[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Marcus A –

If you’re a Editor’s Choice Member, I’d recommend checking out the list of recommended budget friendly foods.

As for helping your dog to lose weight, there’s only one way to achieve this which is by creating an energy deficit. This means that your dog will need to be burning more calories than he his consuming. Unfortunately, just as with weight loss for us humans, there’s no easy (or fun) way to achieve this.

My recommendation would be to pick a quality food that you can afford and reduce the portion sizes and increase the amount of exercise he’s getting (since he’s older, you may need to opt for short but frequent walks). There’s really no reason to pick a food labeled specifically for weight loss as long as you are controlling the portion size.

Start by feeding him the amount suggested on the bag for what he SHOULD weigh (not what he does weigh) – if it gives you a range go with the lower amount. So, for example, if he weighs 50 lbs. and he should be 40 lbs. look on the bag for how much a 40 lb. dog should eat. If the bag says a 40 lb. dog should eat 1 1/2 – 2 C. per day, start by feeding him 1 1/2 C. per day. Aim for a reduction of about 1% of his body weight per week. If he’s not losing, gradually reduce portion sizes (for a dog his size, 1/4 C. increments would probably be fine) until you see results. If he’s losing too rapidly, gradually increase portion sizes.

Remember – treats have calories too! All treats eaten need to be accounted for in his daily calorie intake. Make others in the household aware of this as well.

Good luck!

• This reply was modified 11 years, 6 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.
• This reply was modified 11 years, 6 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.