Food DOES NOT equal love!

This blog page won’t be all training posts as that is not all the questions that trainers get asked. Medical attention topics will be left to the Vet profession, because I am not that. But basic pet care will be covered since I see these things on a daily basis.

I really can’t think of a better topic for my first blog post than proper weight and exercise for our beloved pets. This is a topic that I take very seriously, because dogs 100% rely on us to keep them at a healthy weight. Most dogs will eat more than they need just because it is offered. That is NOT how we should be feeding. Not to mention we shouldn’t be free feeding. There are very few dogs (I’m talking probably less than 5% of the entire population) that should be free fed. Measure the amount of food you give your dog daily! I recommend getting a measuring cup that is close to a 1 measured cup that you would use for cooking as that is the measurement used on bags. Not the drinking cup you have in the cabinet.

Please, do not take the “recommendations” on the bag of kibble as the rules you must follow. They are recommendations for a reason. Every. Dog. Is. Different. For example, let’s say that you have two male dogs with the same activity level and weight, say 55 lbs. One may only need 1.5 cups of kibble to maintain his weight while the other needs 2 cups for maintenance. Now, on the bag of kibble you have, the recommendation is 2 cups for a 55 lbs dog. Does that mean you are under feeding one of your dogs? Nope. Not at all.

It is important to remember that just because your dog begs for food, that DOES NOT mean he is starving. If a friend is eating your favorite food but hasn’t offered any to you, do you still salivate and look at the food occasionally? I know I do! Dogs are the same, even if it’s not their favorite and ESPECIALLY if you feed them your own food often, which I do not recommend. Of course they are going to beg if, in the past, you have given them food. I mean, why would they stop? They get free easy food.

Now that those intro “topics” are covered, it’s time to get into the real topic, overweight and obese dogs. In the U.S., 34% of ALL dogs are in the “overweight” category with another 20% being in the “obese” category. This is such an unacceptably high number. 54% of dogs here are over their ideal weight. What makes this worse is that this number is climbing every year. More and more dogs are getting to extremely unhealthy weights.

Having a dog who eats more than their maintenance amount not only means that you are spending more on food than you need to, but you are going to spend more at the vet. An overweight or obese dog has a higher chance of developing arthritis, low blood pressure, heart issues, torn ligaments, diabetes, among other issues. Along with developing problems, you are very likely shortening your dogs life, maybe by years. I don’t know about you, but that is a great reason to keep my dogs healthy. I want them to live as long as possible.

There are a few things that can contribute to your pet being overweight like genetics, lack of adequate exercise, showing “love” with extra food and treats, owners lack of awareness, feeding higher calorie food than the dog needs, or just feeding too much.

Along with feeding the proper food and amount you also need to provide adequate exercise. Dogs need ATLEAST 1 hour of exercise a day, whether it’s a walk, hike, run or other things. Running around the yard is not proper exercise for most dogs. It should be structured so you know how much your dog is doing. Not only is exercise healthy, but it is stimulating and giving the dog an outlet. They need to be active. They thrive on it. The higher energy your dog is the more daily exercise you will need to provide.

Below is a Body Condition Chart so you can figure out where your dog fits. Most Sight Hound breeds do not fit into charts like this as they have different builds and body types. Dogs with more fur will have to be felt for their body condition.

If your dog is over the “ideal” section, please change their lives for the better! They depend on you!

*Percentages are from Nationwide pet insurance.