Obesity in pets is a serious problem. Unlike humans, they are not able to tell you when they are not well, yet obesity can lead to many severe illnesses, including organ failure and heart problems. This is why you need to have a responsible and healthy dog feeding regime from the beginning, rather than getting into bad habits which are then harder to break.
Dogs like stability, and so do their digestive systems. Consequently, having started with a particular kind of food, you shouldn’t try and keep changing it. If you do think their current food is unsuitable or want to change to a healthier option to get their weight down, then you should do so gradually over a period of seven days, slowly mixing in the new food into their old one in larger and larger quantities. Don’t give him leftovers from your own meals either (as human food isn’t meant for consumption by pets) and try not to leave his food out for too long – around 20 minutes should be long enough.
Dog feeding regimes can vary between completely dry diets to moist foods. Whichever you choose, make sure he also gets plenty of clean, fresh water, and that the foods that you choose only contain quality ingredients and don’t rely on unhealthy fillers such as corn. Different breeds of dog have different food requirements, so ask your vet for the best advice on what to feed your particular pet. You will also need a different kind of food if he has some kind of health condition, such as obesity or the resulting conditions.
Just like humans, dogs can be intolerant to certain ingredients and may then display symptoms such as a change in behaviour, lack of energy, diarrhoea or weight gain or loss. If this is the case, then consult your vet and definitely consider changing his diet.
