an 8 ounce measuring cup… not a coffee cup or a food scoop.

Then be sure to dispense the exact amount of food called for in your calculations.

The Trouble with Most
Weight Loss Foods

Although there are many foods marketed for canine weight loss, not all are created equal. Products described as “diet”, “lite” or “reduced-calorie” may not be the best choice.

Many of these recipes replace meat content with high levels of carbohydrate fillers. This creates a low-calorie, bulky food that helps your dog feel full.

But only for a short time. Some aren’t very tasty and most tend to cause an increase in stool production.

These products can lead to dogs who are constantly hungry. Many times pets even gain weight due to the difficulty of staying on track in the face of persistent begging.

Most regular maintenance diets are high in calories (usually between 450 and 550 calories per cup or per can) making it easy to overfeed your pet.

Less Food — More Begging

While weight loss can sometimes be achieved by feeding less of your dog’s regular maintenance food, you’ll find you must feed very small amounts to achieve the reduced number of calories required to lose weight.

This leads to a pet that may feel less satisfied and begs more.

What to Look for
in an Ideal Weight Loss Product

For successful weight loss, choose a quality dog food with…

  • Above-average protein3
  • Below-average fat4
  • Below-average calories5

A higher protein content helps a dog feel more satisfied with less begging. This makes it easier for you to stick to the diet.

These products also help combat muscle loss… an unwelcome side effect with dieting.6

Lower calories allows your dog to eat more and still lose weight.

Weight loss is often easier to achieve by adding canned food to your dog’s feeding regimen.

Canned products usually have higher protein, lower carbohydrates and fewer calories compared to a similar sized quantity of kibble.

It’s also possible to achieve a good high protein weight loss diet by combining a high quality commercial dog food with low-calorie home-cooked foods. This should be accomplished with the help of your veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist.

Exercise. Exercise. Exercise.

Forty percent of American adults do not participate in any leisure time physical activity. So, no doubt our dogs are just as sedentary.

In humans, physical activity has been proven to

  • Aid in weight loss
  • Lessen heart disease
  • Lower cholesterol levels
  • Decrease the risk of diabetes
  • Control anxiety and depression
  • Reduce the risk of certain cancers
  • Slow bone loss associated with advancing age

We can probably expect many of these same benefits for our pets.

So, get your dog moving. Take a walk. Run. Play fetch. Swim. Climb the stairs. Provide at least 30 minutes of brisk exercise every day to facilitate weight loss.

How to Monitor Your Dog’s Weight Loss

Monitor your dog’s progress. Weigh your dog at least every 1 to 2 weeks. Using the recommended guidelines, overweight or obese dogs should lose about 1% to 2% of their body weight each week.

If your dog is not losing weight, the daily calories may need to be restricted further.

Also make sure no one in the house is cheating by giving extra food or treats.

Once You Reach Your Goal

Once the ideal weight is reached, the amount of food your dog is eating will likely need to be increased.

It’s important to continue weighing and monitoring your dog for any future change in weight.

So, keep a log. And make any necessary adjustments throughout your dog’s life to maintain an ideal weight.

My Recommended Dog Foods
for Weight Loss

To see a list of my current recommendations, be sure to visit the Advisor’s article, “Dog Foods for Weight Loss“.

Donna Spector, DVM, DACVIM is a renowned, board-certified Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist.

Dr. Donna Spector

Dr. Spector has written and lectured extensively on topics including animal nutrition, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, and kidney failure. She is widely acknowledged for her role as consulting veterinarian to Halo, Purely for Pets and her TV appearances with The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Dr. Spector’s online consulting service offers personalized and tailored medical, nutritional and weight loss consultations for owners of both dogs and cats.

She provides professional advice relating to urinary disorders, liver problems, immune diseases, intestinal issues, diabetes, asthma and other breathing conditions, hormonal problems and other internal medical complaints.

Footnotes

  1. Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, Calabash, NC ↩
  2. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol. 220 No. 9, May 1, 2002, pp. 1315-1320 ↩
  3. Average protein: 29% (dry) and 40% (canned) ↩
  4. Average fat: 16% (kibble) and 23% (canned) ↩
  5. 250-350 calories per 8-ounce cup kibble or per 13-ounce can ↩
  6. Diez, M et al (2002), “Weight Loss in Obese Dogs: Evaluation of a High-Protein, Low-Carbohydrate Diet”, American Society for Nutritional Sciences, Journal of Nutrition, 132: 1685S–1687S, 2002 ↩
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  • http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

    It might some time for weight loss on a small dog. One of the rescue vets suggested only 2-5% weight loss per month! I have small dogs and I usually feed foods like TOTW for weight loss and grain free high protein canned foods. All of them have been able to lose weight (I foster so have put many dogs on a diet). I would take body measurements of her – chest and waist. While the obese dogs lost weight and inches, the smaller dogs remained a good size but were heavier (I’m assuming from muscle mass). My small dogs look the same as one that would weight only 18 lbs but they are 23-24! Has her thyroid been checked?

  • Pattyvaughn

    When you increase exercise, the first thing that happens is an increase in muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat, so I can guarantee she has lost some of her body fat if her weight is the same. The good news is the muscle also burns more calories, even sitting still, so give it a couple more weeks and see if the weight doesn’t start to budge. Depending on what she should weigh, you may need to cut back her food a little more. You can feed more volume for the calories with a wet food, so that is an option, just make sure you know the proper amount to feed. There are other dry foods that are lower calorie, but often they are also lower quality, so I wouldn’t necessarily want to go that route. She will get used to the new portion size over time.

