It doesn’t take much for pets to gain weight. An extra pound or two could account for a significant portion of their total weight. One pound more on a 10-pound cat or dog is the same as 5 pounds more on a 50-pound dog or 15 pounds more on a 150-pound human. At the last, it’s just not comfortable.
Fortunately, there are numerous things you can do to prevent your pets from overeating and we’ve curated few helpful steps that you can use to control your precious pup’s weight.
Let’s get into it!
1 – Ensure that your dog eats a nutritious diet.
There are numerous brands of dog food available, and you should carefully compare them to determine which ones are best for your canine. Your dog requires a balanced diet, so in addition to ensuring that it does not overeat, ensure that it eats healthily. Your dog does require some fat, which it can get from chicken, beef, lamb, or pork. It requires a lot of Omega-3 fatty acids and proteins. Make sure your dog gets enough vitamins and minerals. Additionally, keep a secondary bowl of water nearby at all times to ensure that your doggie stays hydrated throughout the day.
2 – Keep Table Scraps to a Minimum
It is common practice to feed dogs whatever is leftover from dinner. While this can be a fun treat for your dog every now and then, you should limit how often you do it if you want to keep your dog’s weight under control. Giving your dog gravy or meat fat on a daily basis bound a pack on the pounds, so just avoid it. If your children have a habit of giving the dog scraps, politely ask them to stop or to only do so with your permission.
3 – Invest in a Slow Feed Dog Bowl to keep your dog from eating too quickly.
The bowl you choose can have a big impact on how fast your dog eats. Some dog bowls have interior indentations that force dogs to eat more slowly. Overeating is a major issue, but eating too much too quickly can cause its own set of issues. If your dog ate too quickly, it may vomit or experience bloating. If this is a concern, purchasing one of the slow feed dog special bowls may be a wise investment.
4 – Praise your dog frequently.
If your dog is used to eating all the time and you restrict its food intake, it may begin to use those sad eyes to try to get you to feed it. While you may be tempted to give in, resist. Instead, give your dog the attention it craves. Pet it a lot and play with it for a while. This not only improves your relationship with your dog, but it also allows you to show your dog that you care without overfeeding it.
5 – Keep a close eye on your dog’s weight.
Even if you believe your dog consumes an adequate amount of food, you never know what it may be up to in the middle of the day while you are away. Keep an eye out for changes in your dog’s weight. If your pet appears to be getting a little chubbier, you should weigh it to see if it has gained any weight. There are numerous online resources where you can determine what weight is appropriate for your specific breed of dog.
If you continue to take your dog to the vet a couple of times a year, you will be able to tell if he has gained weight. These check-ups provide an excellent opportunity for a professional to examine your dog to see if there have been any changes in its physical appearance. Even if you’ve only gained a few pounds, you can take the necessary steps to stop overeating before it becomes a problem.
Conclusion
By taking the necessary steps, you will significantly improve your dog’s chances of living a long and healthy life. Naturally, controlling your dog’s diet is only one step toward good health. Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercises and that you take it for frequent walks. If you have an inside dog, keep its food bag in a location that it cannot access. These few simple steps will do a lot of good in the long run.
