# Overweight Dog



## Blondie (Oct 10, 2009)

Good luck! I'll be interested in hearing/reading how it goes. How you approach the conversation and how you are received and so forth. Will hope for the best.


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

You could maybe say something to the effect, that "wow, he's so much bigger than Hank. How much do you feed him?" Then talk about the benefit of measuring food and set meals. I'd also recommend Chicken Soup LIGHT for Adult dogs. It is very low cal in comparison to most foods and not terrible in ingredients.


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## hubbub (Jun 28, 2011)

My friend's two goldens look like a coffee table when they stand next to each other - flat and wide backs. Other than their weight (and I would have them groomed more regularly) these guys lead lives of leisure. They are inside most of the time and doted on continually. Braised bones from the butcher and all!

I did offer to take them for walks every so often (her husband has a long term illness) since my old gold doesn't really like to walk too far anymore. I haven't been as faithful in doing so as I'd like, but they enjoy it and since I'm helping the humans and doggies out, I feel like it's a double-good deed.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Nothing shortens a dog's life or accelerates the onset of geriatric problems as consistently as being overweight. We all go back and forth for pages and pages on this forum over chicken byproducts and vitamin K supplements, and the bare bones facts of the matter are that a healthy weight is the single most consistent predictor of those extra healthy years. It also happens to be entirely within the owner's control (except in rare cases with thyroid issues, etc.). 

At the same time, it's an incredibly awkward issue to broach. But we're talking about adding two years to this dog's life and delaying arthritis and other issues by two years! It's a tough situation.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

Well my job is to tell people their dog is fat and most don't want to hear it. All 6 of my 58-70 lb dogs eat 1 cup of Wellness twice daily. They counter surf, get minimal table food, dog biscuits and can run or not on the 2 1/2 acres they have. None of them is fat... so when a client tells me their 85 lb female golden eats only dog food and only 2 cups, I know they are lying. They really believe that their dog is fat because they missed a walk here or there.... and then they need rimadyl or metacam so the dog can walk. It is very frustrating. Goldens are very good at converting food to fat.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

I honestly think people are partly in denial, partly anthropomorphizing their dogs (it doesn't look like enough food), or are partly the victims of bad communication between family members (the family member who's concerned about the weight isn't hearing about all the extra food other family members are giving to the dog).

It truly is frustrating because it is such a straightforward equation of calories in and energy out.


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

I agree that a lot of owners do not want to hear that their dog is fat. A lot of them are also surprised when I tell them that they need to lose a few pounds. I find that a lot of owners don't realize that dogs only need a few cups of food a day to maintain themselves. It is also extra treats that a husband, daughter, or family friend gives them that pushes them over the edge.

I would certainly bring it up next time you see Hank's littermate.


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## sophiesadiehannah's mom (Feb 11, 2007)

my hannah has to much junk in her trunk according to the vet, she is 7 years old, 19 inches tall and weighs 55 pounds. vet wants her back to 48 pounds. we are doing the green bean diet which was highly successful a couple years ago. i should have kept her on a maintenance plan. well 1/2 cup proplan 1/2 cup unsalted green beans twice a day. it doesn't happen overnight, 4-5 months. then maintenance.


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## hubbub (Jun 28, 2011)

sophie said:


> my hannah has *to much junk in her trunk according to the vet*, she is 7 years old, 19 inches tall and weighs 55 pounds. vet wants her back to 48 pounds. we are doing the green bean diet which was highly successful a couple years ago. i should have kept her on a maintenance plan. well 1/2 cup proplan 1/2 cup unsalted green beans twice a day. it doesn't happen overnight, 4-5 months. then maintenance.


The ortho vet said "that's not muscle you know" which I thought was funny, but your vet tops that! :lol:


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## GoldenOwner12 (Jun 18, 2008)

My Shelley is on a diet she was 88 pounds and now is 74 pounds could be lower as she hasn't been weighed in over a month. Shelley looks big when she is dry as her coat makes her look that way, But get her wet she looks good. I would like to get Shelley down to 66 pounds.


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## BajaOklahoma (Sep 27, 2009)

With our weather being hotter than **ll, we've cut down on the exercise for all of us. But I've compensated with the green beans.
Hopefully the weather breaks soon and we can start walking more.


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