My dog is overweight and hungry, but won't lose weight. What to do?

Question

My dog is overweight. We have tried feeding him a little less but he is still really hungry. We have also tried giving him sweat potato’s and carrots since they have less calories. We have ran him around and walked him too. But we can’t get him to lose any weight. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | neutered | 2 years and 11 months old | 90 lbs

Kevin Sanada, DVM · Accepted Answer

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/

My dog is overweight and hungry, but won't lose weight. What to do?

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