Article:
Obesity in dogs is a growing problem, which can cause many
problems including heart disease, joint problems, and diabetes.
Almost half of dogs in America are fat, especially beagles,
dachshunds, basset hounds, and Labrador retrievers. Before your
dog reaches the point where they need insulin shots, you can
slim them down. It will take almost a year, but it's worth it.

Even puppies shouldn't be overweight - all dogs need to be slim,
not fat, to be healthy. A dog is at the right weight if you can
feel the ribs without excess fat covering. From the side, the
dog's belly should be tucked up, and from above, there should be
a noticeable waist in front of the hips. When you feel his ribs,
they should be shallow indents which you can count, although you
shouldn't be able to count them just by looking.

A major cause of overweight dogs is feeding them table scraps.
While it is fun to feed your dog leftover food, there are
serious consequences. One is, of course, that the dog will
become unsure of who is the alpha in the family. The alpha is
the one who eats first, and if the dog is being fed before or
during the meal, the hierarchy of the family becomes unclear.
Also, table scraps may not provide the right nutrition for a
dog. For example, many dogs fed table scraps can get vitamin A
toxicity, and excess protein and phosphorus. If a dog is fed
exclusively table scraps, they usually won't get enough calcium
and can get over-activity of the parathyroid glands.

To reduce the weight of fat dogs, one option is to just keep to
the same feeding schedule, but feed the dog less, starting by
feeding the dog only ¾ as much as you do now. This option,
however, can produce a dog that whines a lot, so many owners can
add bulky vegetables to the food. You can also get special
low-calorie foods, which are high in bulk so the dog feels
better fed. Dogs don't usually like low-calorie foods, but they
will eventually eat it and get used to it.

Another option, which can keep the whining down, is to change
the feeding schedule to twice a day instead of once a day. Never
leave food out all day long. Treats need to stop being given,
but instead of a treat, overweight dogs can be fed one of the
two small meals. If you really want to give your dog a treat,
use a carrot or an apple.

A balanced dog food is at least a quarter protein and 1600
kilocalories of energy per pound, but if the dog is not active,
overweight dogs will need less food. For canned dog food, the
calorie intake is measured at 500 calories per pound, although
if the dog food is all meat, it's 600 calories a pound. For dry
food, 1500 calories per pound, and semi-soft or moist food is
1350 per pound. So if a dog weighs less than 11 pounds, feed
them about 4 ounces of dry food a day. Up to 22 pounds, feed 5
ounces, 22-50 pounds gets 11 ounces, 55-75 pounds gets 17
ounces, and 75 pounds or more get 35-30 ounces of dry food.

All these calculations don't necessarily work, though, as each
dog metabolizes food differently and has different activity
levels. Remember, a dog doesn't have to eat every day, and can
go up to five days without eating. Also, spaying or neutering
the dog does not cause obesity.

If your dog only nibbles at the food, don't be fooled. Nibblers
tend to eat more in the long run than gobblers, and thus gain
weight quicker. And if the obese dog is picky, the dog will
eventually become accustomed to the healthy food, it may just
take a while.

Once your dog is on a diet, keep track of the dog's weight. If
the obese dog has lost even a little weight over two weeks,
you're on the right track.

Walks should be given regularly (a couple times a day), but
don't overdo it at first if the dog is really fat. Moderation in
everything is the key to seriously overweight dogs. The goal
should be double the amount of the walks your dog is getting
now. Once your dog is trim, though, it's good to walk your dog a
lot - most dogs don't get enough exercise.

About the author:
http://littledogonline - What Type of Little Dog is
Best For Me?