Overweight dogs: The ideal weight for your dog
When it comes to dogs, as with us, it can be easy to put on a few extra pounds. This gets especially hard as your pooch gets older and exercises less. We understand the temptation to give into puppy eyes and give your furry friend another treat is real (puppy eyes are a force to be reckoned with, let’s face it). But obese and overweight dogs are much more likely to develop health problems, which is why it is super important to monitor your little one’s weight, not just when you happen to be at the vet, but continuously. Here, we share advice and guidance on how to identify if your dog has a problem, as well as tips on how to manage their weight.
WHY IS IT A PROBLEM FOR DOGS TO BE OVERWEIGHT?
Canine obesity is unfortunately very common, affecting 35%* of all dogs in the UK. This is bad news for a number of reasons, the first being that overweight dogs have a reduced lifespan compared to dogs of a healthy weight. It’s also not much fun when your dog is too heavy and lethargic to be able to properly enjoy their walks!
It’s important to prevent your dog from gaining too much weight because obesity puts dogs at increased risk of developing a wide range of health problems including heart disease, respiratory problems, joint disease and metabolic problems such as diabetes.
“UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE BECOME TOO USED TO SEEING OVERWEIGHT DOGS”
HOW TO SPOT IF YOUR DOG IS OVERWEIGHT
The key signs of obesity are as follows:
• You can’t feel your dog’s ribs or spine easily when you run your hand down their side or along their back. As a rough guide, you should be able to feel their ribs, but not see them
• Difficulty defining their waist
• A sagging tummy
• Difficulty getting up
• Reluctance to go on walks
• Not able to go very far when they do get out and about
Unfortunately, due to there being so many overweight dogs, sometimes pet parents might not realise that their dog isn’t a healthy weight. If you’re having difficulty determining whether your dog is overweight, get advice from your vet. They can advise you on the ideal weight for your particular breed of dog as well as guidance on how that ideal weight can be reached.
This dog weight chart demonstrates what a dog’s ideal weight and size should look like. Where does your dog sit on the scale?
HOW TO HELP MANAGE YOUR DOG'S WEIGHT
The good news is that many of the problems associated with obesity are reversible if you help your pooch to gradually and safely shed their extra pounds. (Puppy eyes or no puppy eyes.)
As mentioned, you can monitor their weight and body condition at the vets. Your vet or a veterinary nurse will be able to assess their body condition, weight and level of general health and offer you advice. It’s important to approach weight loss gradually (especially for severely obese dogs) and to do so under the guidance of a vet, as rapid weight loss can lead to more problems.
It’s also crucial your furry friend gets checked over for any underlying health issues before they start a diet, as their weight gain might in fact not be a result of over-eating but a sign of an underlying issue.
However much weight your dog needs to lose, your vet should be able to help you formulate a bespoke weight loss plan, with regular weigh-ins and encouragement, to assist your little one in achieving it. (You’ve got this, doggos.)
“MAKE SURE YOUR DOG IS GETTING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF DAILY EXERCISE”
MAKE SURE YOUR DOG GETS PLENTY OF EXERCISE
Not just any exercise, but the right amount of daily exercise needed for their age and breed. Take them for regular walks and play stimulating games with them – both inside of the house and out. As well as keeping them active physically, exercise and games are great for your dog’s mind, helping them to feel more alert and energetic. BONUS: you'll also get to increase your daily step count too. It’s a win-win.
FEED YOUR DOG HEALTHY, NUTRITIOUS FOOD
By choosing healthy, nutritious dog food and only feeding the recommended amounts with no extra table scraps or titbits, you can help to control your dog’s weight.
Feeding two smaller meals a day rather than one large one helps your dog to digest their food better – and gives them the joy of looking forward to two meals!
We also recommend measuring the amount of food you feed them each day, rather than guessing. And if you are feeding several dogs, be sure to feed your overweight dog separately to avoid them stealing any leftovers! Nice try, little one.
Lily’s Kitchen could be an ideal choice of food to manage your dog’s weight (if we do say so ourselves!). Made with proper meat, offal and natural ingredients, our nutritionally complete recipes are full of goodness and can help lay a foundation for a happy weight. So tuck in, pups!
PROPER MEAT AND OFFAL
Avoid meat meal for easier digestion
SKIN AND COAT HEALTH
Look for a good balance of omegas 3 and 6
BONES & JOINTS
Are supported by added Glucosamine and Chondroitin
GOOD POOP
Proper meat and offal means pick-up-able poop (the joys of pet parenting)
SKIN AND COAT HEALTH
Look for a good balance of omegas 3 and 6
PROPER MEAT AND OFFAL
Avoid meat meal for easier digestion
GOOD POOP
Proper meat and offal means pick-up-able poop (the joys of pet parenting)
BONES & JOINTS
Are supported by added Glucosamine and Chondroitin
Not to sound like a broken record or anything, buuut remember to always speak to your vet before you make changes to your dog’s diet or put them on any weight loss regime. Follow the advice of your vet regarding how much to reduce your dog’s daily rations by. In more extreme cases it may be necessary for your dog to go onto a weight control diet such as a prescription diet, usually just in the short term until they have reached their target weight.
LEAN MACHINEFOR DOGS
Fuel your pup with natural ingredients! Including delicious, freshly prepared turkey and squash, this is a recipe that doesn’t compromise on taste (just the calories).
Shop now
LEAN MACHINEFOR DOGS
Fuel your pup with natural power! With delicious, freshly prepared turkey and squash, this is a recipe that doesn’t compromise on taste (just the calories).
Shop now