My obese dog gets mean on diet. What are affordable food options?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I highly recommend that you consider the Science Diet metabolic weight management diet which has proven to result in weight loss. This is something that can help Boscoe achieve weight loss though this should still be combined with regular walks/exercise. Good luck and have a great day!

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!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I highly recommend that you consider feeding her a diet called Science Diet metabolic weight management diet. This diet in itself can help with weight loss in dogs. Also, it is important to avoid feeding her human food as that will likely continue to result in weight gain. You can also consider exercising her more including long walks and things like playing fetch. This is all likely to result in weight loss. Good luck and have a great day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would highly recommend that you consider Science Diet metabolic weight management diet which can help them lose weight especially if they are not as active. Good luck and have a great day!

I would consider putting them both on a prescription diet food if you can afford it. Science diet makes two that are really good - Science diet metabolic and R/D. Your vet can write you a written prescription for this. If you cannot afford this food, then I would look for a LIGHT diet NOT weight management. "Weight management" and "healthy weight" food usually just keep them at their current weight. Science diet also has an OTC light diet you could look into. I would feed less than what the bag recommends and if they seem hungry, you can give them some canned green beans to help fill them up. I would also make sure no one is giving them ANY human food besides the green beans and NO dog treats. If you want to give them treats, give them raw carrots, raw broccoli, or canned green beans. As far as increasing their exercise, this can be difficult in your situation. You can try to feeding balls that they push around to make the kibbles fall out. I have some clients that feed at least one full meal with one of these balls which helps them to stay more active. You can also purchase an indoor treadmill and train them to use that if you wanted to go all out. Finally, if you are staying on a strict diet and increasing their activity a little, but they are still not losing weight, I would have your vet check their thyroid. If their thyroid is low, it will be almost impossible for them to lose weight without thyroid supplements. I hope this helps! Feeding Ball suggestion: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/petsafe-busy-buddy-treat-dispensing-kibble-nibble-dog-toy-1586980?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&adpos=1o1&scid=scplp1586980&sc_intid=1586980&cm_mmc=PLA-GG-_-PTC_P_BND_PLA-GG_FY17_SCShopping-TM-_-Non+VIP+-+TM-_-92700027187667220&kwid=p27187667220&device=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6J-3ipDJ2AIVWbnACh2YTQ_bEAQYASABEgKg9fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Hi there! Let me see if I can help you with Brownie. I always recommend "The Big 4" as far as brands, as they are the most balanced diets on the market for dogs and cats. They are Purina, Science Diet, Royal Canin, and Eukanuba-Iams. That being said, I always point out that when changing diets we go slowly over a week to ten days' time. You can follow the guide in this link to try to avoid causing any gastrointestinal upset like vomiting or diarrhea: https://www.hillspet.com/dog-care/nutrition-feeding/how-to-transition-my-dogs-food I would check the bag and make sure that you measure the food and stick to the recommended calories per day, taking into account any additional calories like treats, table food, or dental chews. We can sometimes be surprised how many calories are in a milkbone even. You can try a reduced fat or weight loss diet made by one of the brands mentioned above, and see if that helps. Before starting I always recommend a vet visit. An exam can be very helpful in making the initial weight loss plan. I will often discuss trying cutting out snacks and treats, a reduced fat diet, and monthly weight checks. If there isn't a difference in about 6 weeks, I will recommend checking thyroid levels to see if that is functioning OK. If not, that can slow down metabolism and cause weight gain. And if all is well and we're still having trouble, there are prescription diets that we can try to help reset the metabolism like Hill's metabolic. I hope you find this answer helpful. Best of luck!

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.