  • weezy

    My Chiweenie has weighed in at 20 lbs…we’ve been reducing her food intake to where she is getting 1/2cup of Taste of the Wild Bison and Vension every day (at the advice of the vet 1/4C morning, 1/4C evening) however she has not lost any weight and acts as though she is starving all the time. We no longer provide treats. We walk her, slowly ride bikes while she walks/trots along, run her in the backyard with our other dog but still she is overweight.
    1. should we try a different food?
    2. would incorporating wet food aid in weight loss?

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  • Hound Dog Mom

    Hi Barbara –

    The most important aspect of weight loss is caloric intake – weight loss really has little to do with the level of fat or carbohydrates in the food (although I agree with you that a low carbohydrate food is preferable to a low fat/high carbohydrate food due to species-appropriateness). If a dog is expending more calories than it’s eating (regardless of whether these calories are coming from fat, protein or carbohydrates) the dog will lose weight and vice versa. If you switch to a homemade diet you just need to calculate the calorie content of his meals and make sure it’s not too high.

  • Barbara Dean

    You need to feed low carb not low fat. The problem with dog food is unless you use this site you dont know the carb count. I thought I was doing a good thing by feeding my slightly over weight gassy springer blue buffalo grain free until she quickly became obese. Looked on this site and found out that it is 50% carbohydrates. Get the starch and grain out of the dog food!! They do not need it anymore than humans do… I would feed homecooked but can not fine any true guidlines on how much she should be getting. Yes she does get excersised but since the blue buffalo feasco it is proving hard to drop her weight.

  • Pattyvaughn

    Can you easily feel his ribs when you run your hands down his sides or do you have to dig for them. How tall is he. Some shepherds really are that big and if he is big boned too, then he will weigh even more for his size. But you should never decide about a dogs weight based on a number on the scale, base your decision on body condition. Or ask your vet.

  • Linda MacKenzie

    I meant his paws are large. He has always been large since a puppy.

  • Linda MacKenzie

    My Shepherd is 125 pounds and looks it. He is on the raw diet, no commercial treats. Have cut him back 1/4 less of what he usually eats. He is walked twice a day, 1 hour each time. Cannot shake the weight. Is it possible he is just build to be large. His legs and pays are large and always have been. Any suggestions.

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  • Gizmo

    Five year old yorkie twelve lbs has tracael stent and needs hip surgey but must loose weight first needs a good can dry food

  • Melanie

    A dog needs to walk about an hour a day or more depending on the dog. If you guys don’t have time for him don’t expect him to lose weight. It doesn’t matter what you have planned. You need to make time for him. He’s only suffering. When you have a dog they aren’t meant to stay home. They are companions, friends who also have needs. If you guys really want him to lose weight devote yourself on helping him. Believe me he’ll be a happier dog.

  • sharron

    i know there is an simple answer to this question but i want to make sure so i don’t overfeed – my dog eats wet food and is supposed to get 1/2 can a day – the can is 13 oz – so i figured out that she will be getting 6 oz a day – 2 oz / 3 x a day – is this correct?
    thanks

  • cwissytina

    GIVE YOUR DOG TO A LOVING FAMILY WHO WILL ACTUALLY CAREEEE FOR HIM!!!ONCE A MONTH WALK IS NOT ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!GOLDEN RETRIVERS NEED EXERCISE!

  • InkedMarie

    Hi Kathy,
       As others have said, Iams is not a very good quality food. I adopted a dog who was obese and we used Wellness Core’s reduced fat food, feeding her the amount of food for what she *should* weigh. 
       You can try that food or any good quality food, preferably grainfree and feed the amount for what she should weigh.

  • Pattyvaughn

    My 14 lbs Jack Russell gets 1/2 cup a day and she is pretty active.  HDM gave some great advice.  Better quality of food, vet check up, decrease the amount you’re feeding, increase the intensity of her exercise, you’ll see the extra weight fall off and she’ll start acting young and energetic again.  Good luck!!

  • Hound Dog Mom

    Hi Kathy Kroeplin –

    First of all, have you read the review for Iams? It’s a pretty low quality food – the first thing you might want to do is to pick out a better food for your girl. Assuming there isn’t an underlying health issue (such as a thyroid problem), weight loss is based on calorie consumption. If the dog is burning more calories than it’s consuming the dog will lose weight, if the dog is consuming more calories than it’s burning the dog will gain weight. So because you’re dog isn’t losing weight I would first have the dog checked out by the vet and have any underlying medical conditions ruled out. If you get the all clear from your vet you need to then reduce the portion size further and increase her exercise. If she’s acting hungry you can add some plain canned pumpkin (not pie filling) in with her food – the fiber will help make her feel full.

  • Kathy Kroeplin

    I have a maltese/chihuahua she is 3 yrs old and overweight. I have her on Iams for toy and small dogs 1/3 cup morning and 1/3 cup evening. Do you think this pie filling would help her to lose weight? I don’t understand why she is so heavy? I walk her daily and NO table food or dog snacks.

  • http://www.facebook.com/don.stack Don Stack

    Forget all the corporate dog food and weight loss plans and just cut your dog’s food in half and serve with pumpkin pie filling (NO SPICES!) to the usual serving size. My sister’s obese King Charles lost 8 lbs in 2 months, 1/3 his body weight. She also now gives him frozen fresh carrots to chew on as treats instead of packaged dog treats…

  • Light

    11:11:)

  • http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

    It might take some time to get his hormones straightened out.  My 27 lb dog gained 11 lbs after the procedure and took a year to get it off.  He remains at 30 lbs.  He got neutered at age 5.

