When you welcome a smol awoo into your home and heart, you don’t want to think about the day when it grows up and loses its puppy fat. But the day comes when your pupper grows into a dog. And keeps growing. And growing. And doesn’t stop. You check the Canine Instruction Manual that came with your pet and you finally realize—aha! You forgot it’s one of those giant dog breeds that make you think Clifford, the Big Red Dog might be real.
However, just because a dog is big, it doesn’t mean that it has to be obese (aka a chonky chonk). All jokes aside, if you want your family pet to live a long and happy life, it’s vital that you help it stay lean and avoid entering the ‘overweight zone’ which requires extra effort on your part. Bored Panda spoke about canine fitness and doggo diets with the UK’s leading vet charity, the PDSA . Read on for our full interview with them if you want to learn how to help your dog live a quality life.
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The PDSA explained that a dog’s food is “an essential part” of their fitness. So you can’t just focus only on getting lots of movement—you need to give dieting and nutrition some proper attention, too! Similarly, you can’t get just the diet right while ignoring the importance of exercise.
“Making sure they are fed on a complete diet which keeps them at their ideal weight is important to keep them fit and healthy. As a general rule, we tend to give our pets too much food which can lead to obesity and reduced activity levels,he said.”
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It’s better to err on the side of too little food than too much when we’re living in a society of overabundance, then. What’s more, you should do a bit of personal research to learn what the ideal weight for your dog breed is for its age. If in need, talk to a professional to get their take on what’s what.
Getting serious about health means putting in the time and energy to make your dog’s life better. And that means treating your pet’s health like you would your own if you’re all about fitness. So get your kitchen scales out!
“The best way to monitor your dog’s food intake is to weigh both them and their food. You can discuss your dog’s weight with your vet and check their body condition at home. Once you have a starting point and know what their target weight should be, start weighing and monitoring their food and treats to see how much they’re getting,” the PDSA said.
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“You might want to try weighing out their portions at the start of the week to make it easy to keep track of what’s being fed. Reweigh your dog after a few weeks and see if they’ve gained, lost, or maintained their weight, then adjust their amount of food to fit your goal.”
Just remember—you’ve got to take into account any leftovers of extras that you might be giving your dog. So no munching on cheeky treats in secret!
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