Dogs diet differently than humans
Great article in the Paradise (CA) Post about how easy it is to overfeed your dog and what you can do about it.
I don’t know how it’s happening, but it seems like all of my dogs are getting bigger and bigger. I had planned to enter Taylor in an upcoming dog show where they will have classes for senior dogs but I took an honest look at him. He’s gotten so big that I didn’t think he could trot around the ring without huffing and puffing. I didn’t think he would enjoy it. Granted, he’s going to be 12 years old soon, but he wasn’t this big last year. I didn’t enter him and that’s sad. I wanted people to see him and it’s something he would ordinarily enjoy. He loves to go places and stay in a motel overnight. He likes to socialize.
Of course, it’s my fault. I leave food out thinking that I’m being kind to my dogs when, in fact, I’m letting them pack on the pounds.
There are some good suggestions for helping your dog slim down and stay at a good weight in this story.
Dogs diet differently than humans
By Rebecca Settergren
Overweight dogs have long been a pet peeve of mine. According to recent statistics, being overweight has reached an all time high among the human population in this country and is now considered an epidemic. That fact transfers to our canine population as well. The thing is; it is far easier to keep your dog from getting fat than it is yourself. I have first hand knowledge of this malady and know of which I speak.
It certainly would not hurt me to lose ten pounds. My muffin top or spare tire or, plainly speaking, the fat roll around my middle is disgusting. I do not need to go on a diet, I just need to exercise more and stop eating a handful of chocolate truffles just before I go to bed. My dogs, however, are not overweight. At least they aren’t right now. I admit to having a bit of a problem over feeding Big Foot Bob, my schipperke. My other three dogs are considerably bigger than he is so the amount of kibble he gets each evening is minute in comparison.
Bobby’s breeder and my best friend pointed out to me frequently that he was too heavy. She also solved the problem by giving me a smaller food bowl for him. Now I can heap the kibble in his bowl, but he maintains a healthy weight. It is all in my mind - by giving him a bowl of food full and literally over flowing, it seems like a lot. When I used a bowl the same size as Rusty’s (a 45 pound dog) but tried to just put a bit of kibble in it, I felt like I was not giving Bob enough. My four dogs are of three different sizes: Tommy Tune the golden, is a large dog so his perfect weight is right around 68 pounds. Li’l Russ my adult Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is a medium sized dog, his best weight is around 44 pounds.
Chili Wili is also a Toller, eight months old right now but I expect him to top out at just about the same as Russ. Bobby, of course, is the smallest at 12 pounds. I learned my lesson: Each dog has a different size food bowl, appropriate for his weight.
When I started flyball and rally training with Bobby I was using a lot of treats. To keep his weight where it should be, I cut down the amount of kibble he gets each evening. I think that is where many owners go wrong. They do not consider the treats they give as part of the dog’s daily diet. It has been over four years since I last worked in a veterinary office, but I remember well the comments owners make when the doctor tells them their dog is overweight. Invariably it is “but he only gets a little bit of kibble, hardly anything”.
They fail to take into account all the small tidbits handed out indiscriminately throughout the day. The other main problem is that many owners equate food with love and attention. Wrong! Your dog is not going to hate you if you give him less food or fewer treats. By the same token, he is not going to love you more if you let him eat anything and everything he wants.
It is hard for many owners to recognize when their dog is too fat. It really is not hard to figure out, however, by following these two guide lines. 1) When you look straight down on your standing dog, he should have a bit of a “waist.” That means there is a slight indentation behind the ribcage and before the flank. 2) You should be able to feel the ribs on a standing dog with just a slight fat pad covering them, without digging in with your finger tips. If you cannot feel the dog’s ribs at all, he is definitely over weight.
As far as weight loss goes, an easy way to start is to first put everything your dog eats in one day (including treats) in a bowl. Do not cheat: include every little treat, then reduce the total amount by one quarter. Every morning, before you feed, measure out the day’s ration so you can easily dispense it at anytime throughout the day. You do not have to stop giving treats but you must include them in the daily total.
When your dieting dog begs for food, play with him instead. Give him some extra attention: throw his squeaky toy around the livingroom for a few minutes or better yet, take him for a short walk. Another trick is to put the dog outside when you eat. If not outside, then another room or crate him. Avoid a situation that is going to make the dog beg for food.
Also avoid a situation that is going to make you want to give him a treat. If you truly love your dog, stop killing him by feeding too much. A slim dog is a healthy dog and will live longer.
Rebecca Settergren is an AKC approved CGC Evaluator ,a member of the Dog Writers Association of America and a contributing columnist to the Post.
