Put a stop to canine obesity

According to the latest studies, roughly 45 % of all dogs in Germany suffer from obesity and all of the resulting ailments. Although all dog owners only want the best for their pet, they often find it difficult to make a realistic assessment of whether a dog is overweight. With the right dog diet plan and special diet dog food, you can help your pet lose weight the healthy way without resorting to starvation.

Cause - Consequences - Help

Recognising excess weight

As long as you can see the last pair of ribs or feel them without pressing, you can assume that your dog is the ideal weight. However, if you need to apply pressure in order to feel the ribs, your dog is suffering from excess weight. A dog is defined as being overweight if its weight deviates by more than 10% from the normal weight for its breed. If it deviates by more than 20% from the normal weight for the breed, a dog is deemed to be obese. You should always ask yourself: How much food is my dog really getting between meals? The energy content of in-between snacks is often underestimated. Those who realistically gauge rations will be more successful in managing a dog's diet. Be realistic when estimating daily activity levels: For example, daily activities of 2 hours in total are the norm for a medium-sized dog. Simply by increasing the daily activity level, you are already taking the first step in the right direction.

Cause of excess weight

If the dog consumes more energy (calories) than it burns up over an extended period, this excess energy is converted into body fat, resulting in excess weight. The causes are:

• insufficient exercise

• too many dog biscuits

• excessive portion sizes at mealtimes

• in-between snacks too substantial

• dog food too substantial