How To Help My Dog Lose Weight

Obesity in pets has grown massively in the past few years, as we become busier and have less free time, pet playtime and walks tend to take a back bench. Our furry friends need exercise and enrichment to keep them happy and healthy (just like us). So follow our top tips below to help your dog lose weight and get active.

1) KEEP THEM ACTIVE

Over the holidays (and the winter) we’re often very busy and the dog’s walks tends to take second place to present shopping and social occasions. 45% of dogs are only getting up to 30 minutes of exercise a day when they are walked which is the bare minimum even for the smallest dogs, common breeds such as Labradors and German shepherds need over 2 hours of exercise a day. So, it’s time to blow off the cobwebs and get outdoors with your dog! Exercise can be through play, training, walking, activity classes such as agility, group walks, doggy day care etc and January is the perfect time to sign your furry pal up.

2) STEP AWAY FROM THE TREATS

As we all know, constant snacking between meals is unhealthy and the same goes for our dogs. Reduce the amount of treats you are giving them and only reward for very good behaviour when training (not every 2 seconds). Also treat responsibly and follow recommended feeding guidelines on treat packs.Yora’s treats are all packed with nutrients and healthy ingredients (but even we don’t recommend over doing it on those).

3) DON’T OVER FEED

Similarly, overfeeding can be a leading cause of obesity in pets. To prevent this, follow the feeding guidelines recommended on the pack and weigh out your pets food with a mini set of scales. Using cups is inaccurate and very easy to get wrong, it’s worth taking the time to measure accurately.

4) HIGH NUTRIENT, LOW CALORIE DIET

Cutting back portions of their normal food will not work for health as it will reduce nutrients. Unfortunately, just cutting back on their normal food is not a sensible option for every pet. Reducing the recommended feeding guidelines will reduce the amount of nutrients your pet will have so the key here is to have a nutrient dense food with low calories like our Senior/light food.

Remember, just like us, it can take longer for some pets to lose weight than others and vice versa, you should pay close attention to how your dog looks and acts. We suggest discussing with your Vet if you are unsure if your dog needs to lose weight or if your dog has a condition which may be affected by a dietary/lifestyle change.