Tips for Supporting Your Dog s Weight Loss Journey Building a Balanced Diet

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

Contributions sourced from

New dog owner? Master proper nutrition with 7 helpful tips

Proper nutrition tips for new dog owners: Consult a veterinarian, choose quality dog food, research specific foods, and understand portions.

Welcoming a furry friend into your home is an exciting and heartwarming experience. As a new dog owner, ensuring your canine companion enjoys optimal health and vitality is a top priority. One of the key factors in promoting your dogs well-being is providing a balanced and nutritious diet.

In this guide, well explore proper nutrition tips tailored for new dog owners, helping you lay the foundation for a healthy and happy life for your four-legged family member.

1. Consult your veterinarian

Before making any significant changes to your dogs diet, its advisable to consult with a veterinarian. They can provide insights into your dogs specific nutritional requirements based on factors such as breed, age, size, and overall health. A veterinarian can also offer guidance on any health conditions or dietary restrictions your dog may have, ensuring a tailored and optimal nutrition plan. Regular check-ups with the vet will help monitor your dogs health and adjust their diet as needed. Additionally, dont hesitate to seek advice if you notice any changes in your dogs eating habits, weight, or overall well-being.

2. Choose high-quality dog food

Opt for premium-quality dog food that meets the nutritional standards set by reputable organizations. Look for options that feature real meat as the primary ingredient and avoid foods with excessive fillers, artificial additives, or unnecessary preservatives. Reading ingredient labels and understanding the nutritional value of the food you choose will empower you to make informed decisions about your dogs diet. Research different brands and types of dog food to find the one that best suits your dogs needs. Consider consulting your vet for recommendations tailored to your dogs specific health requirements.

3. Conduct thorough research on specific foods

Its crucial to be well-informed about the foods you introduce to your dogs diet. Certain human foods, like chocolate, onions, and garlic, can be harmful to dogs. Additionally, when it comes to seafood, some types may contain bones or toxins that can pose risks.

So do your due diligence before placing seafood in your dog feeding bowl. Shrimp may look tempting and safe, but is it safe for dogs to eat shrimp? Is it safe to share your seafood dinner with your furry friend?

Before sharing any new food with your dog, conduct thorough research to ensure its safety. Familiarize yourself with a comprehensive list of foods to avoid, including potential allergens, and consult with your veterinarian if you have any uncertainties.

4. Understand portion control

Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for your dogs overall health. Follow the recommended feeding guidelines on the dog food packaging, and adjust portions based on your dogs age, activity level, and any specific health considerations. Monitoring your dogs weight and adjusting portions accordingly will help prevent obesity and promote a long and active life. Be attentive to any changes in weight and adjust their diet as necessary. Remember that portion control is not only about the amount but also about feeding at regular intervals to establish a consistent feeding routine.

5. Provide a balanced diet

Dogs require a well-balanced diet comprising proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Ensure that their food meets these requirements to support their energy levels, promote a healthy coat, and strengthen their immune system. Incorporating a variety of nutrient-rich foods into their diet will contribute to their overall well-being. Consider rotating protein sources and introducing vegetables and fruits in moderation for added nutritional diversity. Regularly review your dogs diet to ensure it aligns with their changing nutritional needs as they age.

6. Include fresh water access

Always provide your dog with access to fresh, clean water. Hydration is vital for their overall health, digestion, and maintaining a shiny coat. Regularly check and refill their water bowl to ensure they stay adequately hydrated, especially after exercise or during warmer weather. Proper hydration supports organ function and helps prevent issues such as kidney stones. Consider incorporating wet food into your dogs diet for added hydration, especially if they have a preference for dry kibble.

7. Consider breed-specific needs

Different dog breeds may have unique nutritional requirements. Large breeds, for example, may benefit from diets that support joint health, while smaller breeds may need smaller kibble sizes. Researching and understanding the specific needs of your dogs breed will help tailor their diet to ensure they receive the necessary nutrients for optimal health. Additionally, consider factors such as life stage and any breed-specific sensitivities when selecting their food. Regularly reassess your dogs nutritional needs, especially during key life stages such as puppyhood, adulthood, and senior years.

Final thoughts on proper nutrition

Understanding and implementing proper nutrition for your new dog is a fundamental aspect of responsible pet ownership. By following these seven nutrition tips, you are not only contributing to your dogs physical health but also enhancing their overall quality of life.

Remember, each dog is unique, and consulting with your veterinarian can provide personalized insights into your furry friends dietary needs. As you embark on this journey with your new companion, a well-balanced diet will undoubtedly contribute to many joyful and tail-wagging moments together.

