Perhaps your young dog has successfully teased extra treats and table scraps out of you with their sweet puppy eyes. Although we know those eyes are hard to resist, the risks that come with obesity may be enough to help you remember that you’re saying “no” for your dog’s own good. With over half of dogs in the United States being overweight or obese, the time may come when your veterinarian recommends that your dog develop a healthy diet for weight loss.
What healthy weight loss looks like in young dogs
Healthy weight loss in dogs requires patience on your part. During healthy weight loss, your dog should lose between 1% and 2% of their starting weight per week. So, if your dog weighs 50 pounds and should weigh 40 pounds, you can expect healthy weight loss to take 10 to 20 weeks assuming you don’t hit any roadblocks along the way.
While your veterinarian may set a goal weight to help you keep on track, healthy weights in dogs are based more on their body condition than the actual number on the scale. Your young dog should have a waist that tucks in when viewed from the side or from above. Their ribs should be easily felt without having to apply much pressure, but the ribs shouldn’t be easily visible.
Planning for healthy weight loss in young dogs
Weight loss in dogs isn’t as simple as just cutting calories and increasing activity, so you’ll want to work with your veterinarian to develop an effective plan. Your veterinarian will first want to rule out underlying health conditions that can contribute to obesity, such as Cushing’s disease or hypothyroidism, though such conditions are uncommon in young dogs.
As expected, your veterinarian will recommend decreasing caloric intake, but they’ll be calculating precisely how many calories you should feed per day based on your dog’s ideal weight loss. Cutting too many calories isn’t healthy for your young dog. On the other hand, if you don’t cut enough calories, you may not see progress. Your veterinarian will also set rechecks and adjust the plan based on how well the weight loss plan is working.
Tips for healthy weight loss in young dogs
The following are tips for healthy weight loss in dogs.
Track what your dog eats for a few days
Before seeing your veterinarian, keep a food diary of everything your dog consumes for a few days. This will help your veterinarian establish how many calories your young dog is currently consuming.
Ask your veterinarian for a healthy weight loss plan
Work with your veterinarian to develop an effective weight loss plan. You could ask your veterinarian for a prescription weight loss or weight management diet. If introducing a new diet to your young dog, transition to the new food slowly over the course of a week.
Measure how much you’re feeding
Your veterinarian may recommend measuring food using a kitchen scale rather than cups. It’s easy to overfill a cup, but if you have a scale, you can measure out exactly how many grams of food your veterinarian recommends. Incorporate healthy treats, ensuring they don’t make up more than 10% of your dog’s recommended calories. Ask your veterinarian how many calories you can give in treats.
Make healthy foods more enticing
If your dog isn’t interested in the new diet, you may be able to make it more enticing by heating the food, adding a flavored probiotic or supplement, switching to a different form (canned vs. kibble) or adding a small amount of low-sodium broth. Make sure to check with your veterinarian before adding anything like supplements or broth to your pet’s food.
Add in more physical activity for your young dog
Use treat-dispensing toys to increase your dog’s exercise. Make sure you’re including those treats in the calorie total for the day. Add in other activities as approved by your veterinarian, such as a brisk walk.
Change the frequency of mealtime
If your puppy seems to be getting overly hungry between meals, consider providing more frequent, smaller meals. On the other hand, some dogs may do better with fewer, larger meals.
Healthy weight loss is challenging in humans and young dogs alike. Your VCA care team is happy to support your puppy on their weight-loss journey.
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