Obesity in dogs has been described as an epidemic, particularly in countries such as the UK and USA. Overweight dogs have shorter lives than dogs of a healthy weight, suffer debilitating health conditions, reduced mobility and their mood is negatively affected by carrying the excess pounds.
So if we can all acknowledge that our dog being overweight is just a universally undesirable thing, what can we do to help our dog safely and healthily lose weight and become the happier, healthier, longer living dog we want them to be?
There are a number of simple, crucial steps we dog owners can take to help our dogs lose weight in a healthy, safe way. In this article we'll discuss the steps to take to help our portly pets shed the pounds they need to as well as highlighting the many benefits of getting our dogs in to the optimum shape for their age, breed and lifestyle.
What percentage of UK dogs are overweight?
How to help your dog lose weight in a healthy way
We can all be guilty of a little overindulging now and then, whether it’s an extra biscuit or an extra helping of dessert. But when those over indulgences lead to quite a bit of weight gain, we can put ourselves at risk of damaging our health. Just as it is for humans, obesity in dogs is also a health risk. If you think your dog needs a little help to get back into shape, here’s what you need to do:
Get everybody on board
First of all, everyone in your house needs to be on board. It’s no good if only one of you is taking the diet seriously, whilst others continue to feed treats! Try creating a feeding chart so that when your dog has been fed their meals and daily treat, everyone in the house knows too.
Swap out treats for attention
A good rule of thumb to remember is: treats shouldn’t make up more than 10% of a dog’s daily calorie intake. The occasional treat can be good for your dog when combined with training or if given for a nutritional benefit. When treats become too much of a regular occurrence, they can contribute to weight gain and for many dogs, it’s actually the attention that they appreciate more than the treat itself. So when they turn those puppy dog eyes on you, swap the usual treat for an affectionate scratch, cuddle or play time session.
Increase exercise
Every healthy dog should be able to manage at least 20 minutes of walking, twice a day. Getting out and about for walks doesn’t just provide your dog with the physical exercise they need, it also provides mental stimulation. If you’re looking to get your dog into shape, begin by gradually increasing the length of their usual walk by an extra 5-10 minutes each week. If your dog is already fairly active, try changing their usual exercise routine and adding other exercises like swimming. Swimming is a great way for a dog to exercise without putting any excess stress or strain on their joints, but not all dogs are built for it. Read our tips for taking your dog swimming.
Change or review your dogs diet
For some dogs, it’s simply the lack of exercise that contributes to their weight gain. For others, however, they may require a change in diet. This could mean looking at a low fat, high fibre diet to help your dog stay fuller for longer with fewer calories or simply tweaking the amounts or type of treats they usually get each day. If you’re prone to overfeeding, you may need to reassess your dog’s portion sizes.
If you feed human foods to your pet occasionally, you should consider cutting this out too as this has a big impact on a dog’s’ weight – more so than you might expect!
What if my dog is still hungry?
If your dog is used to eating bigger portions, it’s likely that extra bit of food will be missed when it’s reduced. The body soon adapts, however, and as we mentioned earlier, it’s the attention that comes with the feeding that can be more satisfying for your dog than the food itself.
What are the risks of your dog being overweight?
Obesity in dogs can lead to a number of further problems, including:
- Arthritis
- Diabetes
- Heart problems
- High blood pressure
- Respiratory issues
- Increased risk of developing certain tumours
- Higher risk should your dog need anaesthetic during surgery
- Lower quality of life
- Shorter life expectancy
The link between dog genetics and weight
Vet and genetics researcher Dr Eleanor Raffan embarked on a research project to discover what role a dog’s genes play in obesity and she discovered that in some cases genes are a factor, but only with certain dog breeds.
Alongside her research team, she concentrated her research on the Labrador – often thought of as one of the greediest dog breeds.
After screening and monitoring 300 Labradors, they discovered that a quarter of the dogs carried the same gene (called the POMC gene), and it’s this gene that is thought to be the cause of the breed’s desire to overeat because it controls how the brain recognises hunger and the feeling of being full after eating.
Speaking to the BBC she said, "Although obesity is the consequence of eating more than you need and more than you burn off in exercise, actually there's some real hard-wired biology behind our drive to eat.”
