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Dog weight:

Trying to lose a stubborn five pounds? Well, if you’re like many Americans focused on their weight you’re not alone. However, what happens if you may have overlooked maintenance of your dog’s weight?  It’s understandable after all you may be concerned about its overall health and nutrition and can’t exactly tell if he’s looking a little larger than life lately.

Consider this: dogs typically tend to gain weight as they age.  Dog weight problems start occurring because the dog’s exercise has diminished.  In essence, he or she doesn’t exercise as much as they used to when they were younger plus they’ll eat and sleep more as they get older.  Aside from weighing your dog on the scale another indication to see if its gained weight is to do the sight test. For instance the area near the base of the tail should feel smooth with an ever-so-small slight fat covering this area.  If bones protrude your pet is too thin and if you can’t feel any bones, well your dog is overweight.  The same applies to the rib area; if bones protrude your dog is too thin however if there seems to be an excess of “softness” and you can’t feel any bones, well it’s time to control your dog’s weight.

In the case where your pooch needs to lose a few pounds it’s important to consult with your veterinarian.  Dog diets entail limiting the amount your pet will consume yet you won’t want your dog to end up hungry.  For instance, one suggestion if you haven’t already switched to a BARF diet is incorporating this all natural healthy regimen into his or her daily routine.

As for your dog’s overall health when it comes to your dog’s weight and metabolism, keep in mind its heart and lungs are relatively oversized to its body.  Your dog needs to utilize its full metabolism to burn fuel when it comes to playing for example.  Extra cells are released into the bloodstream and its oversized heart and lungs start running at full capacity.  This provides your dog with the ability to exert large amounts of energy for a short amount of time. While the focus on a diet regimen and additional exercise is important as it relates to maintaining your dog’s weight, one ramification is intense activity and limited ability and time to cool down.  Overheating is a negative consequence of exercising while maintaining your dog’s weight.

On another note, if your dog’s weight has increased significantly in a short amount of time, this may be the result of a medical condition. Specific medical ailments may result in dog obesity -- prior to starting a weight control program you should consult with your veterinarian to determine if there’s an underlying cause of obesity or if it’s just due to too many table scraps and not enough movement.

The key to dog weight maintenance is balancing a healthy nutritious diet with plenty of exercise. For more information regarding adequate exercise and healthy nutrition such as the BARF diet, click here.