  • Pattyvaughn

    Another thing to try for a dog that eats too fast is adding water to the food or putting something in the bowl, like a river rock, that your dog has to eat around.

  • Pattyvaughn

    Vets often recommend foods that are high in carbs which is not good for weight loss, so going with a higher protein food is a great starting place.  Next thing to do is to cut back his food.  There is no such thing as hormonal weight, weight is weight.  After castration, his metabolism has probably slowed down some so he needs less food, decrease his food a little and up the intensity of his exercise if you can, and then re-evaluate him in a couple weeks and see if you need to adjust his food again.

  • Guestcatchris

    thanks.. i get confused reading labels……..but nevertheless, if my  dog eats tiny kibbles, she eats too fast , does not chew and throws it up…large crunchy is great for her….so, i will just get large kibbles and not worry about the LIGHT sideof cal..

  • Nicola Mcwaters

    My dog has steadily gained weight since he was castrated, he is on a low fat diet recommended by the vet and gets walked approximately for 2 1/2 hours every day, but is still gaining weight. Is it possible that it is hormonal weight & if so what can de done?

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  • Hound Dog Mom

    Catchris –

    Calories per cup doesn’t matter. Total calories consumed and total calories burned is all that matters. Figure out how many calories your dog needs to lose weight, divide that number by the number of calories in a cup of kibble you’re feeding and that’s how many cups a day you should feed. As a general rule higher quality kibbles are more calorie dense and lower quality kibbles are less calories dense (more fillers).

  • http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

    Core Reduced Fat kibble is medium triangular in shape.

  • Catchris

    what caloreis per cup is good for weightloss in a 9 year old dog? and also, some of the kibbles are so tiny they go all over the floor. i need a weightloss and with bigger kibbles for my 9 year old border collie lab and for my 3 fat cats all 15, years old. thanks.

  • mtnweekly

    I really don’t get how a dog can be overweight?  That being said same goes for humans.  Causes of Overweight Dogs can be found here: http://mtnweekly.com/common-causes-of-overweight-dogs-34843

  • BryanV21

    Oh, I read that wrong, sorry. I thought she was saying it should be at or right around 25%. I happen to think a food at least a little higher in protein would be better. 

  • BennyandJoon

    The whole dog journal says the MINIMUM the protein should be is 25%.

  • BryanV21

    There is definitely credence to the low carb thing, so I think it’s a good plan. I don’t agree with the 25% protein thing though, as I don’t see why high protein for an overweight dog would be an issue.

    But Acana is an excellent food, so you’ve definitely “moved on up”.

  • ruledbyachi

    oops – calculations are wrong – 1/2 cup = 215 cals.
    this acana formula has 430 calories. so 215 + 26.9 =
    241.9 cals. – too high right?

  • ruledbyachi

    i just read  an article from the the whole journal
    stating that for a dog to lose weight the dry food should be a minimum of 25% protein, 12-16% fat, and low carbs. I have a bag of Acana Duck and Pear that i’m going to start feeding her. I’ll give her a 1/2 cup for the day = 161 cal. and 1/16 cup at night = 26.9 cal. – together that’s 187.9 cal for the day. She needs a little snack to get her through the night.

  • BryanV21

    I have another reply coming, but for some reason it needs to be approved before posting. I must have used a word that gets flagged (no, it’s not a swear word). 

  • ruledbyachi

    hi

    thanks for your reply
    i’ve been told that feeding just canned food will help her lose weight better than dry. do you think this is correct?

  • BryanV21

    Seeing what you feed I’m not surprised your pup doesn’t feel full. Once you get past the first ingredient, which is chicken meal, it’s all filler. Corn gluten meal, corn, pearled barley, wheat, brown rice, powdered cellulose, natural flavors (whatever that means), wheat gluten, chicken fat, rice hulls, dried beet pulp, brewers dried yeast… that’s a ton of filler, which tells me most of the food is going right through your dog.

    Look at California Natural Low Fat Chicken & Rice. It has lower fat (RC has 9% minimum, to Cal Nat’s minimum of 7%). Cal Nat has a bit more calories, but when you take into account the lower fat, and much better ingredients (very little filler), it’s a no-brainer to me. And that’s not including the fact that 13lb bag of RC costs $34.99 (at Petco), while my store charges $28.99 for a 15lb bag of the Cal Nat.

    And like HDM just said… add some chopped vegetables like frozen green beans.

  • ruledbyachi

    hi

    i’m feeding my dog royal canin mini weight care.  she’s been on it since this past june.
    have tried many foods for the past year and a half but didn’t like any of them. so when i bought a bag of the royal and found that she likes it her vet says don’t change it. she’s a lb overweight. she seems to be hungry. she’s fed 1/4 cup 2 x day and 1/16 cup at night. should i add a bit of canned dog food? would that help her feel full? i’ve tried canned pumpkin(bought at pet store) but that doesn’t seem to be helping.
    what canned dog food should i use? she’s a 3 yr old chihuahua. her vet says that she should be getting around 184 calories/day, and she does get exercised. walked 4 x day = 1hr – 1hr 20mins.
    thanks

  • Hound Dog Mom

    I completely agree about lowing carbs (I always suggest high protein foods for weightloss…well and non weightloss for that matter lol) and the idea about chopping is actually a good idea, I didn’t think of that. I just feel adding veggies will allow the dog more food. 1/4 of veggies probably only has about 10-20 calories so that’s only about 2 – 5 grams of carbs – not enough to throw off the balance of the diet.

