Doggie Dieting

"More to love," "pleasantly plump," and "fluffy" are all words you may use to describe your overly rotund pup. All these terms may sound cute, but there is nothing endearing about the health problems that may be caused by your dog's extra pounds. Diabetes, joint damage and heart disease are all risks associated with canine obesity.

It is very easy to find out if your dog is overweight. If you can’t feel or see his ribs, this is usually a good indication. Your veterinarian can also easily tell you if your dog needs to lose a pound or two or more. If your dog is overweight, don’t panic. If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of having an overweight pooch, there are plenty of things you can do to make a big difference in your dog's health.

The first thing you need to do is accept responsibility without attaching guilt to it. Maybe you love to spoil Oscar and give him a few too many treats. This is natural -- of course, you want to indulge him; he’s just so darn cute! It is also quite possible that Oscar just has a chunkier genetic make-up. It could be some combination of the two. Either way, giving yourself all sorts of emotional baggage because your dog is overweight will not help him out at all.

Causes
There are myriad reasons, some easy to fix, others more complicated, why Oscar is overweight. The first thing is to rule out any serious health issues, among them can be:

• Hypothyroidism
• Cushing's disease
• Insulinoma
• Adult onset diabetes
• Pituitary gland
• Neurological disorders

You of course can do this by taking him to the Vet.

Having ruled out a disease, it is now time to look at less serious, and more easily addressable problems. Canine obesity can be caused by the food Oscar eats, his feeding schedule, activity level, whether or not you have neutered him (or spayed your female dog); his breed, his age, and as well, his physical and social environment. If your dog is overweight, he needs you to set the limit and put him on a diet. Of course, once you have isolated the issue, solving the problem is much easier.

Food
Check the type of food that your dog eats. If you are feeding him wet food, or if you give him many human treats, the fat and calorie content may come as a surprise to you. Just as you are conscious about what goes into your body, so you should be of what goes into your dog’s as well. Also, there are many weight management formulas of kibble available. If you are having trouble getting Oscar to enjoy his kibble, adding a tablespoon or two of low sodium chicken broth will get him excited about his otherwise boring kibble.

Although it seems obvious, how often and the quantities of food you feed him will also have an effect on his weight. Free feeding, a.k.a. leaving out a giant bowl of food and replenishing it when it is gone, is not a good way to manage your dog’s eating habits. Dogs will eat when they are bored even when they are no longer hungry. Usually, when you buy a bag of dog food, it has a suggested serving size and schedule to guide you. Indeed your Vet will be more than happy to advise you on serving portions.

As with humans, rather than feeding Oscar one huge meal a day, to keep his insulin levels down and his weight manageable, many Vets advise feeding a small portion for breakfast and the remainder of the suggested serving for dinner.

Food is a complicated subject with dogs, because it is very easy to cause them to have food issues. If you had been feeding him freely, and suddenly are restricting Oscar’s diet, he can become aggressive or protective over his food. Dogs put in this position have also been known to become obsessive, and start to eat other things, such as shoes, dead animals and garbage. Your dog needs to know his needs will still be met. One way to assure him of this is to put a few pieces of kibble in his bowl.

Exercise
"If your dog is overweight, you're not getting enough exercise."

This is a great quote, and often a true one. Your dog's ability to exercise depends on your time and efforts. They can’t let themselves out, or throw their own ball. Dogs, just like people, need at minimum 30 minutes a day of exercise. Depending upon Oscar’s breed, he may require considerably more.

Take care of your canine friend. Your dog can’t avail himself of the Internet to help him figure out why he’s pudgy around the center. He needs you to figure out why and to make him the sexy beast who is beneath all that pudge.

Long Island Puppies For Sale. Visit Worldwide Puppies and Kittens in Bellmore, New York, or call them at 516-679-7880 for more information. Their website is http://www.WorldwidePups.com. No matter what your lifestyle, Worldwide Puppies and Kittens will ensure that you will find the perfect puppy or kitten with the perfect size and temperament to match it.