Dog Weight Loss

JoeCos

I've a 5 year old beagle who is over weight, he's very healthy as he gets two 90 minutes of walking everyday and is in good health, I've gradually cut down his meals and hes getting a cup of dry redmills and a cup and a half in the evening and gets oat crackers as treats which i play games with him to try cut down the calories, but his hunger just persists! so my question is.. is there any way i can give him food that would add 0 calories to his diet? and any other advice on weight loss is appreciated! sound!

tk123

You can add fruit/veg to bulk the meals out and possibly to replace the crackers. My two get green beans and carrots with their meals and expect an apple every day at a certain time

Hooked

Another fan of apples and carrots here.

I've upped Hugos exercise and reduced his food, but he remains a steady 29kg. He's by no means fat, but I find it impossible to get him looking lean.

He's prob just like me, big boned!

Knine

What do you mean hunger persists? Do you mean he is still always looking for food? Many dogs are just greedy. Beagles are of those breeds. My own Borders are always hungry & on the lookout for something they can steal or beg for.

I would be cutting out the treats.

andreac

What size are your cups? That sounds like quite a lot to give a Beagle. My rottie bitch is only on 1 cup am and pm and she would eat until she burst if she got the opportunity. So it's up to you to control what they eat as some would literally eat until they burst.

DBB

andreac wrote: »

What size are your cups? That sounds like quite a lot to give a Beagle.

Agreed. You need to be weighing out the food op... Measuring cups have been shown to cause a 20% discrepancy in the amounts fed on a day to day basis. It is without doubt a contributor to excess weight in our pets :ó

Choc Chip

I'm always surprised by how little my border terrier eats to keep him trim - they're like the shetland pony of the dog world: teeny, cheeky characters that live on fresh air. Carrots and apples are good for keeping my guilt to a minimum about how little food he gets, but he would happily eat until he burst if I let him. He'll beg for food right after he finishes his dinner.

I've no experience with beagles but they're reputed to be the same so unless his appetite has changed since you got him, I'd assume it's not a medical condition and he just likes eating. Oh - feeding his dinner in a kong or food ball can also slow them down so you get some respite from the begging.

Knine

Choc Chip wrote: »

I'm always surprised by how little my border terrier eats to keep him trim - they're like the shetland pony of the dog world: teeny, cheeky characters that live on fresh air.

Oh I hear you. They will eat anything that stays still long enough. They are also like little Fagans. Anything that is not nailed down.

SillyMangoX

JoeCos wrote: »

I've a 5 year old beagle who is over weight, he's very healthy as he gets two 90 minutes of walking everyday and is in good health, I've gradually cut down his meals and hes getting a cup of dry redmills and a cup and a half in the evening and gets oat crackers as treats which i play games with him to try cut down the calories, but his hunger just persists! so my question is.. is there any way i can give him food that would add 0 calories to his diet? and any other advice on weight loss is appreciated! sound!

Which redmills are you feeding? Some are lower quality than others so would mean you'd have to feed more. The redmills engage range would be the best quality, while still not over expensive. From talking to the rep before, they don't offer a ''low fat'' food, but if senior dogs or those looking to lose weight he recommended the Beef flavour as it has the lowest oils.
For our dog, she had quite a bit to lose and was put on the hills metabolic diet which worked wonders but was quite expensive and left her coat dull. She's now on a maxizoo own brand light food, and gets frozen green beans through it to bulk it out. (have to still be frozen and have to be from Dunnes, not Lidl. She's a strange creature :pac: )
I'd agree with what others have said about weighing the food, I was going by the measurements on the cups for my cats and it turned out I was feeding 3 times more than what I thought. So now I just leave a small kitchen scales next to the food container and things are going better.
Best of luck with it!

Edited to add: Does he wolf down his food very fast and still seem hungry after? It may be worth looking into a slow feeder bowl or something like a Kong wobbler, or snuffle mats are great (come recommended by my cat ). Slows down the eating so gives more time for the brain to register as full, while also getting them moving and working for their meals!

Knine

SillyMangoX wrote: »

Which redmills are you feeding? Some are lower quality than others so would mean you'd have to feed more. The redmills engage range would be the best quality, while still not over expensive. From talking to the rep before, they don't offer a ''low fat'' food, but if senior dogs or those looking to lose weight he recommended the Beef flavour as it has the lowest oils.
For our dog, she had quite a bit to lose and was put on the hills metabolic diet which worked wonders but was quite expensive and left her coat dull. She's now on a maxizoo own brand light food, and gets frozen green beans through it to bulk it out. (have to still be frozen and have to be from Dunnes, not Lidl. She's a strange creature :pac: )
I'd agree with what others have said about weighing the food, I was going by the measurements on the cups for my cats and it turned out I was feeding 3 times more than what I thought. So now I just leave a small kitchen scales next to the food container and things are going better.
Best of luck with it!

The Red Mills Leader would be better quality. I have not used it since they upped the prices & made the bags smaller

SillyMangoX

Knine wrote: »

The Red Mills Leader would be better quality. I have not used it since they upped the prices & made the bags smaller

Doh, completely forgot leader existed. Shows I've been gone from the pet shop for too long :pac:
Leader is great and does offer a light version but as Knine said, they've changed the bags and prices (apparently to go along with improving the quality of the food). I still like the engage as a more affordable okay quality food, but the leader would be the step above.