Researchers carried out similar screening between Labradors and Flat-Coated Retrievers where dogs with the same gene were found to be overweight by around 2kg. They found no such similarities when comparing the Labrador with other breeds, such as the Shih Tzu and Great Dane.
So, how can you help your dog lose weight if genetics are so important?
Well, breed genetics aside – make sure the calories your dog consumes is less than what they burn. Sound easy, doesn’t it?
As we all know, losing weight isn’t always as straightforward as it sounds so we’ve put together some tips to help your dog lose weight and have fun at the same time.
Changes to your dog’s diet will help them to lose weight
If your dog needs to lose weight you should begin by speaking with your vet to decide on what your dog’s target weight should be. This should be based on their age, health and breed.
Further reading: Will a raw diet help my dog lose weight?
Once you know what your dog’s target weight is, you can begin by making changes to your dog’s diet to reduce their calorie intake and the first step is to find the right food for your dog.
Your vet might have recommended a diet but you can also do your own research by reading reviews and making sure you’re happy with the ingredients, price point and quality. There are many products that can help your dog lose weight if you are committed to the process.
Begin by searching for weight loss foods – also known as a diet dog food – although not all light dog foods are weight loss foods, some are designed to help dogs maintain their weight so look for a low fat dog food, or similar.
This is because good quality foods will be low in fat to reduce calorie intake as well as being high in protein to support your dog’s muscles as they lose weight. They will also include vitamins such as Omega 3 fatty acids for added health benefits while your dog is losing weight.
Can fish help my dog lose weight?
While changing your dog’s food, you should also look to change their dog treats too – all calories count, don’t they.
Swap high calorie treats for those low in fat and made from 100% natural ingredients, and mix with vegetables, such as chopped up carrots and apples and even frozen broccoli, which is packed full of natural goodness.
Could technology help your dog to lose weight?
Digital pet feeders let you set a digital timer so you control when food is accessible to your dog.
This may be particularly helpful if you want to encourage your dog to eat what you put down at certain meal times, rather than allowing them to have access to food constantly.
Why not read some reviews and see if they might be right for your dog? Pricing varies from £30-50 (and upwards).
You can also buy dog activity trackers so you can accurately measure your dog's journey toward their target weight loss.
How many meals per day is best for dogs?
This is an interesting topic in its own right. Experts tend to agree that more two meals per day is better for most dogs. We've got a great article on this very topic that you can review.
Shake up your dog’s exercise routine for weight loss success
Hollyoaks actress and personal trainer Sarah Jayne Dunn recently shared her top fitness tips in K9 Magazine telling us, “just 30 minutes of brisk walking a day can vastly improve both your own and your dog’s health both physically and mentally.”
If you (or your dog) have become bored of your usual walk she says, “Choose more challenging walking routes. Don’t let your walk become routine, this can easily get boring and it can be hard to motivate yourself to get outside if you know just what to expect. Look on your local community website and find some interesting walks, these will challenge both the body and mind.”
Another tip she shared with us is designed to make exercise time more fun.
“A great way to incorporate exercise into a fun game with your dog is to find a safe area of green to play in and take your dog’s favourite toy. Whether it be a ball, frisbee or some other type of toy, throw your pet’s chosen play thing and as your dog runs after it, so do you!
“Try to beat your dog to the toy, retrieve it, throw it again and run again! This is called interval training, short bursts of high-intensity exercise, great for increasing your fitness levels and awesome for burning fat, win-win!”
Once you begin to shake up your dog’s regime, most will lose the weight they need to within 6-8 months.
If you have any concerns along the way, speak with your vet to get the right advice and make sure your dog’s health in on the right track.
Check this: The best exercises you can do with your dog.
Summary: How to help your dog lose weight
- Acknowledge the danger of obesity for your dog. Nobody wants their dog to live a shorter, unhappier life when there are simple steps we can take to fix the problem.
- Speak with your vet about what your dog's ideal weight should be.
- Get your dog on the right diet to suit their weight loss goals, age, breed and lifestyle.
- Increase their exercise routines (and make them fun!)
- Track your dog's journey to their weight loss goals (there is technology now that can help you do this)
- Remember: everything your dog eats is our responsibility. Dogs can become overweight or a healthy weight depending on our actions more than theirs.
