# Penny is overweight



## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

If you can't completely ignore the sweet little face ( funny I have the same prob with my Penny ), perhaps you could substitute a LITTLE piece of fruit ( mine love banana, apple, pear ) or a greenbean? instead of the last piece of sanwich/ biscuit. Also, gives another good reason to get out there walking !!


----------



## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

I think you need to set two feeding times per day and measure each time. As a starting point I would feed 3/4 cup twice a day. Add a little exercise and I think you will be suprised just how easy it is. Also switch to a smaller sized treat. Oakly gets very tiny ones and doesn't seem to register the difference in size.


----------



## Penny'smom (Mar 3, 2007)

She really goes for banana and apple. And she likes green beans when they're cooked and a bit of margarine. I'll have to try a frozen piece and see if that works. She likes ice cubes (we don't give them anymore) so it might work! Thanks for the tips.


----------



## HovawartMom (Aug 10, 2006)

By thinking that tough love will give her,at least,2 more yrs of life!.
With Priska,i kept her on the same food,gave her 2 cups,a day of kibble and a cup of green bean but without butter,no treats whatsoever and stop the freefood.She lost 7pds and is a healthier dog.I also increased her exercise!.
How much does she weigh?.


----------



## Penny'smom (Mar 3, 2007)

I think her last weigh in a few months ago was 78 pounds. I think she's past 80 now. 

When she stands in front of me for petting, she has neck rolls...about 4 of them...betweem the base of her neck and top of her withers. I don't think Goldens, or any creature for that matter, is supposed to have rolls.

I will take her to the vet today for a weigh in. 

I'm going to implement all the advice so far. Her dish is empty now, so I'm going to get her 3/4 cup for the day.


----------



## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

I would stop the free feeding and feed her twice a day and cut her food back and give her green beans and step up the exercise.


----------



## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

I'm going through the same thing with Riley - trying to get his weight under control. The majority of it is our own fault, too. Like you, we give him the last little bite of whatever we're eating (unless it's something harmful to him, like chocolate or whatever.) He gets a treat after he's gone outside and done his thing and he licks the dinner plates, too, after we scrape most of the leftover food off. It all adds up very quickly, but like you said... that face! 

We've made a few changes over the past couple weeks. We found these Nutro Weight Management biscuits. They're huge, so I break them into about four pieces and he only gets one little piece. He LOVES these biscuits, so that transition has been really easy. 
When we're eating, we've started putting some raw carrots or a couple of those miniature rice cakes on our plates and he gets those as his little bite of food when we're done. He still gives us "the face" because he knows darn well I have meat on that plate and he's getting a carrot - LOL - but the fact that he's getting _something_ satisfies him enough.

They're hard to resist, I know, but I keep reminding myself that it's better for him.


----------



## Penny'smom (Mar 3, 2007)

Penny doesn't like carrots unless, like most fatties, it's dripping in ranch dressing. So, she doesn't get any.

She loves radish slices...go figure.


----------



## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Mine get carrots for treats and I know a lot of dogs dont like them.but I also get training treats that are like the size of there kibble and give them a couple a day while we are training. I keep mine on the green beans all he time and it has kept there weight steady. If I give them dog biscuits I only give them half.


----------



## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I am going thru the same thing with Beau. I got him on high quality food Natural Balance and was feeding him two cups a day with some green beans thrown in to keep him from getting hungry. But he still wasnt losing weight. He is on thyroid meds and the vet said the food is a great quality but since Beau doesnt get alot of exercise due to his health his body isnt burning the calories. We have to change him to a weight loss food. After doing tons of researce, I choose the Wellness Core weight loss. He is still getting the same amount of food so hopefully this new food will help. We just started it this week. My vet said also that the biggest thing you need to cut out is the snacks of bread and chips when we eat. That was the biggest thing to cut out but we have done it. He said their bodies dont burn the calories from the human food because their bodies arent used to it. 
Good luck in the weight loss with Penny and I hope you start to see results.


----------



## Penny'smom (Mar 3, 2007)

DH took Penny to be weighed. She's up to 82 pounds.

Isn't that nearly 20 over the standard? She stands 23 inches at the withers. I think she's supposed to be 65 pounds.

Here's a funny. After being weighed, DH took Penny to the post office. Of course everyone thought she was adorable and asked if she could have a treat. Dad says "Sure, she can diet tomorrow" The lady comes out from behind her counter with THE WHOLE BAG and starts handing them out like popcorn. 

At least they walked the whole way...probably in excess of a mile!

P.S. there a sign on the post office door that say no dogs except service dogs. Of course DH is saying "What sign? I didn't see a sign" and they were ready with the treats. I guess I'm the only one who ever obeyed the sign!:doh:


----------



## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

If you stop the free feeding, reduce the amount of kibble she's eating a day and increase her exercise, you can probably still continue to give her the last bite of your sandwich, assuming it's just a small bite. It's not that small bite of sandwich that's made her fat, it's the combination of everything. If you significantly cut back in other areas, you can continue to practice the last bite tradition that you both love and she'll still lose the weight.


----------



## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

My two love their food, so if I want to give them a treat I can just take from what I feed them twice a day and give them kibble. As you know, Tucker can only eat around 730 calories per day. He's kept of the nearly 20 pounds he need to by using the 10/1 formula. Shadow consumes wAy more calories per day and is thin.


----------



## Penny'smom (Mar 3, 2007)

Thanks, Quiz and Kimm.

