my dog has a little weight problem

[daisybee]

I have a shih tzu bichon mix that should be a little dog, but really isn't. He has a little weight problem. I have been feeding him science diet light for about 6-8 months and he has only lost 2 pounds. He weighs 27 and the vet said he should weigh about 15 pounds. He only gets one treat in the morning and 1/2 cup of food a day. I'm sure there are some days that people slip him more food, but that's not often that I know of. Does anybody have any suggestions for me on what to feed my dog, (forget the green beans, he actually gagged when I fed them to him) Is there a different kind of diet food that works better? Any suggestions will be appreciated :)

[Freedom]

Hey there!

Have you read the food label to see how much he should be fed on that food, based on what his weight should be? Each food is different, so I really don't know if what you are feeding him is too much or not.

Do you take him for daily walks? Start with about 10 minutes per day, work up to half an hour.

I have 4 bichons, we walk an hour daily, weather permitting.

[Canis-Lupess]

If you only feed him one meal a day, I suggest splitting it and feeding him two or three smaller meals a day. This will help speed up his metabolism so he will burn calories quicker. I always feed my dogs two smaller meals a day rather than giving it to them all in one go now.

Make sure his food isn't too high in protein as well. 18% is high enough.

I also agree about a bit more exercise too.

Also, just because you don't know about others in the house feeding him sneaky treats, that doesn't mean it doesn't happen and it's surprising how little it seems to take to make them pile on the pounds so be sure to have strict talks with other humans who live with you about not feeding him surplus treats that are only going to be a hazard to his health.

[bckrazy]

First... I HAVE TO recommend switching him to a higher quality kibble. Science Diet just has loads of yucky ingredients, that are not going to help your pup to lose weight. I really like Taste of the Wild, is that available at any of your local feed/pet stores? Other good foods are Canidae, Innova Evo, Solid Gold, California Natural, Natural Balance, etc.

Diet foods are simply packed with higher amounts of carbs, and are a complete waste of money, IMO. Feed LESS of a high quality kibble. Add plain, canned greenbeans and/or canned pumpkin to his food, to make him feel fuller. Look into feeding raw meaty bones, to replace occasional meals; feeding Raw completely fixed my Border Collies weight fluctuations. For treats, give him baby carrots, apples, or small pieces of plain cooked chicken.

Most importantly, you need to exercise him as often as possible. Take him on a long walk, every day (if he isn't used to walks, start with short walks and build up). Play with him for 10-15 minutes as many times as possible through out the day. Take him to off-leash parks to run around and explore. Cutting back on food, and feeding premium foods, is going to help... but that might not do much, if he isn't getting enough daily activity.

Good luck. C:

[Catlady711]

The fact your dog has already lost 2lbs in 6-8 months means you are doing something right and heading in the right direction.

You don't want the weight to come off too fast. And I'm lousy (I mean really lousy) at math, but if I figured it right 2 lbs off of a 27 lb dog is about 8% loss of body weight! That's a fair amount assuming my math isn't way off. You have to remember that while 2 lbs doesn't seem like much to a human size, it's alot compared to a small animal size.

Keep up with what you have been doing, limit the treats and other people sneaking him food. I agree with what the other posters have said with splitting the feedings to twice a day and adding a good 10 minute walk a day. You'll get there eventually, you're already on a good start.

Good luck.