It's been a long winter here with lots of that cold white stuff! I'm still undecided whether I like it or not. It's good for a bit, but it's awful cold so we end up spendin' our time nappin' at my Lady's feet. Well, after a winter of doin' that, I think the whole pack of us is packin' a few unwanted pounds! If better weather don't come on, where I can do some runnin', I'm a fearin' for my girlish figure WOOF!
My Lady wants to talk to ya today about Pet Weight Loss
Overweight pets are a big problem in the United States. In fact, the percentage of overweight pets is staggering. Did you know that over half of all pets in the U.S. are overweight? That's bad. Just like overweight people, overweight pets are prone to a host of other medical problems. Getting the excess weight off of your dog or cat is absolutely one of the best things you can do for their health.
Overweight Pets Aren't Cute. They are Ticking Time Bombs!
You might think it's cute that your pet is overweight. Your dog or cat waddles over to get another little bite - they love their food so much. The problem is that being overweight puts them at a much higher risk of some really nasty things. Check out this brief video on overweight pets!
It's so important to realize the impact that extra pounds have on overweight pets. What is cute now, is a heavy burden for them later. Overweight pets are prone to a whole host of health problems. Did you know that only five extra pounds on a small dog is equivalent to over 30 extra pounds on a human?! We all know what that would feel like! So, it is important to address their weight issue before it becomes a serious problem!
How do you get the Weight off and then Keep the Weight Off?
It really isn't that difficult to get extra weight off of overweight pets or to keep pets at an ideal weight. All you need is a high-quality, low calorie food like Hill's Science Diet Perfect Weight and a little self-discipline. The food part is easy. It's the self-discipline that's hard! Those begging eyes will get you in the feels every time!
Hill's Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight is a great dog food for weight loss and it's also available for cats! This food is highly nutritious, without being as calorie dense as regular dog food. That's important, because you don't want to loose the nutrients in your dog's food, just the calories. For small and toy breeds, you can use Hill's Science Diet Small and Toy Breed Formula.
This is an excellent food line to help with the problem of overweight pets. It's from Hill's Pet, so you know you can be trusted to be 100% healthy and effective. In fact, over 70% of pets have lost weight with Perfect Weight within 10 weeks. This food uses a blend of natural ingredients as well as prebiotic fibers for gentle digestion and 100% balanced nutrition. It's also a highly recommended food, so it's easy to find it at your local vet or at retailers like Pet360.
Okay. I've given you a great food to use for your overweight pets. Now what do you do with it? It's easy!
- Feed your pets at specific times: It's important to keep you pets on a feeding schedule. If you feed them any old time, their little pet minds will learn that they eat whenever they feel like it.
- Never give them table food: Never give you dog or cat breads, pastas, or table foods of any kind. You CAN feed them, carrots, green beans, and blueberries in their dog food to add a little variety.
- Go easy on the treats: If you aren't training your dog or cat, don't give them treats. Most of the time, overweight pets got that way because of too many treats!
- Feed them calorie reduced food: Hill's Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight food is a great choice for helping get the pounds off of overweight pets and keep those pounds off.
Don't forget exercise!
Unlike humans, exercise is fun for pets. It doesn't have to be fancy! They love to rip and roar across the yard, go for walks or jogs or play a game of fetch! Seriously, don't you wish you had their enthusiasm for exercise?
If you remember, we had Seager on a dog weight loss program to lose his extra baggage not long ago. He is still working towards his goal, with only a few pounds left to go! Where before he laid around with no energy, he is up and moving and feeling so much better for leaving most of that pudge behind! He loves his walks and is always sitting on the ready for them!
Running is the highlight of Maggie's day! She loves to run and it is a common sight to see her tearing around the yard at a high rate of speed. It's actually a thing of beauty to watch her fluid movement when she is in a full out run! You can also bet if there is a squirrel around, she will be the one chasing it up into a tree!
While Seager loves his walks and Maggie loves to run, the pups are in their own little world playing tug and wrestle. Neither Brandi or Ozzy have ever had a weight problem. They are just healthy, happy and can I say overactive pups?! But, all that activity will serve them well also. At the same time, I want to make sure they stay at the optimum weight!
Diet and exercise is really all there is to getting the weight off your overweight pets and keeping it off. Hill's Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight can help make it happen. We all want our pets to be the healthiest they can be. Losing that extra baggage will save you SO much grief down the line. And when it comes to overweight pets, the term grief could very well be literal!
Deborah W. says
It's sad to have overweight pets. You feel helpless but you shouldn't. Just realize you help your pets by giving them exercise and less food.
Susan P. says
It is so important to keep animals weight at a healthy level.
LAURIE MURLEY says
this sounds like a great product, I would love to try it
Mike Justice says
I thought my German Shepard was at a great weight but the vet told me he was on the verge of being over weight..cut back on the treats and a little more time out in the yard with the kids and he's now at his perfect weight!
danielle august says
so funny because i was just researching the weight control version of my cats food
i have a 14.5 lb cat that i worry about
he was adopted that way
GloriaW says
today and always a healthy diet and exercise are so important.
Susan P. says
I know overweight animals that have had health problems.
Susan P. says
My cats are only one year old but I will be cutting back on their food as they get older.
Jill Jackson says
Our dog gained a significant amount of weight after being fixed so we have nightly family walks to help us all
Kim Miller says
Thank you for such a terrific post, more people need to be made aware of pet obesity!
Darlene Carbajal says
I am so glad my dog is very playful and active. I would never want to see him overweight, especially for a small dog.
Jill Jacoby says
Thanks for your great review of Hills Science Diet Perfect Weight dog food. As dogs get older and slow down this is a great alternative to their regular food especially if you have been feeding them Science Diet. It is also great if your dog packed on some Holiday pounds. In my experience with the better brand foods your animals actually eat less food because they are getting more nutrition in a smaller amount then they do with food sold that is full of fillers. I compare it to being hungry not long after you eat Chinese food with all the rice.
Holly E says
Great post. We try to keep our dog active, playing with toys and walking outside. She is getting older and we want her to stay healthy.
Leslie S. says
We adopted a dog that has a improperly healed bone in her leg from her days as a stray, so when she runs she lifts her one leg and runs on the other 3. Sometimes strenuous activity leaves her leg sore for a while but we discovered the trails at our local park. She LOVES to walk on the trails, sniffing out new things and enjoying the short car ride to get there. When her leg acts up we call it quits for the day and she goes home happy. To make things even better, I'm getting exercise, too!
shelleyb says
Our dog appreciates longer walks. We both benefit!