# Rescue Golden...Overweight



## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Others on here have more experience than I, but I'd give him some carrots and beans and see how he takes to them. If there's no stomach upset, I don't think you'll see one down the road. You can also give them in the dinner bowl and cut back on the kibble. Makes him feel fuller. Other veggies are good too, such as peas and broccoli. You can give frozen veggies too--make sure no salt has been added. If he can eat dairy, you might try giving a bit of nonfat yogurt with no additives. Low in calories but adds flavor and can be filling. 

Poke around on here and you'll find other threads on overweight dogs and how people dieted them. When I put my toy spaniel on a diet, I basically just cut her food back. I gave her veggies at first then stopped. She gave me the sad eyes for a long time and I learned to ignore them!


----------



## dwiley (Aug 19, 2012)

In college, my roommate had an Alaskan Malamute that was overweight. Our vet said to add 1/2 cup of green beans (we just bought the canned, sodium free kind) and that seemed to help fill her up but allowed us to cut back on the kibble. She never had any issues with it. We bought those cans in bulk...haha!


----------



## CITIgolden (Mar 9, 2013)

I would recommend perhaps lowering to 2.5 cups every other day over time, I know it sounds it will make the problem worse, but to avoid that, would you be able to invest in one of the kibble dispensing toys such as the kong wobbler? 

It will extend the time it takes her to finish eating and provide some exercise at the same time. Also, considering how the meds you have her on work slower eating is likely to make her feel fuller.

Thanks for helping a golden in need! Please share updates with us.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Mirinde (Jun 8, 2011)

I don't know how much green beans will help with medication induced hunger, since it's generally an actual hunger, not just a dog expecting more food. When my dog got super super crazy hungry on his seizure meds, we completely changed how we gave his food in order to keep his hunger at bay. Instead of his two main meals (1 cup of kibble at each meal), we broke it into three meals spaced evenly apart. Then three times a day (between breakfast and lunch, between lunch and dinner, and before bed), he got a small low cal snack (think fat free yogurt with a couple mashed blueberries or mashed sweet potato or a fat free cheese) to help tide him over between meals. I'm not sure how something like this would work long term...we only needed to do it for a few weeks, but it really seemed to help keep his blood sugar stable and keep him satisfied without feeding him particularly more than we would anyway. We cut back on treats entirely during this time and did any training during snack times so that we could use the snacks as treats. We just made a point to try to keep him at the same level of calories but spread out over more of the day so that he never really had a chance to get fully hungry. Smaller, more frequent meals might be worth a try if you don't have much luck with green beans and carrots?


----------



## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

Your vet was right. 

Add green beans to his food. You can mix it up with lightly steamed cauliflower and broccoli too.

Baby carrots (also lightly dipped in peanut butter) are usually irresistible treats. Nice and crunchy too 

Kudos to you for fostering. I love people like you


----------



## CITIgolden (Mar 9, 2013)

Yes the vet is right you can add veggies as snacks too, but if the dog is hungry and he really is if on those meds than spacing out her meals and feeding in a wobbler or a toy will help neural receptors record fullness. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

CITI

You reminded me of another suggestion:

Buy a "Kong", fill it with vanilla yogurt, plug the ends with peanut butter, and freeze. It'll keep him busy for quite a while licking out all that low fat yumminess.


----------



## CITIgolden (Mar 9, 2013)

dborgers said:


> CITI
> 
> You reminded me of another suggestion:
> 
> Buy a "Kong", fill it with vanilla yogurt, plug the ends with peanut butter, and freeze. It'll keep him busy for quite a while licking out all that low fat yumminess.


Good one! I wish that worked with either of my dogs  but it is probably a good idea in this case


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Good advice on spreading out the meals during the day, but I do think 3 cups a day is about 1 cup too much. No more than 2.5 per day would be about right, and adding green beans will help him feel more full.

Thanks for fostering him!


----------



## Keragold (May 9, 2008)

I agree about spreading out his meals and increasing the number of them. You could also use canned pumpkin to help fill him up if he does not like or gets bored with green beans. Low cal and great fiber content to fill him up!


----------



## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Came back to add...I've started giving my dogs some of the veggies I cook for dinner at night. After they're cooked, I set a handful aside before adding seasoning or butter, etc. Then I throw them in their bowls. It makes it easy because I'd be preparing them anyway!


----------



## Jbertschy (Aug 1, 2011)

Great fun idea


----------



## Jbertschy (Aug 1, 2011)

Thank you for all the good advice.....it helps so much.


----------



## BlueChopper (Apr 15, 2013)

If you want to take his weight down, you need to put him on a good food and exercise him. How much exercise are you providing him with a day? What types of exercises are you doing with him? What brand of dog food is he eating? I would add protein to his diet such as pieces of chicken or beef or any other type of other meat to his food.


----------



## Jbertschy (Aug 1, 2011)

I am feeding Abundance Life and I just switched him to the reduced calorie and feeding 1 1/2 cups twice a day. He runs along side of me while I bike ride. I have him up to a mile a day. We do a half mile and rest then another half. He swims with my Golden and they dive off the dock after a bumper. We live on a ranch so we are out doors a lot and always busy and he goes right along with us. I know he is getting enough exercise. I just wanted to be sure he wasn't starving on such little feed. So I was looking for ideas for things to add to his diet.


----------

