Doing dog sports with a severely overweight dog can be dangerous! Too much weight can create stress on muscles, legs and the spine. It’s best to check with your vet, but if you’re looking for a lower calorie diet for your dog try substituting canned green beans or canned pumpkin (100% pumpkin) for a portion of their regular food. Most dogs LOVE the green beans and pumpkin. They are both very low in calories but full of fiber and nutrients.

Don’t over-do it! Just try replacing a small portion of their regular evening meal.

Does anybody out there have other tips?

Use baby carrots as treats.  They provide a fresh, low fat, inexpensive, and easy alternative to processed dog treats.

One of my dogs is overweight and I have tried cutting back his food and feeding him veggies, but nothing seems to work.  Could there be something else wrong with him?

I am working with one of my dogs specifically to lose weight. I was excited when the vet weighed her (thinking she had lost), just to find out she had gained two more pounds. She has always been happy with baby carrots, so that’s her “treats”, I am adding a little green beans and pumpkin with her diet IAMs. I know I also need to increase her exercise without adding stress to her chubby body—so walks are in order.

In response to the question about can something else be wrong, I researched this in regard to my dog, and apparently dogs can have thyroid-related problems or cushing’s disease. If my new, more stringent weight reduction attempts fail, I will ask my veterinarian about these diseases, and about doing a blood work up on her.

Another Tip: It is easier to control what your dog eats when you follow a regular feeding schedule.  You are more likely to have an overweight dog if you follow the “open bowl” policy (i.e. fluffy can eat whenever he or she wants).  If you feed fluffy a fixed amount of food twice per day, you will have a better idea of how much your dog is eating and you fine tune their diet until they are an ideal weight.