DOES YOUR DOG NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT?

Don’t be fooled by prescription and commercial weight loss diets, most are very high in carbs and low in protein and fat.

Both protein and carbs have the same amount of calories but protein is used to build lean muscle while carbs are stored as body fat. Look for foods with L-carnitine, it’s an amino acid that is found in meat, fish and dairy products and it helps to burn fat. Dogs thrive on high protein diets and have no nutritional need for carbs in their diets. Any diet for weight loss should be high in protein and low in carbs. Fat has double the calories per gram of protein or carbs so watch the amount of fat in your dog food. A diet that is to low in fat however will leave your dog hungry, so feed a food with moderate fat, around 12% to 16%  and just reduce your portions. In a dry food look for a MINIMUM of 25%  protein, the more however, the better because the more protein, the less carbs. You can safely feed a high protein diet to puppies, seniors and HEALTHY adults. There are a few cases that require protein restrictions so  discuss any health issues with your vet! You also need  to avoid fiber that  is more than 5-6%, to much can interfere with nutrient absorption.Science Diets prescription weight loss diet for example contains 26% fiber!  A couple good weight loss diets are Wellness Core and Orijen Adult, these have high protein, low carbs, moderate fat and moderate fiber. Watch the grain free diets as well, although they have high protein and low carbs  some are still to high in fat. Canned food protein should be at least 8%, and fat 5-6% , these will vary though  with the amount of  moisture content. Homemade diets should consist of lean meats, low fat dairy and green veggies, with some variations. So here are the tips to help your dog lose weight:

1. FIND THE RIGHT WEIGHT LOSS DIET (HIGH PROTEIN, LOW CARB, MODERATE FAT AND MODERATE FIBER)
2. FEED THE RIGHT AMOUNT (PORTION CONTROL)
3. MONITOR YOUR DOGS WEIGHT WEEKLY
4. WATCH WHAT YOU ARE GIVING FOR TREATS AND CHEWS (THESE ALSO CONTAIN CALORIES AND CARBS)
5. IF YOU SNEAK IN TABLE SCRAPS OPT FOR HEALTHIER ONES SUCH AS VEGGIES AND FRUITS
6. EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE!

Grain free diets

Studies have proven that dogs do not have any dietary requirements for carbohydrates. Most grain free diets are made by replacing grains with meat proteins therefore lowering the carbohydrates, So is a grain free diet right for your dog?

Carbohydrates- A moderate protein and lower fat diet will have higher carbs which is usually fine for most dogs but dogs prone to or having diabetes should have a low carbohydrate diet. High carbs cause blood sugar fluctuations and insulin resistance. In this case grain free could be an option.

Grain free does not mean carb free, here’s how to check how many carbs are in your dog’s food. Start with 100, subract protein, fat, moisture, and ash. What is left is the amount of carbohydrates. The lower of course, the better.

Protein- Studies have suggested that a high protein low carb diet helps dogs lose weight better than lower calorie diets, however if you have a dog with kidney disease, diets with moderate levels of high quality protein is better.

Fat- Some grain free foods have high amounts of fat. Aside from hard working and breeding dogs that benefit from high fat, dogs with cancer should be fed high fat, low carb diets also as canine cancer cells utilize carbs for growth. Grain free would be an option in this case also.

Ash- High ash levels mean high mineral amounts. Some grain free foods are high in the minerals calcium and phosphorus which is especially not good for the growing bones of a large breed puppy. High phosphorus is also damaging to dogs with kidney disease.

Calories- Some grain free diets are calorie dense so strict portion control is important and in particular large and giant breed puppies should not be fed high calorie diets.

A grain free diet is worth a trial run with a dog who has allergies but keep in mind they are not perfect for every dog some dogs do better on a traditional diet that contains grains!

Here are the grain free diets we have available:

Dogswell Vitality and Happy Hips canned food

Taste of the wild – High prairie, pacific stream, wild fowl, and rocky mountain feline dry (canned food coming soon)

Innova Evo – Small and large bites, reduced fat, red meat small and large bites and cat and kitten. Canned food and grain free treats.

Orijen- Puppy and large breed puppy, adult, six fish, senior, and cat

“New” Canidae Grain free- all life stage original, and salmon

Have a dog that won’t eat? : Try these foods alone or mixed with your dogs regular diet!

(please check with your vet first to make sure there are no underlying problems)

Baby foods (especially meats)

Nutri Cal (high calorie supplement, available here!)

Different brands and types of commercial diets (dry, canned, raw diets, or even cat food)

Smelly foods such as liverwurst (in small amounts or mixed with other food)

Fresh food (cooked eggs, any way, with or without cheese, canned fish, chicken or ham, homemade soups, cottage cheese, yogurt, and food drippings,broth, and sauces)

These are not meant to replace your dogs regular diet, only use to entice appetites when necessary.