Cruel to be kind

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SONIC1704

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My parents went away and we took my childhood collie who now 15, he is obese i know hes had problems with his health which have added to the weight gain but i was really quiet shocked, i think my mother has been using him as a bin. So this week i've made my mother cry and told her that charlie is to stay with us and our two very health young dogs. His food been changed all treats are out and excersive is the new in thing. I know hes old and is in pain. i just need vibs and any advise on how to get an old dog slim.
 
Good for you for being firm! At his age any extra weight will be a real strain for him.
My mother is one of those people who equates food with 'love' and is a sucker for a big pair of brown eyes, I have to watch her like a hawk around the dogs!

I am sure others will be able to offer you advice on diet, I shall offer you lots of vibes. Does he play, interact with your young dogs? In my experience ten minutes of mucking about with other dogs does more good than a half hour walk on a lead.
 
You are right that being overweight is not good at his age. However you say he is in pain, I think you should get him checked out by a vet first, and be advised by them as to how to try and get some weight off him. Please do not suddenly give him loads of exercise if he is not used to it, at his age you could do more harm than good.
Have to say think you are being a bit harsh on both your mum and the dog if he has not got too much longer left, but of course I don't know the full story.
 
An old, fat dog that has health problems and is in pain, may not be very happy with two bouncy, healthy dogs, so I would be careful what you do with him.

You say he is in pain, if that cannot be controlled, maybe it would be kinder to say goodbye to him.
 
He won't play with our dogs, but more livley when the pack is out. We live in a row where there are 9 dogs in a 2000 acer estate. He's really two fat to really want to play with his toys, though he will sit and squeek them. so it is really just the walking untill weights off. He weighed 36kg when at the vets ie now new food she said to try and get him down 5kg then go on from there. Small steps first. At 1 he ran through a glass and slit his tendens and ligs in one paw, these have gone again at 11, His nails are over long and his pads are soft with the setting in of arthertise. I've increased his excersive from nothing to three one hour walks. Hope this helps I know hes old and may only have a year or few left but that loss of weight would give him so much more freedom right.
 
Blimey - is that three hours a week or three hours a day?
I wouldn't walk a 15-year-old dog for three hours a day, let alone one with arthritis, tendon and ligament problems - mine are 20 months and that's what they get.
 
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Blimey - is that three hours a week or three hours a day?
I wouldn't walk a 15-year-old dog for three hours a day, let alone one with arthritis, tendon and ligament problems - mine are 20 months and that's what they get.

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Likewise....yikes, even my 6 year olds don't get that much and at 15 he doesn't really need it. I'd get vets advise like others have said but good on you for being strict with your mum. What is it with old ladies! I'm always nagging my mum about her 9 year old lurcher as she's tubby too
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I am sure you are trying to do the best for Charlie but are you sure you are improving his quality of life. At his age change can be very unsettling, and it appears that you have taken him away from his home and changed everything he is used to. Can you not just give your mum some advice on his diet or go to the vet with her. Although a slimmer dog will live longer, at his age and with his problems I would be inclined to make sure his last years are as happy as they can be, with pain relief if necessary.As others have said be careful with the exercise. Good luck with him.
 
Does it not also depend on what speed these walks are done in? Slow walking is not the same as quick walk or trot and it does not say how long these walks are other than how much time they take, if my ladies always was allowed to stand and sniff for as long as they wanted, there is days where one hour wouldn't take me far from my front door.

I agree it does not sound good saying the exercise have gone from nothing to three one hour walks, but with the benefit of the doubt, I think it must sound worse than it is in reality, because if a 15 year old overweight dog with various problems was suddenly and already, forced to walk three one hour walks in brisk pace only, I don't think there would be any dog to write this post about left.
 
We used to go for long but slow strolls with Barney when he was old and doddery too. But I do remember our vet advising us to keep his exercise at what he was used to, so maybe try building him up gently?
 