  • doggonefedup

    HDM,
    Agreed. but every one has their own opinion on what works. That is what makes this is such a great sight. My thoughts are chop don’t puree the vegetables (whole corn vs cornmeal) they will provide the bulk and be less digestible (calories out). Oatmeal (prepared) even in very small amounts will help control appetite because it stays in the stomach for a prolonged time. Lowering carbs and increasing fats will put the body into a fat burning mode. You can even eliminate all carbs for a couple days just to quicken he change over to fat burning mode. This is the Atkins approach and it works as well on dogs as it works on humans. Personal experience, I trimmed a GSD from 145lbs down to 96lbs in under a year using the atkins diet as a guideline.  

  • Hound Dog Mom

    I disagree. This would just be increasing the calories. Weight loss ultimately comes down to calories in/calories out. I agree with feeding a high protein/moderate fat/low carb kibble (I don’t think feeding a high carb low fat kibble provides any benefits and it will leave the dog feeling more hungry) but then topping with something like oatmeal or meat will just add calories. Assuming the dog is eating an appropriate kibble the dog can only eat a certain amount to be within the appropriate calorie range of losing weight, adding any calorie dense toppings beyond that will merely bring the dog above the weigh-losing amount of calories. I’m suggested adding pureed veggie in small amounts merely to allow the dog to have a larger volume of food. If you substitute pureed veggies for a small amount of the food they would normally eat it will keep the intake at the same volume but reduce the number of calories. Veggies contain so little calories and so much moisture that, for example, replacing 1/4 cup of food per day with veggies will cut about 100 calories but will not affect the overall nutrient balance of the meal (fat/protein/carbs) in any significant way.

  • doggonefedup

    I don’t know that you would want to puree the veggies. That would make them more digestible for a dog. You could however try adding oatmeal as an appetite suppressant and cut back on the size of the meals, and/or increase fats w/ lower carbs. while cutting back on the size of the meal. Fats will make you feel full longer. sugar and starch will actually increase the appetite. 

  • Hound Dog Mom

    Khuh2,

    If she’s not active you’re really just going to need to restrict her food intake. I’d eliminate treats and only feed her two small meals a day. You can mix in pureed veggies to add some bulk to the food without adding a lot of calories. Is there anyone who would walk her for you…a family member or a neighbor? Or you could try just sitting in a chair in the yard and throwing a ball if that would get her interested in moving around.

  • Khuh2

    Karen
    My problem is , my mix needs to loose 20 pounds but I can’t take her for a walk because I am disabled and can’t walk longer that a few minutes myself.
    I took her to the vet to get tested for thyroid . Everything is fine. We put her on recommended diet dogfood and that did not work to good because my other 2 dogs wanted that food too. ( I have to feed the 3 together)
    I have a big fenced in yard but she likes just to lay around Is there any thing else I could try?
    Thanks for any help

  • Pattyvaughn

    I have a 40 lb Border Collies who eats 2 cups a day and my 65 lb German shepherds eat 4 cups a day, all are very active. It may be that 4 cups for your laid back BC is still way to much.

  • Hound Dog Mom

    Hi Lola Montez,

    Homemade diets are great and would be a wonderful option for weightloss but you really need to make sure they’re balanced. If you were feeding her only poultry, vegetables, olive oil, and yogurt that is very unbalanced and not safe to feed long term. I feed my dogs homemade raw the general outline is:

    80% Meat of which 80% is muscle meat, 10% bone, 10% organ meat. You must feed organ meat unless you are accounting for the vitamins/minerals in the organ meat through supplementation. Because you cook the meat you would need to omit the bone and add 1,000 mg. calcium for every 1 lb. of meat fed. Also you should not feed only poultry, red meat and poultry have different fats so an even mixture of each should be fed or else the fats will be unbalanced.

    20% pureed lightly steamed fruits & veggies

    Supplements: 1) Trace Nutrient supplement (I use wholefoods supplements only and rotate often – rotating is key – some I use often are kelp, alfalfa, spirulina, and bee pollen), Vitamin E (vitamin e is difficult to supply in adequate quantities through food alone, I give 100 i.u. per 25 lbs.), Essential Fatty Acids (fish body oil or tinned sardines are best).

    Extras: Eggs, Cottage cheese, yogurt, etc.

    dogaware.com has some great articles on homemade food if you would like to continue or to simplify things you can just use a premix such as The Honest Kitchen’s Preference or Sojo’s – with a premix all the hard work is done and all you need to do is add meat and water.

    If you’re going to feed a kibble go with a high protein/low carb kibble. Carbohydrates tend to promote weight gain in dogs and most lowfat/weight loss kibbles are very high carbs. Look for at least 30% protein. You can replace some of the kibble with pureed veggies to bulk it up without adding calories, it will help make her feel full.

    Also to help her get around better try a joint supplement. If you don’t already have her on a maintenance supplement with glucosamin and chondroitin I would recommend putting her on one of these. Also, Boswellia, Bromerlainm and Yucca are great natural anti-inflammatories that may help her get around better. Vet’s Best makes a reasonably priced supplement called “Muscle & Joint” with MSM, Boswellia, Turmeric, Yucca, and Bromelain.

    Good Luck!

  • http://twitter.com/LolaMontez2 Lola Montez

    We have adopted a 5 year old border collie from a local shelter; she is a sweet and pretty dog, but she’s very overweight — should weigh around 45 lbs, but weighs 70 lbs. She was fat at the time she was take in at the shelter; she was also severely injured (pit bull attack) and unable to exercise for a long time. So — this was not my doing. My last dog, also a BC, was very slender and we actually had to feed her extra to keep her weight up!

    Most BCs are pretty active, so I was surprised to see one overweight! She does not gobble food, or beg excessively and she loves walks, though not as fast or active as our old dog. She is a little stiff in her legs, which could be her injuries or her weight or both. She has trouble going up and down stairs too. This is sad for a relatively young dog.

