I think my dog is getting fat

[athenamor]

I just realized how much wieght Bourbon has gained. He used to have this sinched waist (at the hips), that I thought made him look too thin, but the vet said he was at a great wieght. Well that sinch, is a little more flush with the rest of him.

He was fed once a day in NY, then we moved down here and lived w/ my mom for 7 months, and she leaves food out all day for her dogs. (they are a tad chunky, well ok Olivia has no neck). Then the habit kept on after we moved out. Empty dish, fill it back up. And now, because I'm giving Brandy treats for the things she's learning, i give him treats because well I can't give one but not the other.

He's gotten more lazy, he doesn't meet me at the door when I come home from work, he justs lifts his head and wags his tail.

Will walking him (a real walk not just a potty walk.) and feeding him once a day help? Or is this an age thing? He's 9 1/2 ish. He's been a little more active since brandy has been here, which we like because he doesn't play w/ toys.

anyways, any suggestions would be appreciated.

[the gang]

diet foods, 2 good walks a day and cut out the cookies give small pieces of carrotts not baby carrots !!full of sugar, hope this helps good luck brenda and the pins.

[Chaser]

I think this tends to happen with age...I've found a senior formula food has helped my boyfriend's older dog shed a few pounds. And your ideas of walks and stopping free-feeding should do the trick.

[hazelrunpack]

Yep, sounds like it's time to stop the free-feeding. If you know about how much he's eating over the day, reduce the total amount by a quarter cup, then split it into two meals a day. After a couple of weeks, have him weighed. If he's losing weight, well and good. If not, cut him down by another quarter cup. Repeat until he begins to lose weight and then adjust for maintenance when he's at his ideal weight! The two meals a day will help him not feel 'deprived' and I've been told it's actually better for a dog's digestive system, as well.

This is how we maintain good weight on all eight of our dogs. As they're getting older, we're constantly checking their poundage and adjusting their meals.

[Frenchy]

More walks would help , maybe feeding him twice a day instead of just once but cut his food intake. You don't have to feed the senior formulas , lots of them are so so (too much corn and grains , meat by-products) if you're feeding him a good quality kibble , you can just cut his portion a little bit. Giving carrots as treats is a good idea too , that's what my guys gets. He may not like them at first but keep trying !

[athenamor]

thank you so much, i will give the feeding adjustments a try and more walks. He definatly does not like the carrots. Brandy won't even eat them after he drops them to the floor LOL. but i'll keep trying.

thanks again.

[Hazmat]

I am to the point where I have to stop free feeding. One of my three cats simple eats too much to the point whare she she is injuring her health because she simple eats too much and is messing up her other organs. She was an outside skinny starving cat and when food is in front of her she eats and eats and eats.

On a side note: my niece next door has 5 goats and was giving them the wrong kind of hay to eat. One day the vet came to look at one in the barn. The vet said that the goats wher being fed the wrong kind of hay. And the vet said that they where all probably ok but to change the hay as some of them looked real bloated. And the vet pointed to one and said "Like that one is really bloated". That goat thet the vet pointed to had two baybies the next day

[rainbow]

I would feed Boubon one of the grain free kibbles such as:

Orijen (www.championpetfoods.com)
Wellness CORE (www.omhpet.com)
EVO (www.naturapet.com)
Go Natural (www.petcurean.com)
Nature's Variety (www.naturesvariety.com)

Feed him twice a day with a couple of long walks. Swimming would also be a great choice if possible.

[coppperbelle]

I don't believe in diet foods or senior foods. Older dogs still need protein and senior foods are lower in protein and full of grains. Continue to feed a good quality food but make sure you measure the quantity you are giving. Use a measuring cup and divide his meals up over two meals. Increase exercise and if he continues to gain you may have to reduce his food a bit more.

[athenamor]

thanks again so much. I really don't have a place for him to swim, but I don't think he would anyways. He is very inactive, he loves walks, but after a short while he kinda wants to stop and lay down.... He does have his frisky moments don't get me wrong, his age is just starting to show.

[CearaQC]

Originally Posted by the gang

diet foods, 2 good walks a day and cut out the cookies give small pieces of carrotts not baby carrots !!full of sugar, hope this helps good luck brenda and the pins.

Some "baby" carrots out there for sale are not really baby carrots at all, but just regular carrots that have been shaped to look like baby carrots in a machine.

However, these carrot products are soaked in a solution of water and chlorine.