The steps I give in this post are the same regardless: First, to the vet. If the dog is very overweight, reduce the calories in stages. Monitor weight weekly. Consider a formula labeled for “active weight loss” if simple portion control of a regular food isn’t working, and go back to the vet if the dog isn’t losing weight on his properly-calculated calorie level.

This question comes up all the time with my friends who own pets. I even pay for some of them to feed better quality food. I understand that so-called weight reduction food is basically useless. Would a high protein or grain-free food be appropriate in an otherwise healthy, younger obese dog. What about raw? I feed my dogs Calif. Naturals Lamb & Rice due to wheat allergies plus 1/4 lb raw weight cooked hamburger (human grade) with the grease drained off twice a day. Plus I give all protein treats — dehydrated liver, etc., and cut them into smaller pieces.

I feel a little guilty because I don’t feed raw. But I don’t want to drive all over the place & use up a lot of gas.

Since dogs have no dietary requirement for carbohydrate, and all it provides is energy (calories), why not just leave it out?

I don’t think what you’re saying and I’m saying are any different, other than for that issue. I believe that the simple portion control you instituted would have taken care of it. The fiber is for us, so we don’t’ feel like we’re starving our dogs. Or maybe to make eating take longer, to psych them out. If so, fine. But it really doesn’t increase satiety in the brain.

My big orange cat was over-weight, per the vet, but only eating two small cans of wet food a day. The vet said not to cut back on his food, but to increase his exercise. Razor and I now kill kibble twice a day. I throw a piece of kibble and he chases it and eats it. The caloric value of a dozen pieces of (small) kibble a day must be less than the calories burned chasing it, knocking it out of the air, digging it out from behind furniture.

Before he would chase it, however, I had to teach him what throwing was. I got him to eat it out of my hand, then I dropped one on the floor, then I tossed it farther and farther. He now anticipates like a retriever.

Besides the exercise I think the playing has made him less bored and happy to be killing things. (Hey, he’s a cat. They’re killers.) njs

One of my neighbors uses carrots to keep her Goldens trim. It works.