Dieting tips

sparks19

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#1
Ok... so it has become QUITE apparent that belle needs to be on a diet.

I am ashamed to admit that she has gained 14 lbs this year :O it's hard to notice it when you see them all day everyday until it becomes REALLY obvious and we have reached that point.

It seems she has been double dipping on dinner. She eats hers... and then goes and eats Beezers.

So we are cutting down on how much she gets at dinner... and once she finishes if Beezer is not actively eating then his dish goes up. the only problem with that is he's a grazer and I'm worried he's not going to figure out that he he needs to eat RIGHT THEN and there or the food goes away and he doesn't have much room to play with in the weight department. He didn't eat his food last night and it went up ... I put it down a few times today and he hasn't touched it.

so... I need some tips on helping Belle lose weight. does she need to be on a weight management food or will just cutting down on the amount help? and anything we can do to help Beezer with the eat now or forever hold your piece thing? Belle's activity is restricted right now since she hurt her foot which isn't helping in the weight loss department. but she is a very lazy dog and doesn't play fetch or anything.

I can't believe we let her get so FAT
 
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#2
Beezer will learn to eat when he needs to. it will take a few days or so but he will catch on that he eats then, or never. I would cut down her food an add in green beans to supplment her so se feel full. Once she is ready I would up her excersise to a good fast pace walk one or 2 tims a day, or ride a bike with her if you have one. excersise and food managment will help get the pounds off.
 

bubbatd

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#3
I've been working on Ollie's weight and it's not easy as he doesn't get much exercise ! I've cut down on the dry , watch what I add and add more water to it . A very slow loss but helping !
 
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#4
Also Do you have a treat ball? You could makeher wor for the food by pushin it around, its sorta lik excersising and eating at the same time, could help a little, since she ill have to moe aoundwih it, instead of just sitting in on spot eatng. I did that with Blaze when he was on crate rest a few weeks ago.
 

sparks19

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#5
hmmm good idea with the treat ball. I don't think we have one anymore but I can get one. although I may have to get one for each of them cause Beezer will want the ball to play with lol. but that may encourage him to eat the food too so that could be good for both of them.

green beans... anything else I could or should add like green beans one day and soemthing different another day or just green beans.
 
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#6
Yes cutting down on the amount of food your dog eat should help her go back to a healthy weight. Also don't forget the exercise, that always helps. I'd cut out 100% of table scraps (if you happen to give her any) so that they aren't part of the diet temporarily.

Monitor Beezer's food closely though, she might still try to sneak by and grab a bite. :D

As for Beezer not wanting to eat right away, sometimes it will take a few more day of doing what you did (removing the food after a few minutes). Eventually he'll get the idea that he must it while its there.

Our dachshund is a fussy eater so we add little tidbits of high value food in her kibble and she eats it faster. Wet food works wonder, if you don't want to keep buying wet food though, slowly wean your pooch off of it, but usually wet food is a big enough motivator to help a dog eat their food.

Best of wishes!
 

Zoom

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#8
I'd just stick with greenbeans for bulk for now. If you're using canned, rinse them well to get all the excess salt off. Go for more walks, make her work for her food, cut down on the amount and try to switch to something lower in grains (I don't know what you're feeding now).

Beezer will learn to adjust his eating habits. Vegas has been a grazer her whole life from what JJ says, but now that Sawyer has come along and he likes to eat what she leaves behind (and I've started adding a fish oil pill) she eats more readily at mealtimes.
 

bubbatd

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#9
When my IB had a brain tumor and her meds made her starving my vet suggested dryed pop corn `bulk and no calories .
 

lizzybeth727

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#10
It seems she has been double dipping on dinner. She eats hers... and then goes and eats Beezers.

So we are cutting down on how much she gets at dinner... and once she finishes if Beezer is not actively eating then his dish goes up. the only problem with that is he's a grazer and I'm worried he's not going to figure out that he he needs to eat RIGHT THEN and there or the food goes away
Sounds like Beezer's been experiencing this already, if belle's been eating his food. :p
 

mmorlino

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#11
We started the RAW diet about 4 months ago. Scout (mini dachshund) was 12.8 pounds and needs to be about 11. She's now at 11.4 pounds :)

I love the raw diet because 1) they're eating what they would eat in the wild 2) weight control 3) eliminates allergies 4) no need for teeth cleaning 5) less to no gas 6) less poop and they drink A LOT less water
 

sparks19

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#13
and the allergy thing isn't true either lol... Beezer can't have chicken. everytime he does he gets all red and itchy

but yeah... neither of them will touch raw anything unless it's ground beef. they will eat a small amount of raw ground beef but offer them anything else and they turn up their nose at it.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. :)
 

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