By free feed, I mean we don't pick up her bowl if she doesn't eat it all right away. She's allowed to pick at it freely.

She gets 2 1/4 cups of food once a day, in the evening. Plus 1 large and 1 small biscuit a day. The piece of sandwich she gets is the corner crust of the bread or a bit that barely fits between thumb and forefinger.

Not defending here, just making a clear picture. From the info I have here, I need to cut down on kibble. Would there be a better benefit to feed in the morning instead of evening? Like a chance to work it off all day? It sounds like if I feed her in the morning, then she could have a biscuit in the evening as a snack/treat. 

She's not obnoxious about her begging; it would be easier to ignore 'that face' if she was a pain in the neck. 

Kimm, Penny is a hoot about kibble as a treat. If it's a new brand and we feed piece by piece, she LUVS it. Once its de riguer, it's no longer a treat. But any OTHER kibble that she's doesn't get daily BECOMES a treat. I usually pick up the free sample bags of stuff (good stuff only) whenever I can. That is the stuff she'll work for and consider a treat.


----------



## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

DH loves to share his food! I spend so much time and money getting the weight off of Tucker, I won't dare go astray...LOL He went to a swim program which jump started the weight that just didn't seem to budge and that was very costly. However, once the person there gave me that 10/1 ratio, the weight fell off. Many dogs need more calories, but that's just a starting point. If they lose too quickly, you just add more food, but always keep track of the calories consumed. I feed my guys twice a day. Once in the morning and then again at 2:00 pm.


----------



## kalkid (Feb 22, 2007)

I agree with some of the others. It's hard but ultimately it's your job to be her parent/doctor and we all know the extra weight is really hard on them and potentially can take years off their life. I would rather deal with the sad face than lose that face any sooner than I had to.


----------



## Penny'smom (Mar 3, 2007)

Kalkid, you're sure right about that.

Kimm, I have a question. Is the 10/1 figured on Penny's current weight or the weight she SHOULD be. I'm assuming if she should lose 10 pounds, then she should be limited to 720 cals per day. Is that a good goal to start with? And then reset the cals if she needs to drop more weight after that?


----------



## Taz Monkey (Feb 25, 2007)

I honestly don't have a hard time ignoring mine. We eat meals in the kitchen, where the dogs are not allowed, but I could sit down with a bag of popcorn or chips and the dogs get none. They rarely even get treats during the day. They eat their food, maybe chew on a bone or a bully stick, but that's it. My golden get 2.5 cups a day of Evo, and she is at a perfect 62 lbs and has been since I got her. If I'm doing training, I usually pick up some sample bags of dog food that my pet store gives away, and just use kibble as a treat.


----------



## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Penny'smom said:


> Kalkid, you're sure right about that.
> 
> Kimm, I have a question. Is the 10/1 figured on Penny's current weight or the weight she SHOULD be. I'm assuming if she should lose 10 pounds, then she should be limited to 720 cals per day. Is that a good goal to start with? And then reset the cals if she needs to drop more weight after that?


I just read my post and boy did I make a lot of spelling errors :doh:!

What do you and your Vet feel is Penny's ideal weight? In our case, Tucker looks best around 73 pounds. So, I feed him about 730 calories per day. I have upped his food intake now and then, but the minute I see he's putting on weight, I go cut the food back. 

Shadow on the other hand eats almost 4 cups of Canidae Lamb a day and that has more calories than the Canidae Platinum. I say almost on the measurements because I noticed that 1 cup using the measuring cup I use daily, is not really one cup using another measuring cup. I guess measuring cups are like rulers???

If you're looking for her to weigh 75 pounds, start off by feeding her 750 calories. This is just an estimate. Each dog has different needs, but you will know if she is losing too quickly.

I think JoEllen has had success using the same numbers. I know someone who adopted a Lab had great success using the 10/1, too. However, her dog really lost the weight fast, so she increased the calories.


----------



## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

Daisy and I live by that formula, yes. Been using it for about 2 years now, maybe a bit longer. It works beautifully. The weight loss isn't dramatic but steady, as it should be.


----------



## Penny'smom (Mar 3, 2007)

I would rather have a plan for her to lose 10 pounds and then readjust. Otherwise, I'm afraid she'll lose too fast.


----------



## kalkid (Feb 22, 2007)

Taz Monkey said:


> I honestly don't have a hard time ignoring mine. We eat meals in the kitchen, where the dogs are not allowed, but I could sit down with a bag of popcorn or chips and the dogs get none. They rarely even get treats during the day. They eat their food, maybe chew on a bone or a bully stick, but that's it. My golden get 2.5 cups a day of Evo, and she is at a perfect 62 lbs and has been since I got her. If I'm doing training, I usually pick up some sample bags of dog food that my pet store gives away, and just use kibble as a treat.


We do about the same thing with the exception my wife gives Daisy the remaining milk from her cereal each day. Ironically Daisy also gets 2.5 cups of EVO a day and weighs 65 pounds. She's pure muscle but we do quite a bit of exercise (running mostly) together as well.


----------



## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

kalkid said:


> We do about the same thing with the exception my wife gives Daisy the remaining milk from her cereal each day. Ironically Daisy also gets 2.5 cups of EVO a day and weighs 65 pounds. She's pure muscle but we do quite a bit of exercise (running mostly) together as well.


Tucker could never eat that much. I think EVO has 612 calories per cup? If so, he'd blow up again! I wish he could eat more. He really enjoys eating...


----------

