Obese Dog...what to do?

[Occamstazer]

Disclaimer: I haven't read through this whole thread, my ideas might have already been covered.
I am by no means a veterinarian, but I've worked in animal shelters and spent three years working as a vet tech.
The best technique I've found for slimming down fatties is to replace a portion of the kibble ration with canned green beans. They're very low in calories, but because they're wet, gloppy and out of a can, pooch will think they are getting a big treat. This works best for gobblers, like labs and rotts. A picky slower eater might not take to it as well.
The dog doesn't feel deprived this way

 

[tortoise]

Disclaimer: I haven't read through this whole thread, my ideas might have already been covered.
I am by no means a veterinarian, but I've worked in animal shelters and spent three years working as a vet tech.
The best technique I've found for slimming down fatties is to replace a portion of the kibble ration with canned green beans. They're very low in calories, but because they're wet, gloppy and out of a can, pooch will think they are getting a big treat. This works best for gobblers, like labs and rotts. A picky slower eater might not take to it as well.
The dog doesn't feel deprived this way

That's a good one - just make sure they don't have added salt or sugar (most do!)

 

[Wolf-Kim]

We have a sheltie and he is about 8 yrs old. He has seemed increasingly pudgy over the last couple of years. We took him to the groomer and had him shaved yesterday....Oh My... he is OBESE!

We are going to start walking him 1-2 x a day (starting out with very short walks and building up to longer walks) and I am going to trim back on his food.

I am wondering if it would be healthier (and hopefully more economical) to feed him home cooked food. I have read that dogs his age need very little, if any meat, and eggs, cheese & yogurt can be used instead, along with cooked whole grains and veggies.

Just wondered if anyone here has any first hand experience with 1) putting a dog on a diet and 2) home cooked meals for dogs

I won't get into the whole 'what to feed' debate.

My advice would be to cut back slightly on his food and increase his activity levels. Less food, more excercise. Teaching them 'fetch', going for walks, running on the treadmill are all excellent forms of excercise. And if your pooch is getting older and shows his age in soreness of the joints, take him swimming. Still excercise, just less impact on the joints.

My animals responded very well to a raw diet, but high quality kibble is good and conveniant as well. Nutro Natural Choice is one my dogs have done well on, there are other good quality kibble brands out there as well. Be sure to read the suggestion portions and feedings on the back of the bag, they are a good starting point.

Running on a treadmill, is usually fairly easy to teach a dog. I had a GSD that just wouldn't wear down on games of fetch or swimming sessions, he was always go-go-go. I used his kong toy and trained him to run on the treadmill, he loved it. At night, when I would say "go to bed" which he knew meant go to his crate, he would run and jump on the treadmill and wait for me to turn it on. He wanted to run! He thought it was fun and I would often find him standing on it, looking puzzled at why it wouldn't work without me to press the buttons. I guess it was the equivalent to him as a wheel was for hamsters.

 

[Wildsky]

If they do not understand that a dog is not "designed" (so to speak) to digest grains and starches, they are not going to design biologically appropriate food.

my take on the "designer" dog foods pushed by vets and supposedly scientific.
Follow the dollar. Vets and pet food manufacturers wouldn't be able to make any $$$ if they simply told a person to feed a dog MEAT and a few veggies. There would be no $$$ in that.

TO make money they need to make something dogs will eat happily, but doesn't cost them half as much as they want to sell the product for. They have to go against producers of cheaper junk foods, so they too rely to a certain extent on cheaper junk but only advertise the small percentage of "pure beef" or "Pure chicken" etc.

No Vet or Doctor makes or produces or promotes anything that doesn't make him a buck or two!

 

[tortoise]

If they do not understand that a dog is not "designed" (so to speak) to digest grains and starches, they are not going to design biologically appropriate food.

my take on the "designer" dog foods pushed by vets and supposedly scientific.
Follow the dollar. Vets and pet food manufacturers wouldn't be able to make any $$$ if they simply told a person to feed a dog MEAT and a few veggies. There would be no $$$ in that.

TO make money they need to make something dogs will eat happily, but doesn't cost them half as much as they want to sell the product for. They have to go against producers of cheaper junk foods, so they too rely to a certain extent on cheaper junk but only advertise the small percentage of "pure beef" or "Pure chicken" etc.

No Vet or Doctor makes or produces or promotes anything that doesn't make him a buck or two!

The HUGE liability concerns are reason enough for a vet to not push raw diet. I'm a pre-vet student. If I start a practice, I'm not going to push raw feeding simply for that reason. I'll support a client that is willing to follow instructions and DO IT RIGHT.

It's not so simple as feeding "MEAT and a few veggies." With certain cuts or raw meaty bones, it CAN be that simple. But God know the average person can't or won't follow simple instructions.

The potential damage from a poor raw or homecooked diet is worse than the potential damage from an average kibble.