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My dog is overweight. What foods & tips help him lose weight safely?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Parson Russell Terrier | 3 years and 2 months old

My dog is overweight. What can we do to help him lose weight safely? Are there any foods, treats or products you recommend for weight loss?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on November 4th, 2016

Oh yes. I would highly recommend Hlil's Metaboilc diet because it causes weight loss and can help with weight management. This is a highly successful diet that causes weight loss in over 79% of pets within the first 2 months. Royal Canin low calorie, Hill's R/D are two other options for weight loss. THese are all Rx diets and require a vet visit to get your pet started on the weight loss plan in mind. Also if your pet has any overt signs of hypothyroidism, then checking for a metabolic disease like this is recommended; however this is not common in small breed dogs like the Parson Russell Terrier. And of course it goes without saying that daily regular exercise for 30 minutes is recommended to encourage metaboilc break down of stored fats in the body.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on

    Good for you for trying to help Peppermint lose weight! This will do a lot to keep her healthy as she gets older. An easy way to start out is to replace half of her daily food ration with canned or frozen green beans - most dogs enjoy these, and they're mostly fiber with very few calories, so this is a good way of reducing her daily calorie intake without making her feel hungry all the time. Using a prescription weight loss diet such as Hills r/d or Purina OM would be another option - just follow the instructions on the bag for how much to feed daily, based on your dog's target weight. Increasing his exercise by walking him more, or playing active games like fetch or tug, can also be helpful.

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