# Help, my dog is fat!



## luv3havs

I have always said there is no excuse for an overweight dog. It's the owner's fault etc. etc.
Guess I'll have to eat my words.LOL

My Cali has turned into a pudgie girl. She weighs 15 pounds and should weigh about 12. You cannot feel her ribs at all. The vet told me she should lose weight.
I feed her exactly what I do the others and they are fine. They get 1/4 c of dogfood (Wellness kibble) twice a day. They also get a few small treats throughout the day.
I remember thinking that her mother was a fat girl, when I visited the litter at the breeder's house, but figured it was due to the pregnancy. I guess it could be hereditary. 

Any suggestions for a lower calorie kibble? I don't want to feed raw and I prefer some high quality kibble. I mix green beans in with the kibble also.


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## Thumper

I don't have any kibble recommendations, but I read an interesting article awhile back about animals over-eating because of diet deficiencies' and how a vitamin supplement might help. I've had Gucci on vitamin/mineral supplements for about 2 years and I've only seen positive results. I buy all of ours here :

http://search.onlynaturalpet.com/se...&avs|Pet+Type=Dogs&avs|Department=Supplements

I have her on the Wysong call of the wild supplement that is made for a fresh meat diet, like she's on, but I've used 3-4 different ones on there before this one.

It's worth a shot, imo, and probably a good idea for any diet 

Kara


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## irishnproud2b

I was going to ask how active is she? We've had Duffy on a "diet" for over a year. He's a slow loser. We started giving him 2 walks a day and he has started to slim down some. Mind you, he's in the category of "larger Havs" as it is, so the extra weight was not a good thing. I was starting to give him joint supplements and stuff because he was always limping and laying around. Now he is a lot more active. We were the ones who put that weight on both of ours by over-feeding. Too much cooked chicken - I mean biiigggg quantities for their sizes  We started giving them a "taste" of chicken for their meal enticement. Ours get 1/2 cup Evo with chopped up green beans and carrots each day. As for treats, I got some jars and I cut up their treats in teeny pieces and I give them 4 pieces a day. I found it's the attention and treating they look forward to, not necessarily the food itself. Now they are in a routine. If I don't give them their teeny 4 pieces after they've eaten their dinner, Holly lets me know about it. They're so funny! But I'd try upping the walks too.


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## Narwyn

luv2havs said:


> I feed her exactly what I do the others and they are fine. They get 1/4 c of dogfood (Wellness kibble) twice a day. They also get a few small treats throughout the day.
> Any suggestions for a lower calorie kibble? I don't want to feed raw and I prefer some high quality kibble. I mix green beans in with the kibble also.


Just like people, dogs have different metabolic speeds and abilities, which result in different nutritional needs. Plus some dogs RLH in the house; some dogs lie on the sofa and watch 

I assume she's on a regular Super5 Wellness; if she's doing well on it otherwise, I'd switch to their Super5 Healthy Weight (325 kcal per cup of Healthy Weight vs. 407 for Super5 Chicken) and if needed scale back a little bit too (maybe a level scoop instead of heaping, etc).

But also look at other factors - maybe a few too many treats? Maybe too few walks? If she's just "blessed" with a slower metabolism, it'll probably take more than a food change to keep weight off over the years, so see what else you can tweak.


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## DorothyS

We have one fattie and one skinny in our house. Pixie has the potential to get overweight very quickly if we're not careful, and she is always acting as if she is hungry. But we feed her about 10 grams less of kibble per meal than Rascal, who is a picky eater (but loves the Orijen kibble we've recently switched to) and also quite active. They both weigh about the same, but Rascal is a taller dog. So I think the metabolisms are quite different. 

Pixie gets between 40 and 45 grams per meal (twice a day) and it varies depending on how her ribs feel to us. So she gets 45 grams for a few weeks, then if she feels as if she's gaining weight, we cut back to 40 grams for a bit. Plus of course, she gets a few treats here and there!

Rascal gets 55 grams per meal, and usually finishes it all, but not always. He gets the same treats as Pixie. He is not at all fat and we can even feel his backbone. But this seems to be a good amount of food for him because he will not eat more than that anyway.

Each dog is different, just as we humans are!


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## Julie

I have a chubby boy too-----not Quincy....but my Vincent (sheltie). I do not allow any treats at my house at all and I am very anal about others sneaking them food. I have struggled with Vincent for a long long time and he has not lost weight. He has a bad leg and hip because of a car accident as a puppy,which has contributed to his being a chubby muffin. 

After 1 1/2 years of the weight control kibble and watching him like hawk and anyone who would dare sneak him a scrap of food (I'm over the top anal about this admittedly) he has not lost a pound and in fact was starving....to the point where he was eating poop! A sheltie would NEVER eat poop.......NEVER.....but my boy was so darn hungry he started to. I finally thought--the heck with this! I put him on a regular kibble and measure exactly the amount he gets. He still has not dropped any weight...but he isn't trying to eat poop anymore. I honestly think the weight control food was not filling his tummy and sticking..if that makes sense. I have come to the conclusion that at least for him....he may always be a bit chubby but at least he isn't gaining and he is no longer trying to eat poop!

A havanese may be far different and I would certainly take any advice given here and try it....but for my sheltie.....it didn't work out.


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## clare

We are going to have to be careful with Nellie,as she loves her food and is always ready for it,were as Dizzie is not at all bothered about eating,although since Nellie's arrival he has eaten more, which is a good thing.


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