Spring is just around the corner and its time to shape up! Remove this winter bulge and get my beagle hunting form in tip-top wagging shape!
Looking in the mirror the other day I noticed there is just a little bit more of me than there was last year at this time. Yikes, its time to shape up due to peeps and dogs alike have been whispering about me, and some of it is just not nice.
Holy cow, I’ve been:
- told I look like a little cow.
- asked when are my puppies due?
- told that I look older than my age!
So what’s a dog to do when facing a little too much weight…blame your owner! Yes, that’s right, it’s not your fault, its your owner, she hasn’t been doing her part in keeping you fit and trim. She’s either feeding you too much or not giving you enough exercise that you need to keep you a healthy weight.
So now that we know whose fault it is, lets forgive each other and start a plan to get us all fit for Spring.
My 4 wagging tips for a slim dog
- First put the treat bag down…I’m having too many high calorie tasty little treats throughout the day. So we’re going to change that by replacing my cheesy biscuits to edamame my personal favorite. I can even get the pods and spit out the shell! However find out what your dog’s favorite treat may be (good choices could be carrots, apples, peas or beans).
- Cut down on my begging: Yup its true, I beg, I tilt my head, make my soft brown eyes get all big, and puff out my ears, it’s a look I mastered and it works! I can usually squeeze out an extra treat or something off your own plate with this look, its golden. Going cold turkey on this, yes, cold tasty turkey. You’ll going to have to be strong and ignore me, don’t worry I will still love you, I might be a little shocked at first, but it’s for the best.
- Add an extra half hour of activity: We’ve up our walks by adding an extra 15 minutes to my morning and evening walks. On weekends we are heading to the mountains for some climbing. On days that are to cold, or wet we are starting a new in-house game of fetch, play and hide with a new toy that I got and its the only time I can play with it. So naturally I get really excited and I truly enjoy the bond with my peep as well.
- Reducing my daily meals: We’ve cut down on the carbs so there is going to be less rice, or pasta in my diet. The meal size is also going to be a little smaller. We’re reducing it by 15%. for the next 6-8 weeks. We talked to our vet, and it was his recommendation that my meals be reduced to help me lose that little bulge that I have. Consult your vet to see what the right type of food will help you slim down. You need to consider things like how old your are, your size, breed, and overall health which will dictate the type of weight loss diet that will be best for you. Your vet may even suggest a prescription dog food.
Okay, okay when am I going to see results on this over weight dog diet?
Well were going to work gradually and we expect to see some ribs, I mean significant improvements in a few months. We’re aiming to lose about 1-2% of the total that I need to lose. I’m aiming to be 11 kg (24 lbs.), right now I am 11.5 kg (25.3 lbs.) or basically 10% overweight.
It might not sound like a lot but just think how many pounds you would have to lose if your doctor told you to shed 10% of your weight!
Remember it’s really never too late to train your people, regardless of their age, so once I’ve achieved success, and I have trained my peep to act responsible and sticking to my 4 wagging tips for a slim dog . But once she learns
- avoiding giving me too many treats
- gives me regular exercise that gets my heart pumping
- and controls my food portions.
I’ll be healthier and looking really good this Spring. She will also learn that these healthy dog habits are essential for my long-term weight management.