    I think she could be greatly improved if I could get her down to even 50 lbs, but it is hard. I have had her on IAMs “natural” kibble which is lamb based, but she didn’t like it (god knows what they were fed in the shelter) so I swtiched her to a whole food diet of boiled chicken or turkey, cooked vegetables, broth from the boiled turkey and a bit of olive oil. Also a spoonful of plain (unsweetened) low fat Greek yogurt daily.

    She loves this, but I don’t see ANY weight loss, despite 4 walks daily. Vet is no help, only wants us to buy expensive “science diet” from HIM and insists she must be eating too much. She gets NO treats whatsoever, just the chicken/veggie mixture, about 4 cups a day (broken into 2 servings).

    Any suggestions? As in humans, I think this is much more difficult and intractable than simplistic advice to “eat less, exercise more!’ The fact is, it just plain doesn’t always work, or enough to make a real difference. This dog DESPERATELY needs to lose 20 lbs and I need something more effective than this!!!!

  • melissa

     M-ferraro-

    Interesting, and what exactly is the need for it? Obesity can be controlled and reversed by owners willing to feed the proper amounts of food-no matter what kind of food. It would seem to me that a good all life stage would be appropriate for this age bracket. Not only that, but since the nutritional requirements are different from dog to dog, let alone breed to breed, it strikes me as a marketing ploy to simply sell more Nutro. To me, it reeks of “breed specific nutrition” foods that another company put out there to get uneducated owners to believe that since their dog is a particular breed, they must feed the food labeled for it. Lmao.

    I would think if Nutro spent more time up grading the products that they already have, they would be able to encompass a larger share of the kibble market .

  • M_ferraro

    Nutro has the first ever, Young Adult life stage coming in late august.  Developed by Waltham and Banfield.  for 6 mo. to 2yrs.  specific nutrition to aid in maximum development and to curb obesity in that age span. 

  • J-CHICK_2

    give him to someone who has the time for him that he deserves because a golden retriever need to be walked more than once a month!!!!

  • melissa

    Omni-

    you have to convert the canned food to a dry matter basis-remove the moisture to get the numbers. If you look at the top of each review, Mike has done it for us : )

  • Omni_DIYer

    I have a question: In the footnotes here, it says, for canned food, average protein is 40%, average fat is 23%. Are these numbers correct?  When I look at the crude protein on food packages, I’m seeing 8%, 9%, 9.5% on products recommended by Dog Food Advisor.  What don’t I understand here?

  • Johnandchristo

    HAHA good luck.

  • LabsRawesome

     Shivam96, UUMMM what’s up with all the periods? If your post is real, and not a joke, you should give your dog to someone that has time for him.

  • Mary Rovelyn Cabrales

    this is totally an amazing guide that explains the risks of being overweight (dogs) . This is also a very essential guide in informing all people about its risks. It is also impressive for it shows how to get rid of being overweight in dogs. thanks a lot for this share. I have linked this astounding article to mine in here: http://www.thedoggieworld.com/explosive-tips-on-how-to-help-your-overweight-dog-lose-weight/

  • Pingback: How to Help Your Overweight Dog Lose WeightWorld of Dogs

  • Shivam96@yahoo.com

    I. Don’t. Get. It. My. Dog it trying. To. Lose. Weight I. Mean. We. Are. Trying. To. Make. Him! Lose. Weight. We. Really. Don’t. Have. Time. For. Him. Which they. .don’t. Say. Apparently. I. Get. Tired. I. Planned. Some. Things. For. Him. In. The. Summer but. Don’t. Know.we. Can. Do. It. We. Take. Him. For. A. Walk. Once. A. Month. But. He is. Still. 95. Pounds. Golden. Retriever. I. Told. You. We. Bearly. Have. Time. For. Him

  • jboots

    oh and yes, going on more/longer walks now and picking up the pace! 

  • jboots

    Sandy,
    Thanks! made me feel so much better! I was worried that she was at an older age so fixing her obesity issue would be more of a struggle. I feel awful that I had her fine for so long and now… FAT! 

    Her weight started creeping up was when the vet had her change to Science Diet wet dog food. I wasn’t happy with it so did research on dog food and she’s been on Wellness kibble for a while now, with a little water added. 

    For her weight loss I looked into homemade diets of various lean meats, balanced with calcium (ground egg shells), organs, certain veggies, and certain fruits. 130 calories a day. There were a couple of helpful websites… this is one… http://dogaware.com/articles/wdjhomemade3.html.

    Thanks for sharing your photos of your pugs! Made me feel better and got me ready to get my pup back to her old shape! 

  • http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

    Jboots,

    What do you mean by “overweight dog this age?” Your yorkie is just 6, a young adult!!  And does she exercise now at all?  What are you feeding her?  She will lose weight by increasing exercise and reducing her calorie intake and reducing treats (dramatically). 

    I used to get all the obese pugs to put on a diet. (Now I just get heartworm pugs). They ALL lost weight eating a food that was: abover average in protein, grain free, and with average fat.  No diet food used. As a matter of fact, some lost weight on a mixture of a grain free food and a grain food together.  The grain free food boosted up the protein content of the grain food and lowered the carbs.  And they walked once a day and received a very small treat for potty break.  These obese (seriously, some were morbidly obese) pugs ranged in age from young to 12 years old.  The vet also suggested a weight loss of only 2% to 5% a month which is very small.  I used 2%-3%. I always like to use this photo as an example.  The poor (pig)pug was 38 pounds and went down to 28 pounds before he was adopted out or I would have made him lose a little more.

