2 Dog Fitness Tips You Can’t Ignore

(C) Allen Pearson
All Rights Reserved

Dogs can become overweight just like human beings. It is not really something that your pet has control over. If you are letting him lie around all day in the house after feeding him big meals, he will become overweight. As your pet dog increases in age, his gaining weight may even become more noticed as he looks for food more often and loses energy. If you want your pet to live a healthy, long life, you will need to get him to lose some of his gained weight. Your canine companion’s risks of getting organ failure, diabetes or cancer drastically increases when he is overweight. If you can, begin when your pet is younger and throughout his life you will reduce his risks of getting diseases. 

Exercises
Unless your pet has lost his energy or is elderly, he will most likely love going for a run or even a walk. This is a great opportunity for you and your pet to get active. Your pet may be sitting around the home all day but this does not mean that he won’t love exercising. Giving him the chance to go outdoors may shrink his waistline sooner rather than later.

Intake of Food
The first step you need to take is to take a close look at what you are feeding your pet. Many times, being obese is merely due to overly feeding your dog. It is suggested by veterinarians that feeding your dog should depend on your weight rather than what you think a good-sized serving is. For dogs that are over seventy-five pounds, feed five to eight cups daily. For dogs that weight fifty to seventy-five pounds, feed three to five cups daily. For dogs that are twenty-five to fifty pounds, feed two to three cups daily. For dogs that weight ten to twenty-five pounds, feed between one to two and a quarter cups daily. For dogs less than ten pounds, feed a third to a cup of food daily. These are dry food measurements are for healthy, normal dogs. Cut out table scraps and unnecessary treats. These are great for training tools but should not continuously be given to your pet. It is okay to give your pet 1-2 daily treats but if you keep on treating your dog all day, the pounds will begin to show up. Weight gain is also a result of table scraps.

Mark Perry is a dedicated veterinarian for Canada Vet with over 20 years experience. A farm boy born and breed, Dr Perry loves all animals but he has a special place in his heart for working animals, particularly working dogs and horses.