How Can You Help Your Dog Drop Those Extra Pounds?

If your dog has started to pack on the pounds then maybe it is time for you to step in and help your dog lose some of that extra weight. If your dog starts to get a little on the larger side, you need to understand that it is important for a dog to have a healthy body weight so that it can live for a long time.

pug sitting on grass

Here are some of the best ways that you can help your dog achieve a healthy weight.

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Take Your Dog To The Vet

This should be your first step because it is the most important when it comes to your dog’s weight. If you have started to notice that your dog is putting on some extra pounds, you will want to take your dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible to make sure that the extra weight gain is not due to any underlying health issues.

As per DogFriendlyRetreats, sometimes dogs can have health issues that will cause it to be a little on the larger side and you will want to make sure you know the reason why your dog is getting bigger before you take any other action.

A vet will be able to tell you if your dog has a health condition that needs to be taken care of. This step is very important because if your dog is sick and you put it on a diet or try to treat it’s a weight issue by using other methods it can be very harmful to your dog and can actually result in death.

Exercise With Your Dog

One of the easiest ways to help your dog lose weight is by taking it to the park to play. Most dogs love to run around and play and even the chubby ones will have a hard time turning down the opportunity to run after a nice yellow tennis ball.

a woman running on a beach with her dog

Dogs naturally want to run around so it should be easy to get your dog more active as long as you take the time to do so. If you are the type of person that lives a very busy life you may feel like there is no time for you to help exercise your dog. If this is the case, then you need to make sure you hire someone to help you and your dog out.

There are many companies that will set you up with a local dog walker and this will allow your dog to get the exercise it requires and you will have more free time.

Weigh Your Dog Food Portions

If you really want to get serious about your dog’s weight, then you should make sure you are giving your dog the proper amount of food. One of the most common reasons that dogs tend to gain weight is due to humans feeding them too much food.

In order to get your dog back in shape, you will need to carefully weigh out dog food portions so that your dog will need to be overeating. It is important that you remember your dog will continue to eat food if you give it to them, and just because they are still eating does not necessarily mean that they are hungry.

Dogs are similar to us in the sense that it feels good to eat and they will often times continue to eat just because things taste good. It is very important to speak to a vet before you do this because you will want to determine if your dog is truly overweight or if they are a healthy weight.

If you weigh out the portions incorrectly, it can lead to starvation for your dog and this can be fatal to your pet. If you are using this method to make sure you are still feeding your dog an appropriate amount of food otherwise they may start eating other things that they are not supposed to.

Feed Your Pooch Healthy Foods

dog and his owner running

If your dog needs to lose weight, then you need to make sure you are feeding it a healthy diet. It is important for your dog to have a well balanced and healthy diet that is made from natural ingredients.

Dogs are like humans and if they do not get the healthy nutrients that it requires, it can get sick and become overweight quickly. One of the best things you can do for your dog to help it lose weight is by cutting out the human food.

It can be extremely dangerous to feed your dog human food because you never know how your dog will react. Some dogs may be allergic to certain types of human foods and some will develop a dependence or addiction to human food and this can lead to your dog becoming fat.

If your dog has started to look a little chunky you may want to consider trying some of the tips mentioned above so that your dog can live a long and healthy life. The weight of your dog is important when it comes to the quality of life your dog will have so that is why you should always make sure you are keeping an eye on the weight of your pooch.

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