Dog Obesity in the UK

Here are our top 10 tips you can use to help your furry friend shed the pounds!

Start a food diary.
Record everything your dog is having to eat, including treats and table scraps. Sometimes it simply helps to see where the extra calories might be coming from, as it can help you to recognise unhealthy habits (e.g. extra nibbles when friends and family visit!).

Measure their portions.
Weighing your dog’s food will make sure you’re not feeding them more than they need. Your vet will be able to give you advice about how much your furry friend needs based on their breed, age and size. NEW SureFeed Microchip Feeder Connect allows you to sync the SureFeed app to your phone and set the desired meal weight. When you fill your pet’s bowl, the LED will flash green when the desired weight has been met (within 1g of accuracy). By using the app, you can keep track of how much your pet is eating, when and how often, and it allows you to notice changes in your pet’s feeding habits over time, which could be an indication of illness. You can also monitor this remotely, whether you are out shopping or away on holiday.

Switch to a lower calorie dog food.
Specialist weight management pet foods for dogs are readily available, and can help your pet to feel satisfied even as they cut down on calories.

This article is intended as a guide only. Always seek advice from your veterinary surgeon prior to changing your dog’s diet 

Royal Canin Light Weight Care

• High-quality nutrients designed to maintain an ideal body weight Helps your dog get trim, sporty and light on his paws, enjoying the park or romping at home
• Extra-tasty recipe is crafted for your dog’s wellbeing.
• High in protein, low in fat, and contains an optimal combination of soluble and insoluble fibers that help your dog feel full.
• Omega 3 fatty acids help by supporting his strained joints.

Iams for Vitality Light in Fat

• • Strong Muscles: Helps build strong firm muscles with protein sourced from chicken
  • Healthy Heart: Nourishes the heart with 7 essential nutrients
  • Healthy Weight: Formulated to gradually return your dog to a healthier weight
  • Strong Immune System: Enriched with antioxidants to help maintain a strong immune system
  • Healthy Skin and Shiny Coat: Formulated with Omega-6 and Omega-3 for healthy skin and shiny coat
  • Strong Bones: With essential minerals to help maintain strong bone

Royal Canin Canine Obesity Management

• • Low calorie, so the size of your dog's meal can stay the same
  • high in protein and low in carbs to satisfy your dog's hunger without giving them too much extra energy
  • Special ingredients also support your dog's bones and joints
  • Packed with nutrients to keep your dog healthy as they lose weight

Hills Prescription Diet Metabolic

• Innovative weight management solution to improve weight programme success
• Clinically proven to safely provide 28% body fat loss in dogs in two months*
• Clinically proven to avoid weight regain following a weight loss programme*
• 96% of dogs lost weight in two months at home – proven in blinded in-home feeding study*
• Great compliance and zero deprivation – 90% of clients completed the weight loss programme
• Available in dog formula, dry and cans

Make sure they aren’t being fed elsewhere. It’s easy to tell if anybody is slipping your dog extra treats but you are never too sure. Well-meaning neighbours might not be aware that they’re compromising your dog’s health by treating them to extra meals. If your dog wears a collar, a “Please don’t feed me!” tag might do the trick.

Avoid human food. It can be hard to resist those puppy dog eyes, but stay strong – much as we love to treat our pets, they have very different nutritional needs to us, so sharing our dinner won’t do their health any favours.

Weigh your pet regularly. This will help you to track their progress. Weigh your small dog by firstly standing on the scale yourself, and then hopping on with them – the difference is your pet’s weight.

Help your dog to eat more slowly. If your pet tends to wolf down their dinner in one, a slow feeder bowl can help them to slow down and digest their food more fully.

Make mealtimes into a game. Hide your dog’s food in their favourite toy to make them work a little harder for their reward. This will encourage them to burn energy by exercising and playing.

Be patient. Healthy weight loss takes time, but it’s worth it! The safe rate of weight loss for your dog is approximately 1-2% of their bodyweight per week. Your vet will be happy to help you set realistic slimming goals for your pet.

Increase exercise. Last but certainly not least – increasing exercise is an essential part of keeping your dog’s health in check. You can increase your furry friend’s activity levels in loads of ways – most cats will love to chase a string or laser pointer around, and what dog would say no to more walkies and an extra game of fetch?

Sources:

The woofworks   |    PDSA   |    PFMA   |    Wikipedia    |    petdoctors