How to read dog food labels for your dog's weight loss diet?

I recommend switching to a lower calorie dry food. The calorie content is printed on the bag. There are many good low calorie foods for weight loss. Then I would continue to measure the food and eliminate any treats and people food. If she’s still not losing weight I reduce the amount of the dry food by 25% and give green beans, canned pumpkin or other vegetables to fill her up. You are doing a good job with the walking. She probably can’t go much further until she loses some weight and increases her endurance. If needed don’t feed her then take her meal with you and give her the kibbles in her meal along the way to keep her going, just don’t increase the amount of food. Gradual weight loss of a quarter of a pound a week is what you should strive for. We use walking in an underwater treadmill at my rehab practice for dogs like this so they can exercise without carrying their full weight on their joints. Check to see if there is a dog rehab facility near you. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Athena.

You are correct that it is difficult to find a good quality weight loss diet. Good quality meats and fats are high in calories. At the end of the day, weight loss is about calories. So, a weight loss food is beneficial because they can eat the same amount of food. But you can achieve the same decrease in calories by feeding less of the Acana that you are currently feeding. A 10-20% decrease in daily calories is exactly what I recommend for weight loss, so you could simply decrease from a level 2/3 cup to heaping 1/2 cup for a month. If Chloe is losing weight, then continue at that amount. If she is not losing weight, then decrease to a level 1/2 cup. Since she is a small dog, it should take her a number of months to lose the weight, so don't be discouraged if she only loses a few ounces in that first month. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It's awesome that you want to be proactive about Maggie's health! Switching to An all canned diet can help with weight loss. I'd aim to feed Maggie for her ideal body weight. So if she should weigh 15 lbs, look at the suggested feeding amount (on the can of food) for 15 lbs and feed about 25% less for weight loss. Weruva makes a lower calorie canned food that may help. Slowly increasing Maggie's walks so she gets low impact exercise will also help. And eliminating any treats or table scraps she eats is also a good idea. Finally, if Maggie doesn't start to lose weight you may need to see your veterinarian to discuss thyroid testing and prescription weight loss diets like Hill's Metabolic. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

In addition to exercise (walks) you can reduce his present food by one third and add bran as bulkfiber, so he does not feel hungry. You can also feed a low calorie weight reduction food available from your vet such as Hill's Prescription Diet r/d, or Royal Canin Satiety Support and Calorie Control (also available by prescription only), Your vet may also recommend other weight reduction foods tailored to your dog's health and his recommendation of monthly weight loss.

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! 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!

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!