Think back to winter… It’s cold, gets dark too early, and you spend most of your time indoors – so does your dog. Just like humans, dogs tend to put on the dreaded “winter weight”.
It is now late August – has your dog lost those pounds yet? ..didn’t think so.
There are many ways to help Fido shave off those extra unneeded pounds in no time – here are a couple.
1. Get his heart rate up.
I can’t stress how important exercise is (but these guys can) – for any living animal (including us). It can be difficult for pet owners who have busy lives to take Fido out for a two hour walk each day.
Walking is more of an exercise for the mind since dogs are very “fuel efficient” walkers, meaning they don’t burn many calories while walking (not to discount the value of walking, because it is indeed a very important component to a healthy lifestyle – but naturally it will take longer to lose those pounds walking than running). Instead, consider off-leash parks, or any safe area where your dog can run freely.
30 minutes of running can easily conquer more calories than hours of walking – just make sure start off with small exercise intervals so the heart isn’t put under too much stress.
2. Cut out those calories.
Overfeeding – this is the reason pet owners have overweight animals. Between their food, biscuits, table scraps & people food, a dog’s caloric intake can get out of control very fast. Dogs are master manipulators, and if the objective is to obtain more food, rest assured they will accomplish their mission eventually.
..portion control never looked so obedient..
Consider putting your dog on a weight control pet food. Odds are the dog food you’re currently feeding has a weight loss equivalent – and I bet your dog wouldn’t even notice the difference.
Between their food, biscuits, table scraps & people food, a dog’s caloric intake can get out of control very fast.
Smaller portions can make a huge impact; some dog biscuits contain over 100 calories each! Try breaking the treat up into smaller portions; dogs don’t mind the size of the treat given, they’re happy enough just getting something to eat! You can also substitute your dog’s biscuits & snacks with fruits & veggies.
Sharing – another way to help control portions
The real key to keeping the weight off is to stay consistent. Dogs should lose weight in a slow, gradual fashion, so to put things in perspective think of it this way: If you eliminate 100 calories from your dog’s diet every single day, over the course of the summer you will have saved over 10,000 calories – and in addition to Fido’s increased exercise, he will be back to his true athletic form in no time.
Oh, and it will also give you the advantage leading into next winter!
Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments!
photo credit: WasabiDoobie
photo credit: terriermandotcom.blogspot.com
