How to Get Your Dog on a Diet

Walking your dog regularly will help control its weight and yours.

When a dog is as little as five pounds over its ideal body weight, it is at risk of developing serious medical issues, including diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, high blood pressure and some forms of cancer. Excess weight can also put pressure on leg joints and make them more prone to injury. Obesity in a dog can be easily treated by controlling food intake and ensuring proper exercise.

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Diet dog food
Fruits and vegetables

Instructions

- 1
  
  Feel your dog's ribcage. To determine whether your dog is overweight, move your hands over its ribs. If you're not able to feel its ribs, it is overweight. You shouldn't be able to see its ribs, either. If ribs are protruding, the dog is underweight.
- 2
  
  Adjust the amount of food you offer the dog. Before switching the dog to diet dog food, reduce the amount of food you currently give it. Follow the pet food manufacturer's recommended daily feeding guidelines for the weight the dog should be, not its current weight.
- 3
  
  Feed the dog twice a day. If you have been feeding just once daily, switch to two feedings, one in the morning and one in the early evening. Smaller, more frequent feedings can help the dog metabolize its food and use it for energy, not to store fat.
- 4
  
  Quit offering the dog table scraps. Many dogs become overweight because owners cave in when the pooch begs for scraps from the table. Most people food is just empty calories for dogs and of little or no nutritional value.
- 5
  
  Reduce the number of dog bones and treats you give the dog. A good way to lower calories and provide bulk and fiber to the dog's diet is to offer fruits and vegetables such as carrots, apples, green beans, peas, melon, squash and banana as treats.
- 6
  
  Prevent the dog from having access to other food sources. If you have multiple dogs, feed them separately to control the portion the overweight dog eats. Don't leave cat food where the fat dog can get to it.
- 7
  
  Put a collar and leash on the dog and get out your walking shoes. Regular exercise is a necessary component in health and weight management for both your dog and you. Take the dog on daily walks to help it shed unwanted pounds.
- 8
  
  Invest in high-quality weight management dog food. If cutting back on your current food doesn't result in weight loss, switch to a lower-calorie formula designed for weight loss.
- 9
  
  Consult your veterinarian. If changing the dog's diet and adding exercise have not resulted in weight loss, take it to the vet for a checkup. Sometimes weight gain is caused by a hormone condition that will need to be treated with medication.

Tips & Warnings

Go slow with the exercise if the dog is extremely overweight or old. The excess pounds will put a strain on the dog's joints, and adding too much exercise too soon can injure it.
Take your dog to the veterinarian immediately if it suddenly develops a potbelly. This could be the sign of a serious medical condition such as bloat, liver disease or cancer.

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