The Best Dog Food to Help Your Dog Lose Weight

Just like humans, overweight dogs often face various health problems, and weight issues can aggravate existing ailments. Much as preventing weight issues is recommended, it’s never too late to start a weight loss program with your overweight furry baby. Knowing how to help your pet lose weight is just as important as acknowledging that it needs to be done. Wondering how to tell if your canine friend is overweight? Read on for signs you can look for to determine if your dog is overweight and how to get him into shape to stay healthy.

Part 1: How to Tell If Your Dog is Overweight

It’s best to contact or reach out to your vet if you aren’t sure whether your dog is overweight or not. Ideally, your vet can help you make that judgment. But you can also look for some signs at home. These signs may include;

Your dog has difficulty getting up from a sitting or lying position

Overweight dogs are typically inactive and spend loads of time scarfing down their food. If you notice that your pet has trouble getting up from a sitting or lying position and generally appears to be having trouble moving about, he might be overweight.

Avoiding play or play less than they used to

Try to take your four-legged friend outside to play, run around, for a walk, or take him to the dog park. If he is reluctant to get up, lags behind, lies down, or frequently stops on your outings, then he is overweight.

Feel your dog’s ribs

You can determine if your pet is at a healthy weight by doing a simple rib check. Place both thumbs on your doggy’s backbone, then spread your hands across his ribcage as if you’re holding it. You should be able to feel your canine’s ribs easily without applying a lot of pressure. His ribs should also be slightly visible. If you must apply pressure to feel his ribs, or if his ribs are not visible, your dog is overweight.

Check out the overweight dog chart

An overweight dog chart has illustrations showing dogs of different weight categories. Check it out to get a visual understanding of what a dog should look like if they have a healthy weight, and what they look like if they are overweight.

Look for your dog’s waist

Overweight dogs generally have no waistline or distinction between their chest and stomach when viewed from above or from the side. Examining his abdomen can also tell if your fur baby is overweight. Have your canine stand up and get on the same level as him. Look at his underside, particularly the abdomen. Healthy dogs have an abdomen that’s tucked up behind their ribcage. If your dog’s abdomen sags, he is overweight.

The Best Dog Food to Lose Weight

A rapid weight gain could signify serious illness, so a trip to the vet is an important first step if you think your dog is overweight. If your vet determines that your pet is overweight and no underlying diseases are causing the weight gain, they’ll prescribe a diet and an exercise plan to get your dog’s weight back on track. According to veterinarians’ recommendations, the best dog food for weight loss contains:

Above-average protein

An overweight dog can achieve a healthy weight loss through a high protein diet and caloric restrictions. Studies indicate that providing higher levels of proteins in your canine’s diet as part of a weight loss program facilitates excess fat loss. Feeding your overweight dog a high-protein diet and implementing caloric restrictions can benefit him by stimulating the burning of calories, helping him maintain lean body mass while shedding extra fat, and giving him a feeling of satisfaction and fullness after a meal.

Below-average fat

Diets with high fiber and low-fat content promote satiety. Studies show that this combination helps prevent begging in dogs. Most weight-loss foods fine-tune the fiber ratio of soluble to insoluble to promote weight loss.

Below-average calories

Your vet will calculate the correct number of calories to feed your four-legged friend and prescribe a low-calorie diet food for your dog. Many veterinarians recommend that dogs eat at the same time every day when following a weight loss plan, and dog owners should measure out the portions carefully based on the vet’s recommendation.

Nutritious

Weight loss diets are designed to reduce energy intake measured in calories so that weight loss can occur while also maintaining appropriate nutrient levels. Your canine friend may not get the necessary nutrients if you feed him less regular or weight-maintenance food. These diets are nutritionally complete based on a regular-sized portion, not a diet-sized portion.

Delicious

A good weight loss food must appeal to your dog’s palate, or he may stop eating altogether. For that reason, you’ll want to look for foods made with delicious fats and proteins so your pet doesn’t go on a hunger strike.

Fortified with Probiotics

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that will help your canine’s intestinal tract operate effectively. By selecting weight loss foods with probiotics, your dog will be less likely to suffer from intestinal upset as he changes foods, and his body will be better able to digest his food properly.

Use Automatic Dog Feeder to Dispense Dog Food for Your Dog on Schedule!

If you are ready to give your dog’s feeding schedule a makeover, look no further than the WOpet automatic dog feeder. This automatic feeder lets you remotely schedule your dog’s feedings times and portions of meals.

It makes it easy for you to feed your canine as they portion out food for your dog according to a pre-programmed schedule. They are even more helpful for dogs with specific dietary needs who must be given the same amounts of food at the exact feeding times each day. With this feeder, you don’t have to rush home to ensure your dog is fed on time or force him to wait until you arrive home because the feeder will dispense the required portion at the required time.

WOpet automatic dog feeder enables you to record a custom message for your dog. This message will play each time the meal dispenses. Ensure to Press and hold the record button to begin recording a voice message to be played as each feeding dispenses.