Dog Dieting: How are tips to help your lovable dog lose weight and live a longer loving life in 2023 🐕
The worrying numbers were revealed by pet nutrician experts www.tails.com, who estimate that obese dogs on average live a year less than pups of an optimum weight.
We can all be guilty of a little overindulging now and then, whether it’s an extra biscuit or an extra helping of dessert, but when those over indulgences lead to quite a bit of weight gain, we can put ourselves at risk of damaging our health.
Just as it is for humans, obesity in dogs is also a health risk – with associated problems including, but not restricted to, arthritis, diabetes, heart problems, high blood pressure, respiratory issues, an increased risk of developing certain tumours, and a lower quality of life.
So, if you think your dog needs a little help to get back into shape, here’s what you need to do.
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5. Get out and about
Every healthy dog should be able to manage at least 20 minutes of walking, twice a day. Getting out and about for walks doesn’t just provide your dog with the physical exercise they need, it also provides mental stimulation. If you’re looking to get your dog into shape, begin by gradually increasing the length of their usual walk by an extra 5-10 minutes each week. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
6. Review the doggy diet
For some dogs, it’s simply the lack of exercise that contributes to their weight gain. For others, however, they may require a change in diet. This could mean looking at a low fat, high fibre diet to help your dog stay fuller for longer with fewer calories or simply tweaking the amounts or type of treats they usually get each day. If you’re prone to overfeeding, you may need to reassess your dog’s portion sizes. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
7. Skip the human food
If you feed human foods to your pet occasionally, you should consider cutting this out too as this has a big impact on a dog’s weight – more so than you might expect. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
8. Still hungry?
If your dog is used to eating bigger portions, it’s likely that extra bit of food will be missed when it’s reduced. The body soon adapts, however, and as we mentioned earlier, it’s the attention that comes with the feeding that can be more satisfying for your dog than the food itself. Photo: Canva/Getty Images