How to help my overweight Labrador lose weight with diet and exercise?

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.

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

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Physical activity would definitely help. However, a lot of it comes back to the diet that is fed. It is not necessarily about the amount of cups but it is more about the caloric content in each cup. You can follow the recommended amount of food in the bag (though they tend to recommend a higher amount than needed) or preferably have your veterinarian calculate the needed intake based on the most current weight. I recommend you try the Science Diet metabolic weight management diet which works great for weight loss. Good luck and have a good night!

First of all i would not recommend soaking any dog food in water. if she is just slightly overweight you can put her on an over the counter reduced calorie dry food, you can chose the same brand you are using at the moment or any other brand that you find in your pet shop. if she is more than a little bit overweight then she will need a prescription low calorie food from your vet. for each food the quantity will be different but it will be written on the food label with clear instructions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Weight loss is something I discuss multiple times a day. While excercise is helpful, I find diet to be by far the most effective tool. First, if he is free-fed, you’ll want to switch to two measured meals per day. And I do mean use an actual measuring cup every time. For a 100lb dog, start with about 3 cups twice daily. If he is already getting a set amount, decrease that amount by about 25% (ie, go from 6 cups a day to about 4.5 cups per day). Try that for a month. If no weight loss, it’s time to look into a medical reason like hypothyroid or Cushings disease so see your vet for that. Finally, I try a prescription diet like Hills Metabolic diet which actually upregulates genes responsible for metabolism. It is very effective when other diets have failed. Of course, watch out for people food and treats of course. Choose green beans, carrots, or celery. Hope this helps and best of luck to you and Dudley!

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.

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!