Don't forget your best friend

The start of another year brings wonderful beginnings and fresh opportunities. Perhaps your dog could use a fresh start too. He can't make a New Year's resolution to get healthy, but you have the power to help make it happen. The health issues of an overweight dog can be significant, so it’s important to identify and resolve any weight issues your dog may have.

Risks
Dogs gain weight much like humans do. Sometimes they eat more calories than they use. This can be due to being overfed, not exercising enough or a combination of both. Also, their metabolism may be slowing down. A few extra pounds may not seem to be a serious threat, but over time, being overweight will affect the health of your dog. For example, canine obesity may put your dog at greater risk of serious issues involving their cardiovascular system, just as obesity does in humans. Diabetes and other blood sugar issues such as hypoglycemia may develop. An unhealthy weight could also lead to mobility issues.

What to Look for
Looking at your dog's ribs can be an easy way to determine if your dog is at an ideal weight. If his ribs are protruding, it's quite probable he's too thin. Conversely, if you can't discern his ribs easily, he lacks a waist and his belly sticks out, your dog is likely overweight. Ideally, you should be able to feel each rib individually and your dog's abdomen should be slightly tucked. If you're unsure, just ask your vet.

Steps You Can Take
To help your dog get back to a healthy weight, there are a number of techniques you can utilize. Try reducing the number of treats you give your dog, because every calorie counts. However, treats don't necessarily have to be unhealthy. Some of the same treats you feed your dog now may be offered in a “reduced fat” version. Also, raw baby carrots are another great treat to give your dog. They love the crunch and they are a healthy snack, too.

And just as with humans, gradually increase his/her exercise routine so your dogs burns more calories. This helps his heart become stronger. I don’t recommend taking your dog out for a 2 mile walk if it hasn’t been exercised in a while. You need to increase exercise gradually.

Also, as a reminder, don't feed your dog table scraps. Not only is human food meant for humans and can easily cause a healthy dog to gain weight, but our food can cause multiple problems in dogs, and some may even be poisonous to their system.

Just remember, while you’re taking care of yourself and enjoying a healthier lifestyle, take care of your dog’s health too. After all, they are your “best friend” and they deserve to lead a healthy life too!

~ Live Well ~
Trinity Fitness