We got the "fat dog" lecture at Sunny's vet appointment last Thursday.
Our vets don't just say, "Your dog needs to lose some weight." They have an entire sermon on the topic complete with dire warnings about what will happen to the beloved dog if the weight isn't taken off now. Then they quiz the dog owner on what the dog is eating and give multiple suggestions on how that might be changed.
I was shocked when the vet informed me the dogfood Sunny is eating is like feeding her Ben and Jerry's ice cream everyday. That explains why they don't put the nutritional information on the package.
Sunny weighed in at 19.5 pounds. She should weigh 14 pounds tops. 12 would be even better.
She's three years old now. I knew she was looking a little "mature", but I had no idea she was carrying over five extra pounds on her delicate little frame.
This is Sunny's "before" picture. The doggy diet has begun!
Since all of the vet's suggestions involved feeding the dogs things I know they don't like to eat (diet dog food), I'm making food for all three dogs now.
Instead of a quiet hour knitting this afternoon I was stirring up corn meal mush, frying up three pounds of lean ground beef, chopping up vegetables, and stirring fourteen cups of homemade dog food in a large pot.
Why? Because our dogs are spoiled. Any other questions?
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3 comments:
If it makes you feel any better, my son and daughther-in-law make all of the food for their two dogs. I haven't gotten to that point yet! Thankfully out little dog just doesn't care that much for food. He eats to live rather than the other way around and stays pretty svelte as a result. Good luck with your doggy diet! Dorothy (Missouri Star)
Hi,
As a dog breeder, I frequently give puppy owners that very same "fat dog" speech...:-). Better than making your own food, as dogs have special nutritional needs, is to buy a high quality food, such as Canidae and use a measuring cup. My dogs are about the same size as yours and I feed the ones that have to watch their weight 3/4cup a day and give them frozen green beans as a daytime snack and 1/2 a dog biscuit at night. Helps to keep the potentially chubby ones in line..LOL.
Good luck :-))
Kind regards
Kim
http://thewoolenrabbit.typepad.com
Thanks for the expert advice Kim. I got right on the Canidae web site and found a place that sells it about 10 miles from here and I happen to be driving by there tomorrow.
Will pick some up and give it a try.
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