When it comes to managing your pet’s weight, we often turn to diet dog food and increased activity. But what do the experts have to say?
Have you seen the relatively new advertisements where they show us an adorable cat or dog enjoying all sorts of treats until they get to a point where they have gained a bunch of weight? Whether it is the cat unable to jump onto the counter or the dog who can’t make it up the stairs because he has put on too much weight, these commercials are both sweet and a wake up call.
And just like many of us have resolutions for a new year and losing those extra pounds, we should also be making sure that our pets are being taken care of as well. This is why we are turning to the experts for their advice.
With the help of pet experts from Purina, Dr. Callie Harris and Dr. Annie Valuska, we are getting some tips for how we can better manage our pet’s weight.
Purina pet experts give us tips on managing our pet’s weight
Up first, it is important to figure out if your dog is a healthy weight. And how do we do this? Dr. Harris has the answer:
- It starts with a “healthy hug.” Start by evaluating the ribs, running your hands along your dog’s side. You should be able to feel their ribs without having to dig in or press down. Next it’s evaluating the waist. This is a visual inspection while standing over the dog. The goal is to be able to see their waistline or what she describes as an “hourglass shape.” Finally you want to check out the abdominal area of your pup as well. Standing to the side of your pup, “your pet should have a nice abdominal tuck.”
If you think your dog is overweight, it is important to really consider a diet and also cutting back on things like treats. This leads to the question of what to do if you find yourself feeling guilty over your pup possibly being hungry or when they beg for more. For this answer, we turn to Dr. Valuska:
"Are you sure your pet is hungry? A common myth is that feeding = love, but that is not always the case. Our first impulse when pets start pestering us is to assume they want food, but pets may be asking for attention, exercise, or playtime. Next time you think your pet is begging for food, try offering some ear scratches, a fun play session with a favorite toy, or a walk outside instead."
Another suggestion from Dr. Valuska to address hunger issues is to use smaller bowls over the course of the day to extend the feeding or to even use puzzle feeders that force your pup to slow down when they are eating.
Obviously, there are also dog foods that you can switch your pup to in order to help them lose weight and manage their weight. Among the suggestions are Beneful, Purina One, and Purina Pro Plan.
We are always looking for ways to keep our dogs healthy and getting tips and suggestions from pet experts is definitely something we can appreciate and learn from.