More and more throughout the world, dog obesity is becoming a serious and even life threatening problem.
Most people are aware of the negative health effects that come along with being overweight or obese themselves, but they fail to see the seriousness of the problem when it's in their canine friends. Unfortunately, the problem can have the same kinds of serious consequences and it can lead to drastic results. The good news is that dog obesity is something that can be controlled, and any owner can successfully steer their pooch through dog weight loss.
Statistics vary depending on the study and the country of the study, but estimates for the amount of dogs that are overweight are anywhere from 20% to 35% or more. Dog obesity, or being severely overweight, may represent as much as 10% of all domestic dogs. It should not come as a surprise that with human obesity increasing dramatically, the same is happening for our canine friends. Often times we eat too much and too often, we at the wrong foods and we fail to get enough exercise. All of these same traits are carried over into our pets as well.
A dog that is severely overweight or obese has an average life expectancy that is at least 15% shorter than that of a dog that is in a healthy weight range. Serious problems such as diabetes, heart disease and more can pop up as a result. Often dogs will suffer from bone and joint damage as a result of the constant wear and tear of dog obesity over a period of years.
Now that you know how prevalent and how serious dog obesity is, it's time to move forward with a plan for dog weight loss. If you wanted to lose weight healthily and naturally, you would start to eat less, eat healthier and get more exercise. Well, those same basic guidelines are what apply to your dog as well!
You may want to switch to a new brand of dog food, one that is low in fat, high in fiber and reasonably high in protein. Something that is not very nutrient dense will still fill your dog up without providing all of the calories that certain fatty foods can. If your dog is not accepting of this new food, you can work it in gradually, at first scooping in about 25% of your dog's food with the new brand, and gradually changing to 100% over time.
Cutting down on unhealthy treats and snacks will also be important. You may want to reward your dog or show some affection by providing him with treats, but you should start waning that out, or at least start providing healthier rewards. Also you should cease giving him little bites and pieces of the food you eat as well, which can quickly add up over time.
Now it's time to get some more exercise for dog weight loss, and this is something that you can both benefit from. If your dog is coping with severe dog obesity, running around and intense play may not even be possible. In this case just start going on more casual walks, and extending the walks that you already go on. This will start to show effects and then you can start playing and running around more.
Your dog may not be that interested in playing around which can burn a lot of energy, so it's up to you to get him up to the task. Buy some new toys, take him to parks and be more involved with the process of keeping him active. You'll enjoy all of the time spent bonding with your pooch and you both will be getting more exercise more often to live a healthier lifestyle.
Of course, remember that all breeds of dogs are different, and some are more prone to dog obesity than others. Others will have different builds and frames but that doesn't mean that serious action with a dog weight loss plan is always necessary. If you have any questions consult with a veterinarian or a published expert guide about weight and size ranges for your specific breed, what is considered healthy and when action should be taken to combat dog obesity.
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