Every dog breed varies, so an easy way for you to determine whether or not your dog is overweight is to look up pictures of your dog\u2019s breed and see how they look compared to your dog. Check for waist width, as well as the stomach and chest. If you feel your dog may be overweight, make an appointment at your local veterinary clinic and consult a professional.<\/p>\n
A veterinarian can identify possible causes of excess weight gain and discuss potential weight loss goals with you.<\/span><\/p>\n 3. Consider what you are feeding your dog<\/strong><\/p>\n Many commercial dog foods<\/a> lack sufficient nutrients, which may cause your dog to believe they are hungry and have cravings since they are not receiving the nutrients and food they needs. This also leaves your pet prone to health problems. Consider making your dog\u2019s meals, or switch a premium dog food. You can ask your vet for advice on what foods are best for your dog\u2019s specific breed.<\/p>\n 4. Change their diet<\/strong><\/p>\n Just like humans, a decrease in calories in your dog\u2019s daily diet will aid with weight loss. This can be done by adjusting portion sizes, feeding your dog different foods, as well as changing to special weight loss food. Also, if your dog is leaving food in their bowl, this is an indication that you are probably feeding them too much food. Foods<\/a> that help with digestion and weight loss are:<\/p>\n Adding cooked rice and vegetables to your dog\u2019s diet will add healthy variety and they are great for older dogs who may tire of their regular dog food. How would you feel if you were eating the same food every day for years?<\/p>\n Always remember to consult with your vet before changing your dog\u2019s diet, as you could be doing more harm than good depending on your dog\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n 5. Keep a food and exercise diary<\/strong><\/p>\n Keep a food and exercise diary of what you\u2019re feeding your dog, including small treats and weighing out portion sizes. This can also helpyour vet determine what the main cause of your dog\u2019s weight gain is and help you with changes you may need to make to your dog\u2019s diet and exercise routine.<\/span><\/p>\n Everyone knows dogs are the best exercise buddy! If you have a small or sedentary dog, you can try starting off with a brisk 20-minute walk around the block, and then work your way up to longer walks. Remember that since dogs are smaller than humans in size, they require a lot less exercise than you would to lose weight.<\/p>\n 7. Hyperthyroidism<\/strong><\/p>\n Health issues such as hyperthyroidism<\/a> are common in dogs and cause weight gain. It is a condition in which the thyroid glands overproduce thyroid hormone, causing a permanent state of metabolic hyperactivity. The disease<\/a> causes weight gain in dogs, often between the ages of 4 to 10 years, and is due to the destruction of the thyroid gland, which is caused by the dog\u2019s own immune system. Hyperthyroidism can be diagnosed by a simple blood test and is easily treatable through medicine.<\/p>\n Do you have any tips which helped your pet lose weight? Leave us a comment!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The reasons for dog weight gain are not always at the owner\u2019s fault, it could be due to a medical condition, which is why it is important to always consult with your vet before making any change to your dog\u2019s diet or exercise routine. Here are some steps to follow if you think your dog is overweight: 1. Determine whether […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":3658,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[726],"tags":[14,548,43,40,41,222,378,42,103,220,221],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3655"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3655"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3655\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6010,"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3655\/revisions\/6010"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3658"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3655"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3655"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3655"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/anthony-ginsbrook-225252.jpg\")
<\/a>2. Develop a <\/strong>weight-loss plan<\/strong><\/a> with your vet<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.sittingforacause.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/jasper-guy-201670-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a>6. Exercise with your dog<\/strong><\/p>\n