How much should I walk my overweight dog daily for weight loss?

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!

I would recommend doing moderate exercise (brisk walking, chasing ball, etc) for 30 minutes twice daily. I would also recommend a low fat food. The low fat prescription diets are the most effective, such as Hil'ls Metaboilc and Hill's W/D. It is also best to make sure your vet checks Grecia for any underlying metabolic disorder such as Thyroid disease, which can cause weight gain, letharyg and a dry dull haircoat. I hope this helps! Best wishes moving forward with Grecia and her weight loss. Take care!

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!

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.

This is a great question. Thanks for being proactive. You can get Penelope in shape the same way you or I would. If she's doing nothing now, start with 2-3 walks a day of 5-10 minutes and build up to 30-60 minutes over a few weeks to months. Go slower if she's overweight or has a short nose, and faster if she's very healthy, has a normal length nose, enjoys the walks, and is a normal weight. After she can walk for 30-60 minutes 1-3 times a day, add in 5 minutes of jogging throughout the walk. If you're walking/jogging every single day, you should be able to scale up at a rate of about 5 more minutes every 3-7 days. If you're only jogging weekly or every few days, scale up every other week. Using this routine, you'll be able to slowly build up her endurance. Most dogs can and enjoy running several miles at a time and some enjoy much more. If she is a short nosed dog, ask your veterinarian before starting this routine to make sure it would be safe for Penelope. Be cautious when it's very hot out because dogs can get dangerously hot while jogging very quickly. She should be able to calm down and stop panting after a walk within about 10 minutes. Finally, if you end up jogging daily, Penelope may need a bit more food. Pay attention to her hips and ribs to make sure they aren't getting too bony.

I think cutting the food in half may be a bit drastic at first. You don't want the weight loss to happen too quickly. I suggest you start by cutting the food by 25%. So, give her 3/4 cup twice a day and then weigh her after 4-6 weeks to see if you are making any progress. Keep in mind that any treats will increase her caloric intake so be careful and don't give her too much (if any). This is where I would start. Hope this helps. Best wishes!