There are many risks that your dog will face if he is overweight. If you continue to allow him to eat as he is now, you are increasing his risk of life-threatening diseases like diabetes and developing painful conditions like arthritis. If you do not put your dog on a proper diet, you are choosing to let him live a less than full life.
Did you know that approximately 40% of American pets are considered overweight or obese. That's not too surprising since over 60% of the American public are also overweight. Most dogs will eat until they explode because their brains are not as developed as ours, so they have an excuse. You are the one in control of your dog's eating habits, so you must resist overfeeding your dog no matter how much he may beg.
It's pretty simple. If your dog is overweight (ie: fat) it means he's eating too much! Dogs are not naturally fat, they get that way by overeating and not having enough exercise unless they have a medical problem such as heart or thyroid problems. You should check with your vet if you feel this may be your pet's problem. Make sure that you are honest with your vet and tell him the truth about how much and what kind of food your dog eats, including treats and also about how much daily exercise he gets.
THE EXCUSES
"Buster won't shut up unless I give him a treat and he won't settle at night unless he gets his special smokie sausage." Bravo for Buster who has successfully learned that if he kicks up a fuss he will get a reward. Talk about negative conditioning here. The owner hasn't trained Buster properly to have some manners and instead Buster is being rewarded for being a nuisance - a nuisance who will get fat if he keeps eating like that.
The excuse that your dog just won't eat dog food, is just as dumb. Just because they like table scraps better than healthy dog food, doesn't mean that's all he should get. You are the one in charges. If you don't give him human good, he'll eat his dog food. This time you're rewarding him for bad behavior with food that is ultimately dangerous for him. It is not up to your dog what he will eat. Give him high quality and nutritious food and save the table scraps for a rare treat.
BUSTER YOU NEED EXERCISE AND GO ON A DOG DIET
Step one is to purchase a good nutritious dog food. One that has meat or meat by-products listed as the first ingredients, not fillers like grains or rice. If your dog enjoys the taste of the food, he`s going to eat it.
Record your dog's present weight and date and then start reducing his present intake of food by 1/3rd. This includes treats and snacks. Do not give in to any begging or whining. You are doing nothing to harm him and in time he will learn that begging won't work. After two weeks, weigh in again.
If at the end of the first two weeks he has lost a bit of weight, then you should stick to this diet. If no weight has been lost, check to make sure he's not getting food from a source that you don't know about, then reduce his food intake by another 1/3rd. You are not going to starve him!
Even though there are some "diet" dog foods on the market, I would avoid them as they are usually high in carbohydrates which can produce extra insulin.
WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?
Instead of showing your dog how much you love him through food, choose better, more healthy ways to bond. Get more exercise. Both of you will benefit from going on extra walks and playing games rather than sitting at home and eating. There are plenty of healthy dog foods on the market that will taste great for your dog. You certainly never have to worry that your dog is missing out on anything just because he's not eating table scraps. In the end, both you and your dog are going to benefit from living a healthier life style.
Did you know that approximately 40% of American pets are considered overweight or obese. That's not too surprising since over 60% of the American public are also overweight. Most dogs will eat until they explode because their brains are not as developed as ours, so they have an excuse. You are the one in control of your dog's eating habits, so you must resist overfeeding your dog no matter how much he may beg.
It's pretty simple. If your dog is overweight (ie: fat) it means he's eating too much! Dogs are not naturally fat, they get that way by overeating and not having enough exercise unless they have a medical problem such as heart or thyroid problems. You should check with your vet if you feel this may be your pet's problem. Make sure that you are honest with your vet and tell him the truth about how much and what kind of food your dog eats, including treats and also about how much daily exercise he gets.
THE EXCUSES
"Buster won't shut up unless I give him a treat and he won't settle at night unless he gets his special smokie sausage." Bravo for Buster who has successfully learned that if he kicks up a fuss he will get a reward. Talk about negative conditioning here. The owner hasn't trained Buster properly to have some manners and instead Buster is being rewarded for being a nuisance - a nuisance who will get fat if he keeps eating like that.
The excuse that your dog just won't eat dog food, is just as dumb. Just because they like table scraps better than healthy dog food, doesn't mean that's all he should get. You are the one in charges. If you don't give him human good, he'll eat his dog food. This time you're rewarding him for bad behavior with food that is ultimately dangerous for him. It is not up to your dog what he will eat. Give him high quality and nutritious food and save the table scraps for a rare treat.
BUSTER YOU NEED EXERCISE AND GO ON A DOG DIET
Step one is to purchase a good nutritious dog food. One that has meat or meat by-products listed as the first ingredients, not fillers like grains or rice. If your dog enjoys the taste of the food, he`s going to eat it.
Record your dog's present weight and date and then start reducing his present intake of food by 1/3rd. This includes treats and snacks. Do not give in to any begging or whining. You are doing nothing to harm him and in time he will learn that begging won't work. After two weeks, weigh in again.
If at the end of the first two weeks he has lost a bit of weight, then you should stick to this diet. If no weight has been lost, check to make sure he's not getting food from a source that you don't know about, then reduce his food intake by another 1/3rd. You are not going to starve him!
Even though there are some "diet" dog foods on the market, I would avoid them as they are usually high in carbohydrates which can produce extra insulin.
WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?
Instead of showing your dog how much you love him through food, choose better, more healthy ways to bond. Get more exercise. Both of you will benefit from going on extra walks and playing games rather than sitting at home and eating. There are plenty of healthy dog foods on the market that will taste great for your dog. You certainly never have to worry that your dog is missing out on anything just because he's not eating table scraps. In the end, both you and your dog are going to benefit from living a healthier life style.
About the Author:
Alex is a freelance graphic designer with a love of writing and dogs. She has a long and varied history with dogs and has studied what works and what doesn't when training them. If you liked this article, check out a few of her others, like Why Are Some Dogs Afraid Of Thunder? or Is Your Dog At Risk . . . Effects Of Sun & Heat On Dogs.
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