Dog Community

weight loss food

Posted : 7/16/2006 10:25:28 AM

I'm not sure, but Jetta may need to loose a little weight. I don't think she is fat, as I can see she definiately has a waist. But its kinda difficult to feel her ribs, so maybe she needs to lose like a pound (maybe two?). What do you suggest is the best way to take some weight off? Should I put her on a weight loss food, senior food, high protein diet, or should I just reduce the amount of her food that I am already feeding her?
I am already trying to give her more exercise, but in this 100 degree St. Louis weather, she just wants to lay down and sleep!!

willowchow

Posted : 7/16/2006 12:26:26 PM

First, why don't you have her weighed so you know where she's at. It seems like a lot of people here really put so much emphasis on the dog being so thin. I think some take it to an extreme. I'm not saying you are but if you've been reading what I've been reading, I've become a little paranoid too.

If she ends up needing to lose a little, I'd go with just reducing what she's already eating, walking when you can and cutting back on treats.

shamrockmommy

Posted : 7/16/2006 12:32:46 PM

I say cut back on her regular food and/or treats if she gets a lot of those.
Exercise will help a ton too.

My bichons seem a bit roundish and one is 22lbs- she eats the 12lb amounts and the other is 18 lbs and eats the 6lb amount! They still hold weight though.

Margaret Tyler

Posted : 7/16/2006 1:47:10 PM

Cut back on her food and replace the dog food you took away with carrots or green beans (not canned, frozens good though). That way she won't act starved.

You could mix the food she is on now with a food that contains less calories. Solid Gold's Holistique (that's how it's spelled) formula is designed to be mixed with a higher calorie, higher meat content, food. If you go to Solid Gold's website or read one of their brochures they will recommend mixing it with canned or one of their higher calorie dry foods for weight loss.

Melissa Camiel

Posted : 7/16/2006 2:14:10 PM

She is at 15 pounds right now. That may not seem like very much, but she is a runt, so she should be a little bit lighter than most bichons.
Its true that reading all of these threads on weight got me thinking about whether or not she needs to lose some too. Like I said, she has a waist, but her ribs aren't easily felt.
She really doesn't eat a lot as it is, so I don't really want to cut back on her food too much. I will just have to do more exercise with her. I may try the green bean thing and see if it helps, though she is so picky she probably won't eat green beans unless they are coated in meat juice!! lol
BTW, she really doesn't get many treats (maybe just a little yogurt or something like that). She doesn't eat dog food treats becuase she doesn't like them, so I know its not a treat issue.

glenmar

Posted : 7/16/2006 5:13:31 PM

Canned green beans are fine.....so long as they are salt free......carrots are high on the glycemic index (sugars) so you really don't want to use those for weight loss.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 7/16/2006 9:21:25 PM

I've always just reduced food and increased exersize, if there was a need to. At this point, if Teenie started gaining, I'd simply watch the amount I fed her a little more carefully (I'm eyeballing, I'd go back to measuring). They get a ton of exersize, as it is, and with our tight schedule, there's not much room for more.

Swimming is fantastic exersize, and will keep her cool, if you can convince her to get into the water. For Emma, it took me and a frisbee in the water to get her actually swimming. Now, she absolutely loves it, and goes in every chance she gets!

We're still walking about a mile a day (was two miles) and we now swim instead of our second mile. It's way hot, here, too (it was 102 at 7:30 yesterday!), so we're not biking or doing anything too strenuous.

cyclefiend2000

Posted : 7/17/2006 10:10:27 AM

are raw green beans ok, or do they have to be cooked? my grandparents always have a glut of green beans from their garden, and sydney acts like he is hungry all the time (even though he is starting to look a little overweight). so i was thinking of adding something to his meals that wouldnt necessarily add too much to his calorie intake.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 7/17/2006 12:56:17 PM

Raw green beans are fine. In fact, Emma prefers hers that way!

jessies_mom

Posted : 7/17/2006 1:52:01 PM

Since you recently started her on a new food that she likes, I don't think it's a good idea to switch foods so soon again. I agree with Willowchow and shamrockmommy; have her weighed and if she needs to lose a little weight, cut back on her regular food. By the way, small dogs like Bichons should lose weight gradually; you can check with your vet but I don't think they should lose more than a pound every two weeks.