  • jboots

    My yorkie is 6 years old and is considered “obese.” She’s over 7 lbs and should be about 5. I’m disappointed in myself since I didn’t see this creeping up. She went from (in my eyes) a cute little chub, to now an unhealthy pup :( . I could kick myself! I’m starting her on a diet and did a bunch of research on how to make homemade dog food and I am boosting her exercise. But I’m worried about her age and pushing her exercise to lose this weight. Any advice or someone have experience with an overweight dog this age?.. please advise.. I feel terrible.. 

  • Toxed2loss

    L.B. sure,
    Just like it does in people. The poorer quality of nutrition/environment they were getting, coupled with the older they are, the longer it will take to “shrink up.” As we age collagen and elastin formation in the skin is impaired. That’s what gives our skin that youthful appearance. So, make sure your pet is getting lots of clean water, protein, joint & marrow, for their diet. Reduce environmental toxins, and pharmaceuticals, and their skin will improve, and be less saggy, as well as adding years to their lives. ;-)

  • L.B.

    Can loosing weight cause loose skin in an older dog?

  • daisy1999

    Hope-
    This is all dependent on your dog, their food, and how much exercise they get.  There is a dog food calculator in the left hand column to help guide you.  It will guide you as to how many calories your dog should have for the weight you want it to be.  This is only going to serve as a guide.  I have a dog that it says should have 1.6 cups of her food and she only gets 3/4 cup.  When reducing your dogs calories, don’t try to do it to quick or you are going to have a hungry unhappy dog-know that from experience.  Go slow.  Also, remember that if you give treats, they count as the daily calories, and they can add up quickly depending on what you are giving.  As far as how much exercise your dog needs to lose weight, there is no magic formula.  Just increase their exercise.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1078010009 Hope Gold

    does anyone know how many steps or calories a dog needs to burn to lose one pound

  • MayLooG30

    You said it.  Eat less, exercise more.  The same for people.  Imagine that!   The vet pointed it out to me that my dog needed to lose weight so I put him on a weight-loss natural dog food.  He liked it and it worked, along with the exercise.  I’m glad really good natural brands make the reduced calorie foods like Natural Balance, etc.  We stay on our exercise routine every day and he’s still on the Ultra.  I want us both to live longer and happier lives.

  • Alexandra

    Thanks Shawna,

    No problem.

    I really think it was isolated to the ear back then. He was about 10 months when the hair loss and skin lesions started.

    I met both of his parents and they were in very good shape despite the inferior food. They had nice coats no patches of hair missing etc. This why I want to believe that it isn’t systemic, this wasn’t a constant thing.

  • Shawna

    Hi Alexandra ~~ glad you commented on the other thread as I missed this :)

    A yeast infection at 10 weeks :(   Was it isolated to the ear or do you think it was systemic at this early age?  Could have been passed through the breast milk if systemic..  Yes, the steroids and antibiotics would worsen a yeast infection (my mom gets thrush (an oral yeast infection) every time she has to take antibiotics for any reason)..  Not to mention the toll on the immune system.

    My guess is his mom was not fed well and his immune system was compromised right from the get go??  If she isn’t getting the proper and correct amount of nutrients there is no way he could..  Example, inadaquate sodium intake can cause kidney weakness in a human baby (guessing it would be the same for a puppy).

    If you have eliminated the problem (be it systemic yeast or an allergy) you can build the healthy back up..  Just a matter of time.  Look at my Audrey.  She is definitely compromised having been born with kidney disease.  Proper nutrition and a toxin free environment (as much as can) can do wonders for a compromised individual.  Hang in there!!!!

  • Alexandra

    My iPad is being goofy. So that was when the itching began. Then the hair came off of his elbows and the itching began. Three to four treatments of antibiotics and steroids later AND no improvement later, I continued my research and found DFA. Switched to Brothers and today at a 95% improvement.

    I just wonder the meds coupled with the young puppy that created a perfect storm in his young body and set up all of these other issues and months of frustration.

    Right now it’s 180 to feed him a month. I am a firm believer in getting what you pay for, but it is half of my car payment.

  • Alexandra

    Shawna,

    It started off with an ear infection at about 10 weeks of age. His breeder had his litter on purina puppy chow, which I changed as soon as I brought him home. I had moved him to Holistic Select LB puppy, first 30 pound bag was fine then the loose stools started, at that time brand was sold to Wellpet and they changed recepie, then I did a bit of research and moved to Orijen. I put him on a mix of LB puppy and 6 fish, and everything was wonderful for a few months, then a second ear infection

  • Shawna

    Why were the meds given in the first place? 

    This is what the Texas A & M University College of Veterinary Medicine says about IgA deficiency in GSDs.

    “Dogs with IgA deficiency may not have any clinical signs at all, but if they do, they typically show clinical signs starting at a young age. These include recurrent infections of the skin, respiratory, gastrointestinal, or urinary tract. Allergies, especially food allergies or atopy are frequently observed. It has been speculated that dogs with IgA deficiency are more prone to intestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Immunoglobuline A deficiency might predispose to an infection with enteropathogenic E. coli bacteria, which can cause severe diarrhea, vomiting and fever.”  http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/gilab/research/iga%20information.shtml

    If I remember your descriptions of Dante’s issues, he fits the profile based on the above data. :(

    What I haven’t figured out yet is if IgA binds to all lectins or just certain ones?  Could he have potato but not barley??  However, if IgA binds to all lectins then I would limit the problem ones as much as possible.  Just me though :)

  • Alexandra

    Makes total sense.
    I have just been reading about it and no two people agree.

