How much daily exercise should my dog get to lose weight safely?

Great question! Walking Buddy every day is a good idea, and I would see if you can walk him twice a day for at least 30 minutes a time to help him lose weight. One tip is to cut out all treats. No human food, no scraps from dinner, and no dog treats. These can really add up over time and cause a dog to gain weight. You can try cutting back a bit on his dry food and adding some wet food instead with the dry food. Canned dog food has fewer calories because it has a higher moisture content, so adding some into his dry food while removing dry food to compensate can help him lose weight. Finally, you can speak to your vet to see if they feel a weight loss food would be appropriate for him. I hope this helps!

I would recommend doing moderate exercise (brisk walking, chasing ball, etc) for 30 minutes twice daily. I would also recommend a low fat food. The low fat prescription diets are the most effective, such as Hil'ls Metaboilc and Hill's W/D. It is also best to make sure your vet checks Grecia for any underlying metabolic disorder such as Thyroid disease, which can cause weight gain, letharyg and a dry dull haircoat. I hope this helps! Best wishes moving forward with Grecia and her weight loss. Take care!

Just reducing calories is not as effective as reducing calories AND exercise. You should go for walks with him (1 hr per day) and play with him as well, throwing balls, sticks, get him excited, so he runs and jumps. This will help. Give him a few months to lose the weight. Have him weighed at your vet's office every two weeks and keep a chart. This way you can see how much he is losing over time. He is supposed to lose almost 25% of his body weight...that is a lot and will not happen over just a few weeks.

You can do a combination of things to help Caesar lose weight. It's just like losing weight in people, increase activity and lower caloric intake. That being said, you can't do it all at one time. Gradually increase activity by going on longer walks, introduce a little jogging from time to time once he's gotten a little more fit, play fetch with him, arrange playtime with other dogs he gets along with, whatever you can do to help him get up and get moving. Also, the best food I've seen for gradual, healthy weight loss is a Science Diet product called Metabolic. Take your dog to your vet and ask them to do measurements and weight for you. If they aren't familiar with the program, everything is explained on the Hill's website. By entering your dog's measurements and weight into the Hill's website, you will get a customized feeding schedule for your dog that tells you exactly how much to feed for him to gradually lose the weight he needs to. Also consider getting him a slow feeder or puzzle feeder to slow him down when he eats and help keep him mentally stimulated as well.

Start slow. Pets need to be conditioned just like people. Begin by walking her for 1/2 mile as long as she seems comfortable. Do this for a few days. If she seems to be doing well and does not seem stiff or sore after a few days of doing this walk, increase to 1 mile. Every 2 weeks, increase by 1/2 mile. Monitor her for any signs that she is uncomfortable afterwards or is having trouble completing the route. Pets are all individuals just like people and vary in their fitness and metabolic rates. The key is to start slow and gradually build up as she builds up strength and endurance. Most dogs her size will walk two miles comfortably once they are in shape. Many dogs can walk beyond this as well once they are conditioned. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

You can continue to feed her the normal diet she normally gets, but feed according to the package instructions on the bag. Do not give her any treats or human food at all. Feed her twice a day, morning and night (divide the daily amount of food she's allowed into two portions). I would then make sure she gets exercise twice a day for at least 30-45 minutes at a time. By feeding her only her the recommendation daily amount of dog food, cutting out all treats, and making sure she has plenty of exercise, you can help her lose weight is a slow and safe manner.

Sticking with the current diet, or seeing if there is a weight loss diet from the same brand can help in calorie reduction. You can also speak with your vet about if a prescription weight loss diet is needed at this time. As with any increase in exercise, you will want to start gradually, especially if Angel has any health issues such as arthritis. Starting with a quick walk just around the block, and then gradually increasing over time (to two blocks, or ten minute walks, etc) can help build muscle and strength without overtaxing the body. As with any change in routine or diet, it is always a good idea to schedule a wellness check with your vet first. They can rule out any health issues that may cause problems that you need to watch out for, and can also work with you on tracking weight loss progress over time.