How to get your dog to lose weight.

Is your dog overweight? Can he go up stairs, or go on a walk without being winded? Well, never fear. Many people find it is easier to get their dog to lose weight, than it is to get those last five pounds off. It is a simple equation, one I am sure everyone has heard. Less calories in, more calories out.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Leash
• Ball
• Measuring cup

1. Measure the food you give to your dog every day. This is an easy step and every person should know how much they feed their dog. A 24oz T-mart cup is not a cup. It is 3 cups of dog food when measured out. It may be easier to use any old cup to dish the dog food, but buy a scoop or cup that can precisely measure the dog food.
2. Make sure that the dog food you are feeding is a quality food without a lot of fillers. If the dog food has soy or corn as the first ingredient, you can guarantee that the food will contain a lot of it, and not so much the protein that your dog does need. An added bonus to feeding a food that has less fillers, is that your dog will produce less waste.
3. Watch your dog. Is he active, or a bag of lazy bones? If he is active and still overweight, you need to decrease the amount of food. Start by giving you dog only 3/4 of his usual amount. For example, My dog gets 2 cups of food a day. I would decrease it to 1 1/2 cups of food. This decreases the amount of calories that he gets.
4. If your dog is not so active, try taking him on walks. Even if you have a fenced in yard, take your dog for a walk. You will force him to use some of the calories his body would otherwise be storing up.
5. Find an activity that you both enjoy. If your dog loves toys, find one that he will chase. Fetch is a great game in which the dog usually gets more exercise than the person (unless you have to chase them). My dog loves to play hide and seek. One of us stays with the dog and the other hides. When he finds the hidden person, the other person then hides.
6. Change it up. Change your activities with your dog. You do not want to make your dog become focused or obsessed with a certain activity (example - fetching a ball), this could lead to anxiety when you do not participate in that activity. It could also lead to disobedience when you do participate in the activity.
7. Visit your vet. Overweight dogs can have many health problems, with diabetes being the most prevalent. A veterinarian can monitor the weight lose for you and will make sure that your dog is losing the weight and that his lungs and heart are healthy. Veterinarians can also monitor the kidneys and liver to make sure that they are functioning correctly and that the excessive weight hasn't caused any damage.

Tips & Warnings

• Dogs can become bored with activities, but they usually do NOT get bored with food. Stick to the same food.
• Make sure that your dog is healthy. A sick dog will not want to play.
• Give your dog attention, but not treats. Treats is what got you to this article in the first place.
• If your dog becomes winded take a break. Do not push your dog beyond his limits.
• If your dog's attitude/demeanor suddenly changes, visit your veterinarian.
• If you have attempted to get you dog to lose weight and nothing is happening, visit your veterinarian. There may be an undiagnosed endocrine problem.