    I will admit that I am loath to changing anything with my boys, especially Dante given all the stuff that we had been through.

    I have started offering them some raw, but where I live there isn’t a close by butcher to get organ meat etc. And I cant do 100% raw as they get kenneled a few times a year. I am trying to cut down on costs somewhere.

    Him being deficient concerns me and knowing what I know now, all of the medications prescribed by my vet at that time has probably compromised him for life and he is such a young dog.

    I have since moved onto a holistic vet, our first appointment is on the 17th.

    He still has lingering itchiness.

  • Shawna

    Hi Alexandra ~~ :)   No, I’d wait til months after the symptoms are no longer seen just to be safe.. 

    I don’t fully understand IgA yet but because GSDs can have a genetically predisposed deficiency, and IgA is important in reducing the damage from lectins, I’d be hesitant to introduce any problem lectin foods to a GSD that has had a history of leaky gut or digestive issues..  Especially a kibble that would be eaten every day.  Does that make sense?

  • Alexandra

    Lol Shawna!

    If dealing with Candida, if symptoms are gone, would you test said animal hypothetically speaking? With say a potato containing treat or kibble? Been reading up on Candida because of Dante and everything I have read not one person really either agrees or covers this.

  • Shawna

    WARNING: Rated S for scientific situations ;-)

    If you are doing everything right and your dog (or you) is still having troubles losing weight, consider eliminating ALL grains, potatoes, peas and garbonzo beans from the diet and feeding protein, fat and veggies/fruits.  The below addresses weight issues in humans but may very well apply to our pets too..

    “A very important and interesting feature of some lectins is their ability to mimic hormones. As one can imagine, this could contribute a significant impact on metabolism. The hormone insulin stores excess carbohydrates (glucose) as fat. It accomplishes this by attaching itself to the insulin receptor found on the fat cell. Under stimulation from insulin, the fat cell becomes more permeable to glucose, which would otherwise remain in circulation. With mission accomplished, the insulin hormone then disconnects to its receptor. In many people, lectins found in lentils, green peas, corn, potatoes but especially wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), are known to bind to the insulin receptor giving the fat cell the same message that insulin gives, namely to make fat. The lectin, however, due to a lack of feedback inhibition, remains indefinitely attached to the receptor giving the cell a constant message to make fat.20-25 This perhaps explains why many weight loss programs that include a moderate-to-high amount of carbohydrate (especially modern grain) fail.

    One other point with regard to lectin contribution to weight gain is the fact that lectins have been shown to block digestive hormones. WGA can bind to the receptor for cholecystokinin (CCK), a hormone involved in appetite control, suppressing its function.26-27 This essentially leads to an increase in appetite and impairment in the release of digestive enzymes.”  http://www.vrp.com/digestive-health/lectins-their-damaging-role-in-intestinal-health-rheumatoid-arthritis-and-weight-loss

  • flagyl

    Tremendous Experienced Source! I have found one of the great way about how to help our overweight dog to lose weight. It’s truly one of the most pet friendly information for me. I am completely crazy to see this one. Thanks for sharing.
     

  • Anonymous

    I work with pet owners for my job, and I am very surprised at how many of them have no idea how much their pet weighs.  They tell me that they haven’t taken them to the vet so don’t know his/her weight.  If you have a scale at home, and a dog you can lift, then you can monitor your dog’s weight.  I have a 50 lb. dog and a 60 lb. dog, and I weigh myself, take note of it, then hold my dog and weigh myself again, subtracting my weight from the second weight with both of us… This is invaluable in figuring out how much you should be feeding your dog because the feeding guidelines are so wide.  One of the dogs was severely underweight when I adopted her, and once she got to her target weight, she continued to gain.  I cut back the food, and monitored the weight to make sure she wasn’t going below the target.  It’s amazing how little even active dogs on a premium dog food need to maintain weight.  My 60 lb girl only needs 2 1/4 cups of Blue Buffalo Wilderness.

  • melissa

    DFN-Wow! That is great to say the least(the loss, not the gain, lol) Hubby and I used to eat lots of fast food due to work schedules etc. We decided to lose a few lbs and simply cut back calories and eat home-Simply with those changes both of us are losing the “fast food fat” : )

  • Shawna

    Before and after pictures of foster dog (now forever dog) Mimi.  Came in at 29 pounds.  After photo is 14 pounds.  Has about 2 more pounds to lose.  She was not able to exersize during the weight loss due to extreme obesity, extreme heat and severe winter last year.

    We didn’t count calories.  Fed high protein, low carb, moderate fat raw diet.

  • Shawna

    DFN — LOL, I hear ya!! My diet has been horrible since my daughter and grand babies moved in a few months ago (4 and 17 months old).. I don’t think I’ve eaten out this much in — well, a long time..

  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja Dog Food Ninja

    All the beer didn’t help either… lol

  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja Dog Food Ninja

    Shawna, I’m proof of that! I stopped eating all breads, pastas, white potato, corn, and what-not, and went paleo and lost 30 pounds! Then my boys were born and I started “cheating” here and there… Ice cream and biscuits and pizza… oh my! and lo and behold, I’ve put 5 or 6 pounds back on. :-(

  • Shawna

    While compiling data for a recent consultation I came across a research paper in the Journal of Nutrition that I thought would be a nice compliment to the very well written article above… The paper is regarding protein and weight loss.

    The paper is titled “High-Protein Low-Carbohydrate Diets Enhance Weight Loss in Dogs”

    A quote from the “Discussion” at the end of the paper. “Changing the macronutrient profile of a canine weight-loss diet from a high-carbohydrate level to one primarily based on protein can promote greater weight loss without further reductions in caloric intake. This weight loss is driven primarily from an increased loss of fat mass while maintaining lean muscle mass.” http://jn.nutrition.org/content/134/8/2087S.full

    High protein diet to lose fat and gain muscle without severly restricting calories and creating hunger — a win win for doggy!!!

