 |
Hey, Katie K-9!KatieK9@readthecitizen.comwww.KTK9.com 651-429-5433 |
Hey, Katie K-9!
I have a border collie named Callie who is a bit overweight - any ideas on how to get her back into shape?
Thank you!
Jeff from Woodinville
Hey, Jeff and Callie!
The main reason dogs become overweight is - too much food!
Owners simply are too kind to their dog or cat and overfeed them. With regular meals plus shared dinner scraps, it all adds up in a hurry!
How do you know if your dog is fat? If you cannot feel a bit of your dog's spine or feel a bit of every rib without really pushing against them, if you can balance a plate on your dog's back because they are the same width from their rump to their neck, they are too fat. Do not blame the way they look on "all hair." Learn to feel what is a good weight for your dog.
As dogs age, it does not take much food for them to maintain their weight. Humans get overweight if we do not cut back on our food intake as we age: it is the same with our pets. Owners are so used to seeing overweight dogs that when they see a dog that is at an appropriate weight, they think the dog is malnourished!
Fat dogs are more prone to heart attacks, diabetes, joint problems, and much more. If you want to share your dinner with your dog, that's fine, but when his regular feeding time comes around, be sure to cut back on the amount.
The best way to start getting weight off of Callie is to start a daily journal on what you and every one else in the house really feed her. Keep it on the refrigerator so you can see what she is eating each day. Replace store-bought treats with vegetables and fruits (fewer calories), and take away all chewies as they are full of salt and junk and simply add more calories.
You do not need to feed a weight-management diet. Just feed a good maintenance dog food and feed less of it. Use smaller bowls, so it looks full to you as you are feeding less food. If Callie is suppose to weigh 50 pounds, but weighs 70 pounds, DO NOT feed according to what a 70-pound dog should get.
I would also cut back on what the 50-pound dog should get. If it says feed 3 cups, I would cut it back to 2 cups each day. Then feed one-and-one-half cups in the morning and the last half cup in the evening. This is your starting point; go from there.
Always feed a light dinner when trying to get weight off a pet. Too many calories in the evening just adds to the waistline in a big hurry.
Slowly start going on longer and faster walks and fetching the ball more. Exercise is hard on a fat dog's joints: take it easy when starting out.
A slim dog will have fewer health problems, be more fun because they are not just laying around and - most of all - they will be with us longer. On average, fat dogs die three years before their time. To maintain your dog's weight, just use common sense, and don't make stuff sausages out of them.
Here's to many more happier and healthier days with Callie.
Katie K-9!
Send in your do g questions to "Hey, Katie K-9!" by mailing them to Th e Citizen, P. O. Box 393, Hugo, MN 55038 or e-mailing them to Katie at KatieK-9@ReadTheCitizen.com. Visit Katie's dog obedience school website at www.ktk9.com. The Katie K-9 radio show is now on every Sunday aft ernoon from 4 t o 6 p.m. on FM107.1