Does Dogs Weight Change All The Time

[sllebasi]

Just wondering if a dogs weight should change suddenly and all over the place. weighed my 10 year old staffy/kelpie x dog at 22.2 kgs so reduced some food and started longer walks. took weight again a week later and it was 21.8kg so have kept doing that but this week when i weighed her she was 22.7 kgs which is a bit ridiculous as i would like her around 17.5-18 kg. nothing has changed this week that could affect it

[Paulp]

Your method of weighing could be introducing some variation and some of the staffies I know are quite keen drinkers which could vary the weight by a kilo depending on whther they had just drunk or toiletted when weighed.

[woodbyne]

Hi

I might seem harsh but i find it hard to understand how people have overweight dogs to me its a simple equation food in should equal energy levels maybe you can save yourself some money and cut its food back. Humand on the other hand can walk to the cupboard and help themselves dogs can only eay what we give them

Apologies for seeming harsh but after just seeing the hugest fattest dog i have ever seen (taking after its owners) its quite upsetting to see an overweight dog killing them with kindness

[sllebasi]

my dog has been tested for various things, the vet has seen what foods (she asked to see how much and variety) i feed my dog and i have also given them an exersize log to see - there is no reason for my dog to be overweight and i am trying to get the weight off her, thats why i was asking why would there be a sudden and excessive weight change within two weeks, especially when i thought we were on the right track after the first week, only to be disappointed with the third week.

[Crisovar]

Your dogs energy intake is obviously more than it needs, cut back on the food and up the exercise.

It could be as simple as the type of food you are feeding having far more energy than your dog requires. Different dogs have different needs, you could feed another dog the same thing and it would not gain condition, you have to tailor the diet and exercise to suit the dog.

I don't find the variation of less than a kilo excessive. Had she emptied out before you weighed her both times?

It can be a slow process to slim them down you need to keep at it.

[Guest]

sllebasi,Your dog hasn't been on steroids recently has it? when my daughter has her Staffi on steroids for his allergies he puts on a lot of weight.

lablove

[sllebasi]

no hasnt been on steriods, was on anti inflammatories for a week, but that was a month ago now. she basically has one chicken thigh and 1 cup of sweet potato, carrot and cauliflower a day. alternatively she has 125 g tuna with an egg and some veges (broccolli, pumpkin, zucchini), recently started chicken carcass but have cut them in half. is also going for 1 1/2 km round trip walk most days (have just increased this - have had big problems with arthritis) am not sure what else i can do and can hardly reduce 1 cup of food a day any further

[Rottsup]

Sweet potato's are VERY high in calories... where is her RED meaty bones??? How old is she?

Just give red meaty bones with no or very minimal fat for a few weeks (pure protein) Kangaroo tails are great as no colestrol or fat and the thick end has heaps of meat, plus a small amount of her cauliflower/mixed vegie mix you already feed her but no starch or carbohydrate vegies ie: pumpkin, potato, sweet potato etc and watch her drop the kilos and get fit with the walks every day.

Give her a small meaty bone in the morning and two for dinner with her veg and see how she goes...this was my vets recommendation last year when I was trying to shead 2kg in a week from our Rotti girl.... we didn't realise she had put on the 2 kgs until a friend mentioned she looked a little on the tubby side and we weighed her one week before a Royal Show :cry:

Good Luck!!

[persephone]

Are neighbours/friends feeding her scraps/treats?

[sllebasi]

she is going on 11 years and she cant have red meat so thats why i thought maybe the chicken carcass would be the way to go with chicken necks and turkey necks on occasions as a special treat. took the potato off her, would be happy to take the sweet potato off the menu as well if the general feeling is that it is loaded with carbs as well.

am home all day, and the neighbours arent so know that is not a problem. this is probably a silly question but are there any calories in fish oil and flaxseed oil - could this be a contributing factor? weighed her again today and she is 22.6 kgs.

have also started walk first thing in the morning, meal at around 9.30 and then another small walk in the afternoon to see if that will help (have noticed that she is not moving too well this arve though). really really need to drop some kgs before the summer kicks in when its too hot to move

am more than happy to hear of any other suggestions or ideas.