# Overweight Mini



## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Perhaps reduce his breakfast, rather than supper? And vegetables are good low calorie fillers and treats. I don't know the calorific value of the food you feed, but a low carbohydrate one may fill him up with fewer calories? Several short walks might also be easier than trying for one long one. It does sound as if he badly needs to lose weight. My neighbour has been battling her dog's weight for some time - what has been very obvious is that there is for her a tipping point where suddenly she is enjoying running and playing again, rather than plodding along dismally. 

But if he is huffing and puffing, I think I would get him checked over by your vet before goinf much further, just in case there is anything else going on.


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## ambitious groomer (Mar 21, 2011)

*pudgey puppy*

Maybe you can try feeding less but yet provide food more often. maybe feed 3x instead of 2. i have rottie mixes. i feed orijen and my 100lb guy only gets 1 cup am/pm. my 70lb girl gets 1 1/2 am 1 cup pm. She's far more active than my male so even though he's far bigger he can't metabolize food as quickly. There are also weight loss foods available that are lower calorie. does your guy have chew treats available like deer or elk alters? it may give him the feeling of eating without the calories. Just some things i would try. good luck


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## Ladyscarletthawk (Dec 6, 2011)

You can reduce his kibble and replace it with green beans.. feeding more often can help too. Possibly switching to a lower fat grain free(as you already a grain free) will help as well. Agree with checking with the vet


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

You are WAY overfeeding! Grain free kibbles are calorie dense.

Your dog needs 270 calories per day for weight loss and you are feeding 430 calories per day in kibble alone. (At that rate he can gain a pound every 22 days!)

If you feed that kibble, you need to reduce it to 2/3 cup per day total. (1/3 cup a.m., 1/3 cup p.m.)

If your dog can't handle a small volume of food, you need to switch to a less calorie dense food, or swap out some kibble for a cooked vegetable.

Don't stop exercising your dog. He will gain endurance through continuing exercise. Add activity into his daily life through play and obedience.


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## PaddleAddict (Feb 9, 2010)

Well, first of all since all dogs are different and all have different metabolisms, they all eat varying amounts, even of similar foods. I would not say the OP is "WAY overfeeding." 

I feed my mini 3/4 cup Orijen per day PLUS wet food, PLUS treats, PLUS other whole foods like bits of scrambled egg, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc. He weighs the exact same amount as Casper and is about the same height (maybe a half inch taller), but he is fit and trim. 

To the OP: I am concerned when you say that Casper can't walk very far without getting tired? He is so young, he should have more energy and stamina than that. My mini can do five miles no problem. Granted, we have always exercised him a lot, but even in the beginning when he was younger he coudl go, go, go. I do think a vet check for this specifically might be in order.


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## Ginagbaby1 (Aug 1, 2011)

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. We have been to vet and everything checked out fine. We were told that he is slightly overweight by a couple of pounds. Because it's only been a couple of weeks that we switched to Acana, I'm hesitent to add anything new such as green beans.

We do keep plenty of bully springs and antler chews around to satisfy that natural urge to chew. When he was a young puppy, a 15-20 minute walk would knock him out for hours so I wonder if that's just the way his body is? I think that I will slowly try reducing his food a bit. Maybe going slow, I can help to shrink the amount that satisfies him? 

This past week it's been pretty hot here and his hair is very long right now. Could the panting be due to being hot with all that hair? He's going to the groomer on Saturday and I was going to have him clipped pretty short so I'll see if that helps.


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## PaddleAddict (Feb 9, 2010)

What exactly did the vet check out? I am curious because that just does not sound normal to me. I know all dogs are different (I even just said that myself in my post above), but I just can't see how a 15-minute walk can completely exhaust a healthy young dog, particularly a poodle. Maybe a bulldog or Pekingese, but a poodle?


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

I would have the vet check him for any health problems, but he does sound overweight, which could be why he is having a hard time. 

You should change his dog food. My whippet was getting a super high quality dog food and got fat. There is nothing worse than a fat whippet!! LOL. I tried feeding him less, but he was so starving (or thought he was). I switched to a weight control dog food. He did lose weight and was able to eat the same amount of food as before. He became much more active then and the weight stayed off. Now I have him on grain free food and he is doing terrific. It doesn't seem to pack on the fat like the other food did. 

After a vet check, put him on calorie control food. It will take a few months, but is the least stressful for him because you can give the same amount of food he is getting right now. 

By the way, you are overfeeding him particularly if he isn't active. My dogs only get about 1 1/2 cups a day and they are three times his size.


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

PaddleAddict said:


> Well, first of all since all dogs are different and all have different metabolisms, they all eat varying amounts, even of similar foods. I would not say the OP is "WAY overfeeding."


