My 7 year old male min pin is overweight. He weighs 9.4lbs. For the last 2 months I've been feeding him Blue Buffalo Healthy Weight/Small Breed dog food. He gets 2oz in the morning & 2oz at night and no treats or table food at all. He is taken for daily walks and he still hasn't lost an ounce! I'm thinking I need to try a different food (he's been eating this kind for years.) He is otherwise healthy. What's the best food to give him for weight loss? Pet's info: Dog | Miniature Pinscher | Male | neutered | 8 years and 3 months old | 9.4 lbs

Many pets like Brees suffer from being overweight. If you are looking for an over the counter product, try Royal Canin or Hill Science Diet (both brand carry 'light' diets). In my opinion, the prescription food made by Royal Canin called Satiety Support is a great option because the portions are large (which most dogs like) but they still lose weight. The other things that could be contributing to his weight problem could be a condition called Hypothyroidism. This commonly makes dogs heavy and have problems losing weight. A doctor can determine Brees' thyroid status with a simple blood test. Medication is needed to regain normal metabolism.

It's good that you are concerned about her getting overweight, because she does appear to be somewhat chunky. Weight loss in dogs is never easy and takes a long time, but is possible if you stick to a strict diet and exercise plan for multiple months. It's difficult for me to know how well the diet has been going, but I always recommend that you have a recent vet exam before starting a diet. It's always possible that Sandler has a medical condition like hypothyroidism that is not allowing him to lose weight. There are some products in the pet store that are actually formulated for weight loss and these would be the best ones to feed. I know Hills, Purina and Royal Canin all have good products, but don't know of any other. These foods make them feel full without the excess calories. The best thing to check on the bag is the AAFCO statement, which is just below the guaranteed analysis. This will tell if the food has actually demonstrated what it claims. I've included a link to an article below that explains all of this. Make sure you feed the food according to the bag's instructions and try to cut out all treats and table scraps. I understand that this may be impossible with young children, so in this case you should account for the table scraps by feeding even less food than is recommended. https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-to-look-for-when-choosing-your-pet-s-food/ The hardest thing for pet owners is that they feel like they are starving their dog. Trust me, you are not starving them, despite how bad they may make you feel. It's definitely good if your dog likes vegetables like celery, carrots or green beans; these are great, low calorie options to give as treats that can make you and your dog feel a bit better about the diet. In the end, know that a skinnier dog will be healthier and live longer, so it's well worth it. I hope that helps and you are able to get a good plan going for Sandler. I've given one more link to an article with additional information below. https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-ways-to-help-your-dog-lose-weight/