Obesity in modern society is rising; even our animals are becoming larger and less healthy. Sadly, this can cause undue distress and premature death for our beloved pets. Subsequently, it is imperative for all pet owners to address the issues of animal obesity and do all they can to keep their pets happy and healthy.
The vast majority of dog owners would never intentionally harm their pets. However, allowing your dog to gain excessive weight will cause great distress, discomfort and eventually much more serious health problems. If you are worried about your dog’s weight gain, there are many things that you can do to help him, or her.
Seek Assistance From a Vet
Your local veterinarian should be your first port of call, principally because he, or she, will be able to rule out any medical condition that could be causing your dog’s weight gain. Your vet will also be able to give you some advice on diet and exercise that can help your dog to lose the excess pounds. Once your vet has ruled out any medical cause, it unfortunately means that you are responsible for your dog’s obesity. However, you have the power to alter your pet’s lifestyle and return it to its happy, healthy former self.
Activity
Often weight loss, in both animals and humans, requires a change of lifestyle. One of the first changes that you should make to help your obese dog is to increase the amount of physical exercise that he, or she, is getting. However, exercising your dog does not have to be a boring chore, try to make it as fun as possible by visiting your dog’s favorite place (park, beach, forest etc.) In addition, you can make it fun for you and your family by playing games, such as catch or fetch.
However, when increasing the level of activity it is advisable to consider the capabilities of your individual dog. In other words, dogs that are unused to a lot of physical exercise will tire quickly, similarly older dogs or those with joint problems will find excessive exercise straining. Therefore, it is a good idea to be as sensitive as possible to your dog’s needs, while ensuring that he, or she, remains active. If you are unsure about how much exercise your dog should have, seek the advice of your vet.
Adjust the Diet
Obviously, exercise alone will not be enough for your dog to lose those excess pounds. Therefore, it is equally important to alter his, or her, diet. There are a number of ways that a change of diet can be approached. For many people, the simplest way is to purchase a weight control food and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
However, there is a less expensive approach that will allow you to monitor the quality of ingredients. If you can find the time, making your own dog food can be extremely beneficial to your dog’s health and the efforts to help him, or her, lose weight. To make your own healthy dog food all you need is one cup of a dairy-based product, such as an organic yoghurt or cottage cheese; two cups of vegetables; three cups of potato or your choice of grain; four cups of water and four cups of meat. Any kind of meat will do, but, typically, it is a good idea to cook it in order to eliminate any potential danger from raw meat.
For some owners the difficulty in dealing with a dog’s obesity is knowing how much to feed their animal. Here is a rough guide:
10lbs…2 cups
25lbs…4 cups
40lbs…5/6 cups
60lbs…7/8 cups
85lbs…9/10 cups
Of course, you cannot expect your dog’s weight to simply drop off. It will take time, but it is good to bear in mind that slow and steady weight loss is the healthy method. By monitoring your dog’s diet and increasing the amount of physical activity, you should notice a profound difference within a few months. If this is not the case, then it is advisable to seek the assistance of your vet.
Samantha Markham is a professional freelance writer. She is proud to currently be working on behalf of Remmeer.com, an online supplier of high quality pet products. Visit Remmeer.com for all of your dog’s needs, including dog food bowls and <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" target="_blank" href=" dog”>http://www.remmeer.com/dog-treats-c-75.html”>dog treat jars & canisters. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/tips-for-owners-of-overweight-dogs-1603050.html
