Hog Dogs

[SharonM]

Okay - since I let everyone in on Dutchy's deep dark secret ... has anyone else had to deal with a weight problem in their dog ? I never realized how many other people dealt with it, then I started work at a pet shop, and can not believe the number of doggies coming in to be groomed that are just HUGE.

A big part of the problem, I think, is the feeding guidelines on the dog food - even Hill's etc. I went by what my pedigree bag said, and I fed Dutch 4 cups a day !! My boss was horrified, so, trusting her and judging by how all the dogs at work looked and acted on so much less, I cut him back to a cup and a half a day. He looked fine, acted fine and because it's just a fact of life around here that if he gets there first, he cleans the cat pan for me I kept him there for 3 months. The weight FELL OFF, after battling it for so long !! The people at the vet's office thought I was nutso because I was so excited I nearly cried.

Here he is at around 67 pounds

[SharonM]

Here he is at around 50 pounds. Hard to tell in the pics how big the difference is. He's so much healthier now, and his poor short legs don't look so much like they're going to collapse under him. He can jump up my big ol' truck by himself now too (which saves my back lol)
He gets 2 cups a day now - you have to think the dog food companies use those feeding charts to sell more food ! Kinda sad.

[Jade]

Also remember that the ingredient quality in most pet food is pretty nil, so your dog still feels hungry and will eat anyway. My food of choice, were I to have dogs/cats would be Nutro brands of Flint River Ranch.

Congrats on getting him healthy again!!

[capnsweets]

wow impressive! My Mom's dogs are over ieght (well one is) and I keep telling her but it like talking to a wall sometimes!

[Jodi]

He is so cute! I love how he hangs out with your cat!

I'm glad he's lost the weight and is healthier now!

[Crittercall]

My dogs have all been on Purina Obesity Maintenance (from the Vet) for a while now. They are slowly shedding the excess. I think poor Sasha went straight from puppy chow to diet food. At one point I had them cut so far back on food that they were at each other's throats any time something fell in the floor or it was feeding time. I'm feeding a little more now. Sasha has definately lost, Wallis isn't as big, but poor Tibby is still like picking up a brick!

I keep the litter box up where they can't get to it, but the cat likes to go in the back yard and that is such a yummy treat! I know the WHY of it (higher protein in cat food makes it more appealing even after the digestive process) but oh! that breath!

I used to love the people that would come to the vet clinic and put their dog on a diet so they could buy a smaller size (and cheaper) Heartgard!

[Dena]

My dogs are very lean, my MIL thinks they are too thin. Mind you her dog was about 30 pounds overweight.

My cat was fat when I got her from the pound, so fat they thought she was pregnant when she came in and my vet made a comment about the pocket of fat when she was spayed.
She has been on diet amount of weight management food for months now and she is still a little moose

[Crittercall]

My cats have always tended toward chubbiness - you know, that belly that rocks back and forth when they walk! But given the choice of keeping them on their current food and keeping the uriniary tract healthy (most of my cats have been male, including the one I have left) and the belly - this one is such a bear to medicate that I'd rather deal with a little fat. Who among us is perfect??

[DirtySouthChins]

After switching Tabitha to Pedigree from Eukanuba when she was about 4 months old (now 3 yrs. old) she has done GREAT!! and when I got Scooby he also gets the pedigree as well as Zoey, and they are healthy and happy, now scooby has put a bit of wieght on since last May, but that is when he got fixed, and that is to be expected, but for the most part, none of the 3 are over weight, Pedigree works great for them, even gives them a shiny coat, which shocks the Vet, believe it or not. My mom deals with a very over weight dachshund (spell ck) and has to cut back on his food as well, and that poor baby always appears hungry, so for treats she has now resulted to fresh veggies, and the poor little guy has lost 2 pounds in a few weeks, so hopefully it will be working for him

[Crittercall]

Just tell your Mom not to try to take it off of him too quickly - he didn't put it on over night and shouldn't be expected to take it off that quick!

I have Dachshunds, and the breed sometimes tends to be overweight, all the ones I've seen have been huge. Thankfully, our 2 hot dogs are in perfect shape. It's a mixture of healthy food (Eukanuba) and tons of playing around inside and outside the house. My little boy sure puts a chase on with Dacky. lol.

eww my friends grandparents feed there little dog hamburger every night, they have never even tasted dog food. there pretty tubby dogs

[SharonM]

I swore by pedigree for a long time, then a couple of years ago, I switched to Hill's Science diet for weight loss. If I remember right, Dutch actually gained weight! So I went back to pedigree. I wish they'd make a "less active" formula I don't understand why they haven't.
My MIL's mini schnauzer is sooo fat, and Mom just says "But she's solid" LOL You know the "fringe" that should hang straight down when they're groomed ? Hers sticks out from her sides - she looks like a hula dancer !!

My mother inlaw has a collie shep mix, and he is HUGE, he can't even clean himself anymore because he can't reach. She tried everything, then finally they told her that he had a Thighroid problem and he can, he is so over weight that he has NO knees, he has ground off all the bone, and stuff in them, he has to have surgery to walk, but can't because he is too ever weight and wouldn't make it trough. We are at a loss of what to do.

And my dogs is always getting into the cat food, and the litter! The terd!!!!! We have to keep our eye out for him.

[SharonM]

Hmmmm ... the vet told me a couple of years ago that if Dutch had a thyroid problem, it could be medicated and the weight would most likely drop off. So I had the test done, but it was fine.
He's been studying acupuncture etc. and said that a lot of overweight dogs have a underlying problem with their spleen - he wanted to try acupuncture on Dutch.
Has your MIL's dog had a thyroid test, or is that just their explanation for lack of knowing what else the problem could be ? Poor doggie - and your poor MIL, what a terrible situation she has to deal with.

Dutch'll eat ANYTHING LOL. I have a macaw, and the stinker snatches up any nuts that he drops and crunches em- shells and all ! Sounds like he's eating bricks. My other dog skips meals sometimes, could care less about food - go figure!