Fat little dog!!

TinkyMole123

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So I have a mini Chihuahua X Jackrussel however shes a little bit fat!

although on a restricted diet of her dry food, any tips or feeds i can try to get her to loose weight. She is quite active and runs round with our other 2 at the stables but does have dislocating kneecaps on her back legs so restricts her somedays so she limps! this is obviously worse because of her weight.

she barely gets much food so cant really cut down anymore im starting to think she may just be a little curvy :')

any good foods out there she currently has AVA vetinary approved weight management small dog

IMG_9266.jpgIMG_7319.jpgIMG_8721.jpgIMG_8870.jpgthe pic of the xray shows the fat above her spine where the cursor is and upwards :(
 

twiggy2

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Are you feeding according to the advice on the food bag?
Are you aware you should feed according to the dogs ideal weight not their current weight?
Best tips are,
Weigh the correct amount of food into a container once per day and she gets nothing else, you treat from this container too.
If she has not lost any weight in 4 weeks you can reduce daily amount of food by a further 20% without compromising vitamin and mineral levels.
Weigh her every four weeks to keep a check on what's going on.
If she still has not lost any weight see you vet as some health conditions can contribute to obesity.
 

TinkyMole123

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Are you feeding according to the advice on the food bag?
Are you aware you should feed according to the dogs ideal weight not their current weight?
Best tips are,
Weigh the correct amount of food into a container once per day and she gets nothing else, you treat from this container too.
If she has not lost any weight in 4 weeks you can reduce daily amount of food by a further 20% without compromising vitamin and mineral levels.
Weigh her every four weeks to keep a check on what's going on.
If she still has not lost any weight see you vet as some health conditions can contribute to obesity.


Thankyou!! ive got her food in daily pots for the ideal weight, ive weighed her a few times either staying the same or loosing little bits. The Xray came from me taking her to the vets about her kneecaps and they did tests for thyroid and a few other things. maybe shes just one of these that lives on fresh air :)

will keep on with the diet
 

Blazingsaddles

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Exercise. I understand you won’t want her tearing around like a loon but on lead exercise should be fine. Mooching around at the stables isn’t the same as a three mile daily walk. 🙂
 

deb_l222

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I shall say it like it is, she’s not just a bit fat, she’s HUGE!! You’re doing her no favours by not getting the weight under control and quickly. If she has luxating patellas, extra weight will make this condition 10 times worse.

Keep going with the food you’ve got but cut it in half. No treats, no human food and don’t feel guilty. It’s all for her long term health.

My springer came to me at 28kg, which was ridiculous for a little springer. She also has luxating patellas. She’s now 20kg and it’s taken 6 months or there abouts. It’s easy really when they eat the same food every day.

Good luck, stick to it, your dog will thank you for it
 

Leo Walker

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Put the food in treat balls and similar to make eating take longer and burn calories. Lots of dogs like to chew on carrot so you could feed some of those, and raw bones are good fillers without having too many calories in. Theres lots you can do to reduce calorie intake but not leave them sad and hungry :)
 

tda

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I never feed as much as it says on the bag (dry biscuits), our lot would be huge if I did. And yes more exercise if possible x
 

DabDab

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Feed her less. You might feel cruel, but honestly these small dogs really do live on fresh air. I have a little jrt x who's about 4.5kg and she gets a dessert spoon of wet food twice a day, and the only treats she gets are bits of fruit when OH or I are eating some and she happens to be there. She's in and out round the yard all day too, so pretty active (given the length of her little legs😜)
 

C1airey

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Are you certain she isn’t getting extra from anywhere else?

Echo Dabdab - my two JRX are fed what amounts to a dessert spoon of raw meat twice a day. They are both a perfect weight.
 

wren123

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My lab has about half what the packet says for her size, however she is nice and slim. The vet is pleased with her weight and is amazed how sound she is considering her xrays. Being sound means I can maintain her muscles by exercise which helps her arthritis.
It will really help your little dog to lose some weight.
 

Aru

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She probably needs very little food given her size.
I would check the portions you are giving her at the moment,then check what the recommended amount is ....and feed her for the desired weight, not her current weigh...and weight every 2 weeks on the same scale at the same time.

If you're already doing all that and it's not working then you may have a dog with a very low metabolism and may need to cut down more severely or feed one of the premade low calorie high saiety food.
OR you may have a household problem where someone is trying to kill the dog with kindness and feeding her extras.

A lot of small dogs get massively overfed in calories as people feel guilty giving them appropriate sized portions as it looks like so little food to us...or as we feed treats that are much to calorie dense.
This is usually a human problem as much as a dog food issue.

Fixing the humans pattern for feeding the dog is usually the hardest part of getting the weight off a dog.
 

s4sugar

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Obese dogs is one of my boarding specialities. It is down to calorie intake & activity. In her current state she won't be active enough ot be fed for her ideal weight but will feel staved if fed that amount let alone less. I usually use naturediet wet food, fed to 10% below desired weight but chop up the food & mix with cooked french beans to bulk it out. I will allow a carrot stick to chew or a not very meaty raw bone. Until you get some weight off she won't be able ot exercise enough ot help unless you can take her swimming. I was once called to fetch in a 44kg shetland sheepdog - ideal weight should have been about 10kg. - within weeks he could get up the steps and manage to walk more than a few yards.
 

