My dog gained weight. Should I reduce her food or cut out her treats?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would just pick one protein source. I do not think Chloe is overweight, she has a waste. I wouldn't recommend letting her gain anymore though. I think the treats are fine as long as Chloe doesn't have a chicken allergy. I hope this helps and have a great day!

Yes! You can certainly do that! Good question! For her weight she would need about 390 calories per day. If you cut her food to 1/2 cup that would equal approximately 220.5 calories. Then you would have about 170 calories left over for the veggies and pumpkin. Be sure to count in any other treats/food you give her. It doesn't take much to add on a lot of extra calories to a 17# dog! The other option is to switch her to a "light" or "senior" formula dog food that has less calories per cup. Then she can eat more :) I hope this helps! Best wishes to you and Chloe. She is beautiful!

Before cutting down on her food, I would try limiting her treats. They are loaded with fat and have relatively few nutrients. From this photo, it is apparent that she has a "waistline." which is good. If when you run your hands down her sides you can't feel her ribs, she is too heavy. (If you can see her ribs, she is too thin.) Calories are not the only factors in a dog's weight gain or loss. Remember fat, too! Spayed females may be less active and more prone to weight gain, but it doesn't have to be this way. How about throwing a ball or Frisbee for her to chase? Finding another dog for her to play with? Perhaps a dog park (well-supervised!)? Good luck with trimming Chloe down a bit!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think she is in good condition at least based on these pictures. I would just continue with your current plan as she looks healthy and in good body condition. She is beautiful! Good luck and have a great day!

Less treats are always healthier for anyone, dogs and humans included. It would be better for Chloe to get more calories from a balanced diet then adding in extra treats, so you can give her 3/4 cup of food and three two calories treats :-)

Zoey is adorable!! I would recommend a weight loss food and a gradual transition to the new diet. I would also need to know exactly what Zoey is eating now to give you a good amount to give her. If you increase exercise, stop all treats and human food then many times dogs will lose weight just with that. I would also recommend weighing Zoey every 2 weeks to make sure she is continually losing weight. If you do put her on a diet and she does not lose weight you can always talk to your veterinarian about hypothyroidism which can make it difficult for dogs to lose weight. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would recommend just changing to a lower calorie diet such as the one you mentioned. Other low fat or weight loss diets that I have had a very good experience with are Hills metabolic weight management diet and the Royal canin GI low fat diet. Good luck!