I adjusted his calorie calculation for metabolism and activity. It's calculated RER then multiplied by a factor that varies from 1.0 - 5.0 depending on the dog's activity. The factore for weight loss is 1.0. I'm a certified weight coach - I do know what I'm talking about!


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## PoodlePowerBC (Feb 25, 2011)

Just as an example, My Rufus 1s 14 years old, 17 lbs. He is fed 1/3 cup Senior Go 2 times daily. We do a MINIMUM 1 hour walk once a day and 2 X 20 to 40 minute walks a day (weather permitting) He keeps up no problem, no panting at all. I seriously would be checking Gigi for health issues. A year seems too young to be exhausted after 20 minutes, heat or no heat.


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

tortoise said:


> ...I'm a certified weight coach... !


Interesting to hear you're a "certified weight coach." If my recollection is correct (admittedly it's not at times), you oppose certifying dog trainers, and groomers too, I think? What prompted you to endorse certification for weight coaches, and how does one go about doing so?

OP, I'm sure you can manage to get Casper's weight down to an optimal level. I imagine too you have confidence in your vet and he or she has done the blood and lab tests and physical exam to check for any health concerns. If you commit to helping Casper trim down, you will succeed. Domesticated dogs rely on their owners for food, and she who has control of the refrigerator and kibble container controls the weight. Is anyone else in your home slipping Casper extra treats? I could never stop my dear old dad from plying our dogs with bacon and cheese at every turn. Small wonder they all adored him, huh?


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

Chagall's mom said:


> Interesting to hear you're a "certified weight coach." If my recollection is correct (admittedly it's not at times), you oppose certifying dog trainers, and groomers too, I think? What prompted you to endorse certification for weight coaches, and how does one go about doing so?


Certifying a body of knowledge is much different than certifying a skill set when there is no one who can define what skills in that set are correct. I studied nutrition and weight lost techniques for dogs and cats and passed some tests.


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

tortoise said:


> Certifying a body of knowledge is much different than certifying a skill set when there is no one who can define what skills in that set are correct. I studied nutrition and weight lost techniques for dogs and cats and passed some tests.


Good of you to reply! Though your response doesn't pass the "smell test" for me.:stupido2: I don't have much appetite for discussing it further, but there is indeed a way of establishing "what skills in that set are correct." It's done for many professions that are considerably more complex than those of a dog trainer. Agreeing to disagree with you and signing off on this topic now!


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

Chagall's mom said:


> Good of you to reply! Though your response doesn't pass the "smell test" for me.:stupido2: I don't have much appetite for discussing it further, but there is indeed a way of establishing "what skills in that set are correct." It's done for many professions that are considerably more complex than those of a dog trainer. Agreeing to disagree with you and signing off on this topic now!


I also studied some nutrition books for dogs and for people, especially regarding weight management ---- so if that means I am a certified weight management specialist, I think I have found my part-time job!!! Thanks Tortoise!


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## cavon (Aug 10, 2010)

tortoise said:


> I'm a certified weight coach - I do know what I'm talking about!






tortoise said:


> I studied nutrition and weight lost techniques for dogs and cats and passed some tests.


I have to say that I was also thinking the same thing as others, Tortoise. You were previously very adamant about certification being completely unnecessary, but in this thread your first post gives one the impression that you feel your "certification" in this area should provide readers confidence and comfort in your expertise.

_Except_ that in your very next post you advise that you have studied and passed _SOME_ tests, which leaves the unanswered question as to whether you are actually certified in this area or whether you have simply completed what you feel is a sufficient amount of study to consider yourself certified?


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

It's nice that PF has a multitude of experts all in one place, but on this one, I think you are right to just follow your gut and check with the vet as to what might be the issue, if there is one. They should have a record of Casper's weight, over time, I would assume, and can steer you. Although there are lots of sources of how much to feed a pet on the internet, they really are just a basis (IMO) for owners to use based on their own pet's circumstances, activity level, history, etc. I'd use some fo the online tools, such as this one, Dog Food Calculator but at the end of the day you will adjust as you need. There is really nothing that scientific about it; I initially stressed over Sunny's weight as most people's mini's are 3 or 4 pounds lighter than Sunny, and I was always comparing. The breeder initially told me before I even saw him that he was a larger mini (but in size at 15") at 20 pounds. Actually, he was 17.5 when I got him and he looked like he was anorexic (IMO) from the stress. He is at 19.25 now and he looks perfect to me. 18 is my Ideal Weight for him, but I won't stress it and adjust as we go. 

I would be concerned about the panting, though, if it's new. Sunny can go 2.5 hours without losing a beat and without looking as if any effort is being put into it at all!!! And he is 4 years old.

Hope this gives you another way to look at it, and relax if the vet says he is fine and just watch the treats and maybe look for a less rich food.


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