Dieting a dog

[B.P.R 2,798]

Anybody give me advice on the best way to diet my lab x collie. She's in for her spay in a couple of months and she's put on a wee bit of weight. She's just piled it on in the last few months

[skycat 6,173]

You do know that spaying may well increase the weight problem? There is only one way to get weight off anything: human or dog, and that is less food and more exercise. I've often noticed that once a dog is no longer a pup, but a fully mature adult, their energy requirements can go down to almost half the amount they needed whilst still growing. Lab/Collie crosses are some of the worst for putting on weight.

 

Oh, and by the way, raw feeding really helps to maintain a healthy weight: lose the cereals and the dog can eat twice as much as it would need if given cereals (carbs) I would feel cruel at feeding a tiny amount of food to some of my dogs, but on raw meat/bone/tripe they can still be given a good bowlful of food without ending up looking like a pudding.

 

And yes, it might seem as though I'm on a crusade about raw feeding at the moment but its just the threads which are coming up at the moment

[B.P.R 2,798]

I do know that spaying may increase the weight but I've got no choice as she got caught by a neighbours dog in my back garden that was looses last time she was in season and I had to get the jab. Not risking it.

 

The missus was giving her snacks so weve stopped that and I've got her out twice as much as usual.

 

You and your raw meat haha

[carp man 1 219]

raw meat is good 4 the dog so is the push bike

[labstaff 0]

Like Skycat says, less food, more exercise. Raw meaty bones (I feed mine frozen to keep it fresher for longer) and raw green tripe are all good natural foods.