The Risks and Problems Associated with Overweight Dogs

Overfeeding your pet can do it some serious harm, possibly contributing to major long-term health problems. Issues such as diabetes, heart problems and complications with internal organs and muscular dysfunction are all things that dogs in particular can be prone to.

But don’t worry! If your pet is overweight, there are plenty of ways that you can get them back on the right track to being healthy and fit.

The first thing to do, as you might guess, is to start feeding them less. Reduce it only by a small amount each time, feeding them around 1/10th less every day, so that it’s a gradual process and you don’t risk underfeeding them.

Secondly, ensure that your pet is getting enough exercise. If you’ve got a nice big park or an open area where it’s ok to let your dog off the lead, try taking a toy to throw for the dog so that they get some extra exercise on your usual run. If you don’t have this available, instead simply elongate your usual journey or add an extra trip out for some exercise to your routine every day.

Thirdly, always be considerate with the quality of food you’re actually feeding to your pets. Don’t feed them the remaining food from your own plate. Check your dog’s daily food allowance against any treats you give to them. If you want to ensure that they stay healthy, there has to be a balance.

If your pet continually seems to be hungry after finishing his meals and you feed a dry complete diet, it can be an effective idea to add water, this swells the food and helps create a sense of fullness in the dog’s stomach. We recommend a ratio of 1 part liquid to 2 parts food.

If your dog gobbles his food, consider getting them a special bowl with a raised centre. This encourages them to eat around the edges and prevents them from eating as quickly.

Overall, they need a combination of enough exercise and the right amount of food to stay healthy. If these factors are out of balance, then they may put on weight.

If worst comes to worst and your pet is badly overweight, the most important thing to do is to go and see a vet in order to find a resolution.

The main thing is to make sure that you are feeding your pet great quality food tailored for them. Specially designed puppy food, dry dog food and other diets can help your dog live a long, happy and healthy life.