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Angie… Finding a quality dog food that’s right for two dogs with completely different health issues is not likely. Unfortunately, since I’m not a veterinarian and due to the biological uniqueness of each pet, it would be inappropriate for me to provide specific product recommendations for each reader. Please see our FAQ page and our reviews for more information. Or check back for a possible response from one of our other readers. Wish I could be more help.

  • angie cooper

    Hi, I need help I have 2 dogs one is 10 years old mix and she has kidney disease and the other is 6 he is fine just over weight he is like a cattle dog mix I need to find a good dog food for them please help thank u.

  • Elise

    It is also very important to switch food slowly (2-4 weeks to swap) for a senior dog or one who has digestive upsets. I also supplement with pro-bios, a probiotic supplement I purchase from jefferspet.com

  • Elise

    I have had rescued dogs for several years-all of which have had the above symptoms. I switched first to Wellness Core and now feed Orijen. I absolutely love both foods. The key is feeding the proper amounts of food (the feeding guide on the bag is often too much) and making sure they are getting exercise. This can be very difficult with older dogs who are prone to joint problems. I recommend a good joint supplement from a young age for prevention and holistic remedies for joint inflammation (such as blackstrap molasses) to help. You should also try to provide some lower impact exercise such as walking on softer surfaces or swimming. As far as the allergies, both of these foods are great for dogs with allergies, unless the allergy is chicken. I am currently feeding Wellness to my husbands dog to help him loose weight.

  • sharron

    Hi

    I have a 2 yr old moderate active yorkie/chihuahua.
    She needs to lose a lb. She currently weighs 9 lbs.
    I just switched her to K9 Natural Dehydrated Vension.
    Will she able to lose this extra weight from this type of diet.
    Thanks
    Sharron
    Calgary

  • Tina

    Hi Christine. I also went through the same experience as you are going through with my senior pug. He started to loose hair, lots of it, and I also had him on a Purina product. In our experience, he did not do good at all on purina. First off, what I have learned in my seven plus years with my pug, is that out of all the dog breeds, they tend to have the worst allergies to food than any other breed I have ever owned. (like I said, this is just has been the case for me) My pugs, scratching was neverending, and had the nasties in his ears, and gained weight easily. Until I started to read up on all this dog food allergy problems. I switched his dog food to no corn, wheat, and no soy formula, and have had pretty good results. The first brand I switched to was 4 health lamb (dry), and he seemed to loose weight immediately, and his shedding, and itching didn’t seem to be nearly as bad. But, since going through one 5lb bag so far, I have noticed that his stool is extremely runny. Could be from the lack of carbs I am guessing. I tell you that I believe my pug, in particular, is allergic to everything!!..I think I am going to maybe switch his food to another brand, that is also grain free, and see if that helps with the loose stools. I also started to bathe him with J&J baby shampoo, and have had pretty good luck with the hair loss there too. Also, my pug is terribly allergic to fleas as well. Just one flea bite, sends him into a tailspin like no other and he digs until he gets sores. I get the once a month flea pill from the vets, (mostly thru summer months) and that seems to really help with his allergies in that area. Sometimes I also give him a spoonful of just plain nonfat yogurt, with a childrens benadryl, and that seems to help him as well. These are just some of the things that have helped us, and kept me and my pug from going insane with the neverending scratching. I hope this helps.

  • Christine

    We have them all on Purina One. I have noticed them all having red ears a lot, itching, scratching, licking a lot, stomach sensitivites, and they all shed…his just started to in clumps and more than usual, so that is why we took him in today. Plus, the coloring around those areas didn’t look right. I have noticed them doing the above things a lot and then started reading about dog food and thought maybe switching them off Purina One may help their symptoms. I appreciate and thank you for your feed back so much! I am very happy to hear that they can all go on the same food still as I was planning. Again, thank you. I am very new to this site and it has been a true help so far! : )

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Christine… Over the year, I’ve had 4 pugs. They all looked overweight and they all shed a lot of hair. So, I’m not sure you can link these problems to your pet’s food. Your senior doesn’t need his own special food. As a matter of fact, it’s OK to have all three dogs on an all life stage food. But be sure to measure and feed less to your less active senior.

  • Christine

    I just went to the vet with my senior pug…was trying to get them all on one excellent food (better than Purina One) and his hair has been falling out excessively just recently. He is 25 lbs. and was 23lbs(vet made comment he was getting heavy), also, he was given a steroid shot, antibiotcs, special shampoo and told to take zyrtec.
    The spots were scaly and infected(from scratching/licking) and said there could be possible yeast on them….does anyone know what this could be caused by? Should I have him on a weight formula, as opposed to having them all three on an All Life Stages? I haven’t switched foods yet, still trying to decide on which one will be good for all of them. Any suggestions would be great! Thanks!

  • Pia Florenzano

    hi i have a 15m old aussie she is a little overweight,i like to do it gentle first of all she eats to fast always looking to eat she gets a lot of exercise, and has a big Jard to run wit my other aussie which is 4month,i want to keep them healthy and not overweight

  • Kathleen

    Great article. I would like to add that most dog food labels tell you to feed your dog far more than they need. for example: my dog weighs 60lbs, my dog food says a dog that size needs approximately 4 1/2 cups of food, yet I feed her 2 1/2 cups of food and she maintains her weight. pay attention to your dog not the label and listen to your vet.