Shoot - Cricket is overweight!

[dss62467]

Out of curiosity, I weighed Cricket (my corgi) the other night. A corgi shouldn't really be heavier than 25 lbs, and the little porker is 31! I'm blaming it on the fact that I can't let her out to run, because she disobeys and takes off to the neighbors, even when I'm there (that's where Tyler the Trainer will help) and switching her dog food. She had been on Tiberwolf for a couple years, but the cost of that has become astronomical, and I switched her to Blue Buffalo.

I had good luck with my cats when they switched to Nature's Variety Prairie, so I'm going to try her on that. It's a nice food because it's for all life stages - adult, overweight, puppies...so I can use the same for all the dogs, and the price is not unreasonable.

So here's my question....do I use the recommended feeding amount for the weight she is, or the weight she should be? When I'm trying to lose weight, I make sure I'm eating the recommended calories for the weight I want to be. But I don't know if that's what they're doing on the back of the dog food bag.

I really can't wait for spring so I can get that little egg roll outside and running. It's going to be a rollerblading year I think.

 

[fox2star]

Hi

I always found that the recommended amounts on dog food bags is way too much .. I would cut it it back. maybe half or 3/4 of what they say. Then if you want the dog to lose some weight, I would cut it more. Our fox terriers weigh around 22 pounds and they eat 1/3 cup of Blue food twice a day. Of course they get treats in between!

p,s how is your other dog? did he have the surgery?

Deb

 

[buckeyegirl]

I agree with Deb on this. The bags always overstate how much to feed, I think. Weight loss in pets is exactly like us humans - cut portions, move more! Since moving more isn't much of an option during the winter, I think cutting back on how much you are giving will work or switching to a lighter or less fat option. Giving 1/2-3/4c. of food sounds viable to me.

Gotta love those Corgies - so food oriented! Aren't we all, though!
Heidi

 

[hiitdogs]

If you want to feed Nature's Variety, they have a food portion calculator on their website. There is quite a difference in portion size, very active dogs like mine (they are out exercising with me 2 or 3 hours a day on most days) compared to not active dogs.
However, on days when I am out less than 2 hours, I also decrease the food they get. Despite of that with my female dog I have to feed a little less than is recommended. She's got the typical female problem, she packs on weight easily and she is a lazy bum. She will run with me, do agility and herding and whatever I ask her to do but if it was totally up to her she would just hang out on the sofa with me.

 

[ImFiddY]

My vet had me feed my dog a 1/2 can 2x a day of no salt peas or string green beens along with a lower quanitity of his regular food. I thought the vet was nuts and that my dog would not eat peas or beans but he did and lost 10# doing this diet. I would mix it with a diet canned food. Later when my dog got cushings disease and was always starving the vet said I could feed him a baked potato to help him feel less hungry.

 

[kathryn]

Sounds to me like she needs more exercise as well.

Set her up (and YOU and/or whoever else is in the household) on a two-times-a-day walking regimen (not just the amount of time needed for her to 'do her duty,' but time to burn off some calories and work her muscles).

 

[dss62467]

We do walk twice a day when the weather permits, she needs something a little more intense. She runs like lightning, so I can't wait for this snow to melt and I can get them out to the woods where I can let her go unleashed and not worry about it.

Thanks hii for the heads up on the Nature's Variety calculator. I'll check that out now. I've found that she and Buster love green peppers, so I may use those for treats for awhile.

Deb - Duke's surgery is tomorrow. Funnily enough....he's stopped limping! Now I feel bad that I'm gonna make him go through the pain all over again.

 

[hiitdogs]

Green peppers, huh?? I thought my pups are the only crazy ones to eat them. I get a weekly organic produce basket and I have to make sure to put everything away asap, otherwise my peppers, lettuce, apples, etc will be gone.

Do they have herding classes where you live? After all Corgis are herding dogs, they don't really look like it but they are. It really helps with obedience as well because of the exercise and it challenges their mind too. A tired dog is a good dog.

Another option may be agility. There are clubs and classes all over the country. My dogs are completely tuckered out after agility and it is fun!

Just an idea!

Sending lots of good surgery vibes for tomorrow to Duke!

 

[kathryn]

We do walk twice a day when the weather permits, she needs something a little more intense. She runs like lightning, so I can't wait for this snow to melt and I can get them out to the woods where I can let her go unleashed and not worry about it.

Do you have a treadmill?
I've seen shows where they use a regular treadmill and train a dog to walk or trot on it.

 

[dss62467]

We don't have herding classes in the area. I'd looked into it when she was still really young. We did agility for awhile, but it got too expensive for the classes. I've already planned on setting up an agility course in the yard this year, I found a website that shows how to build jumps and weaves from PVC. Buster is very athletic and Cricket is naturally good at agility, since she's a corgi. But that is still a few months away. Their agility now is just getting successfully through the snow.

I've seen Cesar teach dogs to use the treadmill, but I don't have one. She's too short for the Nordic Track.

I used the feeding guide on Nature's Variety website and will use that for her IDEAL weight and see how we go from there. Once I can get out there on my rollerblades, she should be svelt again in no time.

Thanks for the good vibes for Duke!

 

[Gayle]

When our Boston Terrier was overweight, our vet had us put her on a wet food only diet, and the extra weight just fell off her (same diet also helped the cat). She did great on it. Her energy level also increased.

My Boxer eats Nature's Variety, along with a blend of canned/fresh foods, and does very well. It's good food.