Dogs are not that different from human beings in so far as if they eat too much of the wrong kinds of food and don’t get enough exercise then they put on weight. Having gained weight they may be even less inclined to take exercise and so gradually put on even more weight.
How is it that they get the wrong kinds of food? Some dog owners like to give their pet snacks and treats to help in training, and some just to show their love for their dog. Too many treats of the wrong kind can upset a dog’s natural dietary inclination towards high protein foods like neat and direct them increasingly towards an unhealthy diet that’s high in carbohydrate.
Dogs will naturally favour high protein foods like meat, but they can easily be persuaded to eat other things like biscuits and cakes, things that they would never find in nature. These high carbohydrate foods are as a bad for dogs as they are for humans, leading to excess weight gain, heart disease and other health problems. If you over- feed your dog with the wrong kind of food you will certainly shorten its life span and make its latter years miserable.
Dogs, like humans need a balanced diet with plenty of protein for growth, and for maintaining muscle mass. They also require vitamins and fibre. They get energy from both fat and carbohydrate in their diet, although can even convert protein into energy if required, and should therefore only need a little carbohydrate if any. Carbohydrate in refined form should not be given, as it’s high in calories and low in fibre. A healthy dog, like a healthy human, should have a diet as natural as possible with a minimum of processed food.
It may not be practicable to feed your dog on 100% home cooked food of course, but there are plenty of good quality dried foods that are available that can be mixed with meat to provide the right diet. Relying on canned dog foods is not a good idea because they are often bulked out with too much carbohydrate, or are made from the lowest quality meat sources including animal organs.
If your dog is all ready overweight then you need to instigate a plan to gradually alter its diet and make it less reliant on carbohydrate, and more protein rich, coupled with a gradual increase in the amount of daily exercise that your dog takes. This may mean more exercise for you too!
Special weight reduction dried foods are available, and are a little more expensive than the ordinary, but are higher in nutrition and lower in calories, so are worth the investment. A good idea is to cover kibble for ten minutes with hot water before serving, as this causes the food to swell and makes the dog feel fuller and be less likely to overeat.
In –between meal snacks should be curtailed as much as possible, and, when given, should be protein, not carbohydrate based. Do not allow your dog scraps from the table or any human junk foods like biscuits or cakes, as these are a sure way to make your dog put on weight. It is a good idea to feed your dog first before sitting down to dinner yourself, as that will help minimise begging at the table
You should try to restrict your dog to its one or two regular meals per day, and remove the bowl once the dog has finished, rather than leaving it down all day. This routine ensures that your dog does not get into bad habits, but has adequate proper nutrition.
As a dog owner you have the responsibility to make sure that your dog gets enough exercise. Dogs love to run about and you should encourage this. Throwing a ball or stick for your pet when out walking will ensure that he covers more ground than you do and gets a good work-out
A sensible, controlled diet and daily exercise is all that a dog needs to stay healthy. A dog that is overweight may not live as long as it should, and may suffer health problems once it gets older. Also, like humans, once the excess weight builds up, it is difficult to get rid of it.
Written by robesmund
Ex-health professional keen to help others improve their own health
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