God i sound cruel don't i. Its one morning walk, one afternoon walk and one lat evening walk. It would take half and hour but with the old boy i walk a lot slower. He still jumps up when he see his lead and wants to come wagging his tail the whole way round. it is really just long strolls around one feild where i can monitor his breathing and how hes walking. Whilst throwing a ball for the other two as there walks have been shortened. vet said to keep him moving so it is abit like hanandhen building him up gently. Mum and dad really don't have the life style for dogs anymore so she feed to make up for it. Thank you for your kind replys
 
I'm glad you obviously realised the replies was written out of concern for the dog, the slow strolls around a field you describe sounds perfect. Actually you seem to already be doing everything you can to slim him down in a healthy speed, the only thing I can add is try to make him sleep on something softer than the floor (not always easy, I have several dog beds which the two cats sleeps in more than the three dogs) and perhaps do some gentle massage or stretching to help him keep the muscles soft and going.

Good luck with him, I'm sure he appreciate being allowed to be outside sniffing the smells.
 
Hi Tiggs, My Mum won't change, you can explain the vet can explain she'll cry then in the next hand give him sweets, crisps and food from her plate. His quality of life is all i'm intrested in I try and keep him with me all day so he's not getting locked in the house all day, which he would at my parents. Small light walks, his dinner with no treats. The main shock has been exercise and not the continuence of food lay in front of him intill he bursts. Thankfully he's good with our dogs and knows then quiet well from all the visiting. I have said we'll take him for two months and see how he goes to if he stay with us or returns to mum and dad
 
Righto, glad you clarified, it's not as if he is whining and running away when he knows it is time to go out, then
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That sounds like nice gentle exercise, just keep it slow and steady and that should be enough for him.

Sorry if I sounded overly concerned, my three hours is quite hardcore compared to yours
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Good luck!
 
lol Hacking_Hack

I had to leave him at home yesterday with the other half because the neighbour and i where going for a proper walk that he would never manage. I opened the door turned around to get my wellies on off he was i felt so nasty when i had to turn him around and say no. The dirty look that when with it was something to behold. But I don't think we could have picked him up and carried him home, so only the small walks for him. The decision that all dogs over 11 where felt at home it meant we only had five so much easier. The old boys had a quick stroll after.
 
Thanks for clarifying. I have to do 2 walks now, my 2 younger ones go yomping and then the old lady goes a more sedate stroll. Had another oldie who sadly was pts last year, the last few months of her life she couldn't really cope with a walk and pottering in the field should have been enough but she loved to go out, so used to put the lead on her and wak 100 yards up the road and back, which kept her happy, sure the neighbours thought I was mad
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But we do do these silly things.

He was an anti social Beep with other dogs and takes a while before he get use to them. Though very good with ours. Just had another groom up with hers and Charlie sat barking and growling at it, trying to chase it down the drive, wagging his tail. So I can only guess hes starting to feel better. As normally he would have just ignored it
 
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Hi Tiggs, My Mum won't change, you can explain the vet can explain she'll cry then in the next hand give him sweets, crisps and food from her plate.

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I had a friend who had a beagle and his mum overfed it to the extent that the poor thing couldn't clean it's own backside anymore. My friend begged her not to but all she said was 'I can't help it, look at his little face'!!! Well it was dead at 7 so you are doing the right thing if your mum point blank refuses to accept she's doing the dog harm. I know yours is already 15 but that makes it even harder to carry all that weight. And that exercise sounds just right. I have a really old lady who can't do the long hikes the others like so we do the slow amble fpr 45 mins while they charge round like nutters. Trouble is I've put on pounds!!!
 
Hi, sorry didn't mean to sound critical. It sounds as though he is having a lovely life with you. Hope you have many happy years together.
 
You are doing the right thing by the dog and the fact that your parent's haven't fought too hard to keep him must mean they know deep down in their hearts too.

You will know when the exercsie is too much. My collie is 12 and pretty much does what she always has but every now and again I can tell she needs to take it a bit easier.

A "normal day will involve about 3 - 4 hours of walks broken into chunks with a 10 min morning walk and poodle about the garden in the evening.

A "quiet" day will have the morning and evening short walks and one 45 minute walk

A "day off" will be three 15 minute walks

She usually has one day off a week and one or maybe two quiet days. The rest are normal.
 
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