Adopted an Overweight Dog

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Herman
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Adopted an Overweight Dog

Post by Herman »

I just adopted a chi/min pin mix who is 3, maybe 4 pounds overweight. Any thoughts on in home exercises I can have him do? Also, how do I determine how much to feed him? Thanks
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JudyN
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Re: Adopted an Overweight Dog

Post by JudyN »

Have a search for 'indoor agility dogs' on the internet - that returns seeral sites with good ideas. I also like hide & seek - the way we do it is I'll show my dog an object (one of his toys, a slipper, etc.), say 'hide and seek', ask him to wait, then go & hide it in another room. Then I call 'find i!' and he comes in, finds it, and gives it to me in exchange for a treat. There's quite a few skills in this that you'll have to teach in isolation first, but that's part of the fun :D

You might need to be generous with treats/rewards for these, but keep them very small and take them into account when giving him his regular meals. Some dogs love things like chopped carrot, which would be a good choice.

Is there any reason you specify home exercises? Are long lively walks not an option?

Assuming he's on a commercial food, there will be guidelines for how much to feed on the packet and/or online. The general recommendation is to feed based on the dog's ideal weight, not his current weight. But these recommendations do tend to be generous, so it's important to monitor his weight. And dogs vary - some dogs thrive on half the recommended amount whereas others need the full amount. If he seems particularly hungry, you can bulk out his food with veg.
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Herman
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Location: United States

Re: Adopted an Overweight Dog

Post by Herman »

Thanks for the info! :D Outdoor walks aren’t a good option right now due to weather and some questions about his lower back for which we have a vet appointment set up. I appreciate the feeding tips. :)
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JudyN
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Re: Adopted an Overweight Dog

Post by JudyN »

Glad to help :D Obviously you'll need to be careful with any indoor agility if he might have back issues - I'm sure your vet will advise. 'Spin' (rotate clockwise) and 'twirl' (anticlockwise) can be good for back health and are fun to teach but again, check with your vet first.
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
Herman
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Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2015 6:36 pm
Location: United States

Re: Adopted an Overweight Dog

Post by Herman »

Our vet said Enzo’s body condition is 6 of 9 and estimates he’s about 2 pounds overweight. Pending bloodwork results (expected tomorrow) Enzo is otherwise healthy. :D
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Nettle
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Re: Adopted an Overweight Dog

Post by Nettle »

That's great news! :D

It won't take long for him to lose those 2 pounds. Just take it an ounce at a time.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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Herman
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Location: United States

Re: Adopted an Overweight Dog

Post by Herman »

Thanks. We got his bloodwork results this morning and it’s normal. Our Enzo is a healthy boy. :D
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