Overweight Dog

An overweight dog needs a healthy weight loss plan.

Visitor Question About an Overweight Dog

We have a Miniature Pinscher and a Chihuahua. The Min Pin really needs to loose weight. She always seems hungry, but she can't afford to gain another ounce.

We do take her for walks, but maybe not as regularly as we should. She tends to get winded, but she loves the walk. Any suggestions for a diet?

By the way, the Chihuahua is at the perfect weight.

Thanks~~ Debbie

Expert Reply

Hi Debbie,

Making sure your Min Pin gets mild exercise is a very good way to begin a sensible weight loss plan.

I always recommend that owners take an obese pet to the vet for an initial check up. If your vet feels your dog is healthy enough, you can work together as a team to design a weight loss plan tailored to your pet's specific needs.

It's common practice to make a small reduction in your dog's daily ration, and then wait a week or so to see if the desired weight loss has occurred. At this point you will then need to decide if another small reduction is in order, or if you should continue to feed your dog the new current amount to maintain the optimum weight. I believe this is a better alternative than switching to a diet-type dog food.

Remember, make changes slowly so your dog's system has time to adjust. An increase in exercise and a gradual decrease in calories should adjust your pet's metabolism.

Good luck!

~~Kelly