Seriously Overweight Dog

[paddles]

Hi, I have just recieved foster dog (lovely nature) but seriously overweight, he will stay with me until his weight is significantly reduced before he can be rehomed. now, aside of the obvious, (not too much food, more exercise etc) does anybody have any weight loss tips they could share? for instance, i'm used to walking my dogs, 40 minutes once a day, would this be a good idea for such an overweight dog, or would I be better to break it up into several shorter walks??? I am giving him 2 small meals a day, of a diet recommended food. my main thoughts is how I might incorperate more exercise into his day.

[Rappie]

If he's grossly obese then serious, strict reduction of caloric intake is going to be more important than exercise in the early stages. The key here would be moderate exercise, which for a grossly overweight dog means a bit more exercise than he already does - maybe a 5-10 minute walk. It is important to be aware of the weather and outdoor temperature and any other conditions that might be present like arthritis, with the hot weather lately it would be quite easy to induce heat stress in a fat, panting dog.

[Gayle.]

I would be inclined to break the walks up into 2-3 shorter ones per day. I think the weight loss will be faster and the diet he'll be on will be more efficient....and the dog will be more comfortable.....with smaller bouts of exercise. Plus it will place less stress on his joints until he's lost a good bit.

Maybe try some swimming too, if you have a convenient place to take him to.

[paddles]

Thank you for your help....

[Sandra777]

I had a really obese Lab in the kennels once and would get her (small amount!) of dry food and throw it once piece at a time as far as I could (which isn't far actually!) so she would walk/trot and get it, then come all the way back and I'd throw another one. By the end of her small meal she'd probably would have done 10 minutes good walking/trotting exercise. You could do this with bits of apple or carrot too if the dog is the eat anything sort. Definitely small amounts of excercise to start with but regularly through the day.

[Nekhbet]

you cant starve overweight dogs either, they run out of puff

twice a day, mostly rice and veg based with a bit of chicken carcass and some livamol (just a touch) strips weight off VERY quickly

small exercise here and there too. If you really want a kibble diet Royal Canin diet is a great stripping diet but I prefer home made

[oakway]

Reduction in weight is more necessary than exercise.

If it were me I put the dog onto a weight reduction dry food and half the intake of what is recommended by the manufacturer.

Only when a serious weight reduction has occurred would I exercise the dog.

When this starts I would start to increase the food intake to the manufacturers recommended intake.

[kirst_goldens]

i agree with nekhbet i hate dry diet foods as they are filled with useless fillers which make the dog feel full but gives it very in the way of what it actually needs, feed a regular kibble and feed half or a homemade diet meal liek above would be ideal, and increase excersize as above again i think 2-3 smaller walks a day would be good and treat balls are good for dogs on a diet, like the kong wobbler? i think its called? lots of fun for a lab and they get a bit of exercise as well and then u dont have to sit with them while they eat u can set them up with the kong and do other stuff while they eat and play.