Why aren't my overweight Chihuahuas losing weight on their diet?

Good for you for trying to help Dyego lose weight! This will definitely help him to stay healthy as he gets older. Ideally, I would recommend a prescription weight loss diet from your veterinarian, such as Purina OM or Royal Canin Calorie Control. These diets are very effective, and have a chart to show how much you should feed each day based on your dog's target weight. These can also be ordered online from Chewy.com or other online pet retailers if you prefer - just let your vet know so that they can approve the prescription :)

Specialist weight loss diets are the most effective way to manage weight issues as they are designed to provide all nutrients required, promote fat loss and maintain muscle mass whilst also allowing the dog to feel full. Reducing weight on standard foods is very difficult and requires feeding of approximately two thirds of the recommended amount, based on target weight which can leave patients hungry

They make good weight management foods either over the counter or prescription. A good prescription on is Hills metabolic. Her portions should be about 3/4 a cup a day to start... a little less if she gets treats. You can start slow with exercise with just making her go up and down the stairs an extra time or a short walk around the house until she gets better and gradually increase it

He does indeed look overweight, my preferred range is hills metabolic as this promotes healthy weight loss whilst also preserving muscle mass and strength and is formulated to allow them to eat a reasonable volume of food so they do not feel hungry. Your vet tech can help you work out the correct amount to feed him and monitor closely for the first 6-8weeks, if he does not start to lose weight then blood tests to rule out hormonal conditions such as cushings, diabetes or thyroid disease may also be recommended

Many pets like Brees suffer from being overweight. If you are looking for an over the counter product, try Royal Canin or Hill Science Diet (both brand carry 'light' diets). In my opinion, the prescription food made by Royal Canin called Satiety Support is a great option because the portions are large (which most dogs like) but they still lose weight. The other things that could be contributing to his weight problem could be a condition called Hypothyroidism. This commonly makes dogs heavy and have problems losing weight. A doctor can determine Brees' thyroid status with a simple blood test. Medication is needed to regain normal metabolism.

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

Oh yes. I would highly recommend Hlil's Metaboilc diet because it causes weight loss and can help with weight management. This is a highly successful diet that causes weight loss in over 79% of pets within the first 2 months. Royal Canin low calorie, Hill's R/D are two other options for weight loss. THese are all Rx diets and require a vet visit to get your pet started on the weight loss plan in mind. Also if your pet has any overt signs of hypothyroidism, then checking for a metabolic disease like this is recommended; however this is not common in small breed dogs like the Parson Russell Terrier. And of course it goes without saying that daily regular exercise for 30 minutes is recommended to encourage metaboilc break down of stored fats in the body.