Richard Thomas has been a freelance animal and pet care writer for over a decade. He also is a volunteer dedicated to animal rescue and welfare, working for different organizations. He lives with two adopted cats and a rescue dog.

How Can I Get My Dog to Lose Weight?

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By Dr. Sarah Wooten

Have you been frustrated because your dog doesnt lose weight, no matter what you do? Obesity in dogs is one of the biggest health concerns that veterinarians and pet guardians battle.

Sometimes, when it comes to weight loss for dogs, the answer is easy: reduce calories, increase exercise, and BOOMthe pounds come off. Other times, it isnt so simple.

If you have had your dog on the diet train and nothing is moving, try these five veterinarian-approved recommendations to tip the scales back toward a healthy weight.

Be Religious About Daily Calorie Limits

If you want to help a dog lose weight, then there are two non-negotiables that are necessary for success: you must have a daily calorie limit that has been calculated, and you must stay under that number.

A cheat day every now and then is okay, but in order to get the fat to burn away, the ins must be less than the outs, and the total daily calorie count matters. This is especially true for small dogseven an extra kibble or two every day or will add up to unhealthy weight.

Not sure what your dogs daily calorie limit should be? The easiest way is to ask your veterinarianmany vets are happy to calculate this number for you. They can also tell you what your dogs ideal weight goal is.

You can also visit Pet Nutrition Alliance and use their online calculator to calculate the calories. Once you have this number, then you will need to divide it by the kcal/cup number that is on your dog food bag. This will be on the back, in the AAFCO nutritional statement. If you cant find it, ask your veterinarian or veterinary technician for helpthey can point it out to you.

Once you divide the total daily calories by the kcal/cup, that will give you the number of 8-ounce cups of food to feed per day. If there is a decimal, round down to the closest measurable number, such as , or . If you feed treats, make sure to include those in the total daily calorie count as well!

No More Doggy Dishwasher

One overlooked source of excessive calories is people food. Yes, feeding dog treats and sharing food is an important part of the bond you share with your dog, but your heartwarming goodies might be sabotaging your weight-loss efforts.

If you feed any people food, include it in the daily calorie count. Dont forget to add calories consumed from licking plates clean! Many people let their dogs lick their plates after they finish eating or while they sit in the dishwasher, but this is where sneaky calories hide, even in BBQ sauce remnants.

Either stop letting your dog wash the dishes, or include it in the daily calorie count.

Super Sleuth Serial Food Sneaking

Do you have kids? Do they drop food? Does your dog snarf up crumbs? This could be a source of excess calories. Do you have grandparents that drop by with dog biscuitsin their pocket? This is also a source of excess calories.

Do you have multiple pets? Is your pup finishing other pets food? This is another source of excess calories.

You may have to do a little sleuthing to see if somebody is secretly feeding your dog extra food or if your dog is a serial food sneaker. People are often surprised at how far their enterprising pooches will go to find food.

It can be challenging to stick to the total daily calorie count when there are multiple people or children feeding one dog. Have a family meeting, decide who is going to feed the dog, and get everyone to agree to not feed extra.

The best practice is to set out what your dog will eat for the day in baggies, and when it is gone for the day, it is gone. No. More. Food.

Utilize a Therapeutic Diet

Food technology has come a long way, especially when it comes to therapeutic diets. In particular, Hills Prescription Diet metabolic weight management dog food has been a miracle product for many dogs that arent losing weight.

If the needle wont budge even though you have cut back calories and increased exercise, try feeding a therapeutic weight control dog food, like Metabolic diet, instead of your dogs regular maintenance diet.

There are ingredients, like L-carnitine, that help ramp up fat burning, and the food still delivers a complete and balanced diet even though calories are restricted. The same cannot be said for feeding restricted amounts of regular dog food.

Have Your Dogs Hormones Checked

Most dogs should be able to reach their weight-loss goals within three to six months.

If you have followed all of these instructions and been religious about the weight-loss program and still arent seeing results, then maybe your dogs hormones are to blame. Just like people, dogs can have hormonal imbalances that lead to weight gain and having difficulty losing weight.

Conditions like Cushings syndrome (hyperadrenocorticism) in dogs and a sluggish thyroid are common hormonal problems that will make it difficult for a dog to lose weight. If you are several months into the weight-loss program and are not seeing results, then schedule an appointment with your veterinarian and ask to have your dogs hormones checked.

If your dog has one of these hormonal problems, prescription pet medicationis available to correct the condition and get your dog back on track to a healthy lifestyle.

Follow these veterinarian-recommended tips, and you should see success with your dogs weight loss.

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