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Are you Killing your
Dog? |
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Did you instantly respond - Of course not! I love my dog! - ?
Well, let's look at the facts. Have you checked your dog's
"waistline" lately? Can you actually see the ribs? If your
dog has long hair can you feel the ribs with only the amount of pressure it
would take to barely dent the flesh of an over ripe avocado? If you
have trouble with these questions than it could well be that your dog is fat
- even obese. Some estimates state that in excess of
80% of our canine and feline companions are overweight. "Obesity related illnesses can
kill, and when they don't, they reduce the quality of life." (DOG
WORLD, October 1998) Almost no part of the body escapes the stress of
an overweight condition - heart, kidneys, liver, pancreas, joints, etc.
And, this "disease" is totally preventable. It is true that some breeds (the
Nordics and Labs, for example) seem to gain very easily but a simple equation
exists for all breeds - feed no more than the dog requires to meet needs of
growth and/or activity. There is evidence that in neutered animals the
metabolic set point is lowered but the above premise still holds true - feed
no more than the dog needs. Another aspect of weight gain in spayed/neutered
animals is that the operation usually takes place at about the time that the
animal has also slowed way down in its growth rate. Therefore neutered
dogs require less to eat but the same amount is offered! Over and over again, when I comment
to clients that their dog is too heavy (read fat!) I get comments such
as - "Really?" "He hardly eats a thing." "My
breed is supposed to be heavy." "But, he is always so
hungry - just look at that expression." And when I ask exactly how much
the dog eats the answer is often - "Well, about a half a bowl
full." Or, "Just a few handsful."
One of my favorites is "But she won't eat if I don't put (fill in the
blank) on her food.) This is said about a dog that is so fat it clearly doesn't even want to eat and is being
"forced" into doing so by a "loving" owner! To get in charge of the situation
the first thing that is required is to know exactly how much the dog
eats at each meal and don’t forget to add in all the little extras that fall
her way! To know precisely the amount requires a measuring
cup. No guessing. No free feeding! Decide just how much the dog
has been getting and reduce that amount by up to 15%. While there are
low calorie diet foods available there is reason to believe that the dog will
feel more hungry on those empty calories than on reduced intake - which is
what will be required ultimately anyhow! Feed on schedule, offer no fatty
table scraps, buy the best dog food available if you are feeding kibble - do
not buy supermarket brands! Consider feeding “real food”*
rather than processed food. For training treats (You do
train your dog, right?) you can mix some of the kibble with tiny bits of
meat, cheese, hot dogs dried fruit, etc. and let the flavors blend. Or
- better yet - use at least half of the dog's daily ration as training
treats! No work - no food. No diet is complete without an
exercise program but if you have neglected this part of your buddy's life
begin very, very slowly to avoid stress on the heart and joints. Walk only
in the early or late hours to avoid heat. The sidewalk is hot to the
touch so consider how that feels to the dog's pads! And, sun beating
down on the dog plus radiating up from the sidewalk (He is a lot closer to it
than you are.) can dehydrate an animal very rapidly. As for those pleading eyes and the
drooling. remember that your dog is capable of doing
that following a full meal. Hunger may actually be part of the problem
if you are feeding dry food that is mostly grains and very, very little meat.
The dog is not satisfied even if she is full! If you love your dog give
her a life free of the strain of packing around extra pounds that tax the
system and destroy the joints. *To me “real food” means a raw diet but even a well balanced cooked diet is way ahead of what comes in bags.
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