Clodagh

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We have working labs who are fed, in the off season, a thermos lid of good kibble once a day with an egg or a tin of sardines now and then. A dog that size proably really does need just a desserttpoon full.
 

eatmyshorts

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Echo a lot of what's been said. I find the amount guide on the bag is often generous, so i'd cut that down, as it looks too much, judging by her weight. Set aside the daily amount of kibble & take some out of it to use as treats so she doesn't get any extra. If she seems hungry all the time, soak her kibble, put it in a Kong & freeze it to make her meals last longer. Perhaps swimming would be good exercise for her, without putting excess strain on her joints.
 

TheresaW

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We have working labs who are fed, in the off season, a thermos lid of good kibble once a day with an egg or a tin of sardines now and then. A dog that size proably really does need just a desserttpoon full.

I feel like I feed ours a lot now! They are fed morning and evening, a cupful each each time. Neither look fat, and vet says both are perfect weight wise. Although they get plenty of exercise, it’s probably not as much as yours get?
 

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My lot range between 19kg and 30kg - due to age and activity levels I feed the 3 girls (19kg, 19kg-ish and 24kg) the same and the boy (30kg) one small cup of Arden Grange more per day (approx 400g of food more I think that is)

They all look 100% for condition as my dogs always do (unless they are ill and elderly 😞) because I feed by eye and adjust daily for activity levels 😊

The two oldies (12 year old 19kg greyhound and 11 year old 24kg lurcher) get 2 weetabix per day crumbled over their food so they maintain some condition, they love it and it seems to work to my delight!
 

pippixox

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Obese dogs is one of my boarding specialities. It is down to calorie intake & activity. In her current state she won't be active enough ot be fed for her ideal weight but will feel staved if fed that amount let alone less. I usually use naturediet wet food, fed to 10% below desired weight but chop up the food & mix with cooked french beans to bulk it out. I will allow a carrot stick to chew or a not very meaty raw bone. Until you get some weight off she won't be able ot exercise enough ot help unless you can take her swimming. I was once called to fetch in a 44kg shetland sheepdog - ideal weight should have been about 10kg. - within weeks he could get up the steps and manage to walk more than a few yards.

omg! 44kg! my mum in law has two shetland sheepdogs and one is petite and active, the other is lazy and was 19.3kg when weighed at the vets yesterday. she is far too big, but my comments won't go in. for a 1.5 year old dog she is far too lazy, probably because it is too much effort when so heavy.

I am in the opposite boat of keeping weight on mine, but they go running daily and are very active as well day to day.

so many useful tips here, its certainly a situation of seeming cruel to be kind. with a small breed even tiny tit bits really add up. but also even adding a 20 minute lead walk a day could make a big difference
 

Clodagh

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I feel like I feed ours a lot now! They are fed morning and evening, a cupful each each time. Neither look fat, and vet says both are perfect weight wise. Although they get plenty of exercise, it’s probably not as much as yours get?

It has gone up to one and a half now! They were very tired at the end of the season and not doing much, all back to normal now. 😊
 

twiggy2

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The working collies vary in how much they get from 1/2 a cup twice a day up to 1.1/3 twice per day.
The lightest smallest adult dog gets the most, the biggest adult bitch gets the least. They are fed according to need, weight and expertise.
My lurcher gets 1.1/3 a cup three times a day and is currently a bit too thin for my liking but that's weather led and if I increase he feed she gets the poops.
 

Red-1

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I would echo that the bag gives a generous portion. Also that little dogs are masters of getting a bite from a soft human. Some kibble feeds are more likely to slim. Heck is on a pancreatitis diet where he is OK, but when the shop ran out of that they recommended a hypoallergenic feed that would also not bring on his illness, and he lost weight really quickly despite feeding the same amount.

I would ban absolutely all treats from the plate. I would cut down 10% off the recommended feed straight away, then another 10% next week, and again, until she starts to lose weight. I have never heard af adding green beans but like it as an idea to keep the dog from feeling hungry.

I would also not allow running round with the other 2 dogs at the yard if this makes her limp. Instead I would have a controlled lead walk twice a day, increasing the walking until the weight shifts. Starting with a mile if she is used to some exercise and building up.

I would only include back into the melee of other dogs once she is slimmer and fitter.
 

Mister Ted

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So I have a mini Chihuahua X Jackrussel however shes a little bit fat!

although on a restricted diet of her dry food, any tips or feeds i can try to get her to loose weight. She is quite active and runs round with our other 2 at the stables but does have dislocating kneecaps on her back legs so restricts her somedays so she limps! this is obviously worse because of her weight.

she barely gets much food so cant really cut down anymore im starting to think she may just be a little curvy :')

any good foods out there she currently has AVA vetinary approved weight management small dog

View attachment 30263View attachment 30264View attachment 30265View attachment 30266the pic of the xray shows the fat above her spine where the cursor is and upwards :(
I personally dont believe dry food is satisfying or healthy for dogs. She does look slightly overweight and its important to keep her trim to lessen the strain on her hindlegs. Extra carbs eg.dog biscuits will pile the pounds on whereas protein, meat will be satisfying and keep her full for longer.Probably a little cooked veg.when she gets hungry beween meals would help.I feed my terrier ATTU tinned food.Its high quality and he gets around correct amount for his weight. I divide the food into 3 sometimes 4 small meals a day. He is a perfect weight ,the vet says how fit and trim he looks and hes healthy.He is happy with his food and does not crave more than he gets because it is high protein.I dont feed biscuits.
 
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