Pet food companies invest huge amounts of money in nutritional research to produce foods which are perfectly balanced in terms of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. To meet with the demand from an increasingly obese canine population, the pet food companies have responded with a variety of calorie conscious foods which claim to be suitable for weight loss programmes.

The problem with using diet food is that owners often rely too heavily supposed effects of it. The tendency is to concentrate on the food rather than the whole lifestyle and as a result owners don’t see the results they expect with dogs losing little or no weight. Owners jump quickly to change feeding regimes without proper consideration to exercise or training requirements.
Remember…. A healthy diet is just one component of a healthy lifestyle. To truly make a difference you have to try and make positive changes in every aspect of your dog’s life.

What works for one dog and owner may not work for another. We all differ in how we feed, exercise and reward our dogs so general strict and rigid weight loss diets are not always suited to the individual. Owner compliance is the most important factor in the success of a weight loss regime so choosing a diet which suits you and your dog is the key to getting you on the right track.

The most obvious start would be to cut out treats and tit bits. However old habits die hard and many owners find this very difficult. Rather than cheat on the diet and still give your dog sneaky extras, why not incorporate treats into the diet plan so that they do not affect your dog’s weight loss. Even better would be to use your allocated treats as training rewards so you can incorporate exercise and training into your regime.

So are diet foods the best option?

Sometimes yes, but not always. It depends on the owner, the dog and the lifestyle. Have a look at the diet plans below and see which one would suite the lifestyle of you and your dog the most. You’re much more likely to succeed if you pick a diet which is realistic and practical.

The scientific diet
 
On paper this is the most scientific. No treats allowed since this would alter the carefully controlled calories in the food. You can use part of the daily portion of the food as treats if you want to engage your dog in training activities but do not give additional treats under any circumstances!!

Owners: stricter than strict who can stick religiously to a diet plan and ignore those woeful eyes of your poor pooch. Not suitable for owners who would be tempted to give any treats whatsoever.

Dogs: Non- fussy eaters who are happy to substitute treats for attention or play. Pampered pets who are used to gourmet delights may be difficult to switch to these foods and often go through periods of anorexia (spurring the owner to feed alternatives, hence rendering the diet useless). These diets may be better for dogs that can’t exercise as well as most, for reasons such as arthritis, old age or injury. The nutrient balance in most of the prescription diets allows weight loss while maintaining muscle tissue.

The commercial dog food diet

This diet uses your dog’s normal food rather than a scientific diet. The key to this diet is accurately measuring the exact amounts you should be feeding. Identify your dog’s ideal weight and feed your dog to that weight. If your dog should weigh 10kg then calculate exactly what quantity a 10kg dog would be fed and give this amount divided into two daily portions. Again cutting out the treats and increasing exercise helps to focus your efforts.

Owners: This is a good diet for the owner who wants to put their dog on a diet but doesn’t want to overhaul their whole lifestyle. It is often a good starting diet since not too much effort has to be put into it. However owners do have to be very strict since added extras can increase the calories in the diet significantly. Owners have to be prepared to invest in some scales to weigh the food as accurately as possible.

Dogs: Perfect for the dog who enjoys their current dog food and doesn’t appreciate change. You may need to find non-food substitutes for treats such as play and praise. The commercial dog food diet with treats This diet uses treats in addition to feeding a commercial dog food. The quantities of food need to be reduced slightly to compensate for the extra calories which are provided by the treats. Only certain treats are allowed and only in certain quantities per day.

Owners: This diet is going to suit an owner who can’t resist giving treats or can justify times when treats have a positive effect, i.e. training sessions.

Dogs: This diet would suit most dogs, especially those who expect treats and are willing to work for them!

The home made natural food diet

This diet follows the principals of the natural and raw food diets.

Processed foods and treats are replaced with raw meat, bones and vegetables. The quantities fed are more subjective and are altered in response to the dogs weight change. If the dog isn’t losing any weight then the amounts of food are reduced. Weight loss might not be as predictable as on the other diets but owners who switch to natural food diets often become much more involved and aware of their dogs feeding.

Owner: This diet takes a great deal of time and effort. Not just to prepare the food but also to source it. This would suit a committed owner who has researched these diets and has the time and facilities to successfully feed them.

Dogs: These diets are great for dogs who need lots of mental stimulation. Feeding raw bones actually engages them in their food. Natural diets are accepted by most dogs but if the transition is sudden then diarrhoea and other bowel upsets can occasionally occur. Take care when giving raw bones to dogs for the first time.

The combination diet

This diet plan is for the owner who wants to experiment with feeding natural and raw foods but may not be able to commit fully. It uses commercial or prescription diets as a basis to the diet but adds in components of natural feeding to supplement the food and provide a varied diet to stimulate their dog’s senses. Having a varied diet appeals greatly to food lovers.

Owner: If you enjoy and like a varied diet yourself then you may want to try a combination diet for your dog. Try and plan your dog’s mealtimes with some variation. When you have time to prepare meals for your dog then you could feed a home made diet. When time is short then you could use your dog’s commercial diet.

Dogs: This diet would not suit a dog who is traditionally fussy or is a selective eater.

Feeding tips

Divide the daily portion into two or three meals. Feeding little and often is much more conducive to weight loss than feeding one large meal a day. If you are using treats in the diet then you MUST reduce the amount of food accordingly. Avoid processed treats or those high in fat or carbohydrate. Stick to lean protein based treats.

For reward training use the smallest size treat possible. A treat the size of a quarter of a finger nail is more than enough to reward your dog. Any more and you’ll be piling on the calories.
If you have more than one pet then feed them separately. This will stop your dieting dog getting more than their fair share.

Remember that diet alone will do little to shift weight from your dog. Incorporate healthy eating into a healthy lifestyle and you’ll greatly increase your chances of slimming your canine companion.