Control Your Dog’s Weight With Low Fat Dog Food

The number of overweight dogs seems to be increasing by the day. If you’ve been to your veterinarian lately, you may have come across obese dogs that have a hard time pulling their weight around. They may be cute to look at but their bodies are suffering from the poor nutrition they get.

Dog owners are not to blame entirely for their pet’s present body shape. Some dogs just love to eat and they pack on the pounds almost immediately. Obesity is a serious concern among dogs because having excess fat can lead to undesirable health conditions like diabetes and joint pains. Luckily though, there is something dog owners can do about this.

Giving your dog a low fat dog food is one of the ways you can lessen the chances of obesity in your dog. Most dog food manufacturers have products formulated to reduce the calorie intake of your fat dog. It is best if you get a veterinarian’s diagnosis to see if you indeed have a clinically obese dog. From there, he will be able to guide you on the kind of low fat food to give to your pet.

On the other hand, if your pet just needs to lose some weight and is not diagnosed as clinically obese, you can go ahead and buy a low fat pet food from the brand line you are currently giving to your dog.

To prevent obesity in dogs, a big part of the process is in the intake control. Most low fat dog food will have a feeding table in its packaging. If you are serious about your dog’s nutrition, you should take time to measure your pet’s food according to what the feeding table says. Be sure to follow the actual measuring cup size required so you give your dog food that is recommended for his weight and breed.

Fat dogs cannot benefit a lot from a low fat dog diet unless its intake is coupled with daily exercise. The concept is very much similar to obese humans who are trying to lose some weight. Diet alone is not enough – you have to burn the excess calories as well. Take your dog for a walk or go out in the yard and play fetch. Daily exercise will be advantageous to your dog’s overall health.

Monthly weigh-ins are necessary to see if the nutritional limits you are giving your dog is working. From here, you can assess if the low fat diet is giving your dog the nutrients he needs. If not, you can move on to the next brand in your list. Involving your veterinarian every step of the way is advisable because he will help you set goals for your pet. You can also take before and after pictures for encouragement and inspiration.

Giving your dog a low fat dog food and keeping him on a diet is never fun. Expect them to beg and cry whenever they smell tasty food in the house. But don’t give in to their cries. You want them to live a long and healthy life which can only be achieved through proper nutrition.