How much exercise does my overweight dog need to lose weight?

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!

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You can switch her to a diet called Science Diet metabolic weight management diet which is great for weight loss and just follow the feeding suggestions in the bag based on her weight. You can walk her 3-4 times a day for 20-30 minutes as long as it is not too warm outside. I have had good success using that diet for weight loss in my patients. Good luck and have a great day!

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

Ideally, you would be able to exercise him for 4-5 hours throughout the day, but this is not realistic for the average person. If Buddy has not been regularly exercised before now, then it's best to start with 30 minute daily walks and work your way up from there. If you are able to do the 30 minute a day routine for a month, then you can go up to an hour a day. This should be good enough for him (and you as well!). More intense exercise should only be done as directed by your veterinarian. If Buddy is obese, or has other conditions that could predispose him to injury, then it would not be good to start running and jumping exercises yet. When it comes to weight loss, the best intervention is diet. Ensure that you stick with the diet - avoiding treats and table scraps is a huge part of the diet. If he is not losing weight within the first month, then I would consider cutting the food back even more. I hope that helps and all goes well with Buddy.

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.

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.