If your dog’s meal is deficient in vitamin B complex, yeast-based tablets the safest supplement to give (see below recommended dog supplements).

Water-Soluble Vitamins for Dogs

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): Susceptible to destruction in commercial foods. Raw fish (viscera-internal organ) and bracken (plant) contains an enzyme (thiaminase) that destroy thiamine. Avoid giving raw fish of any kind.

• Functions / Benefits: Important for carbohydrate metabolism, it converts glucose to energy. Required by muscles and nerves to function normally.
• Food Sources: Brewer’s yeast, egg yolk, green vegetables, lean meat, poultry, fish, cereal, liver.
• Deficiency Symptoms: Loss of appetite, poor reflexes, and neural disorder, energy production.
• Positive Interactions: B-complex, B12, Vitamin C

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Dogs on vegetarian diet may require this key vitamin supplements. Susceptible to destruction by light and irradiation.

• Functions / Benefits: Necessary for normal growth, hair coat and muscle development. Important for metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, proteins. Healthy skin and coat, tissue repair, antibody and red blood cell formation
• Food Sources: Cereals, milk, eggs, leafy green vegetables, organ and lean meat.
• Deficiency Symptoms: Weakness of rear limbs, poor growth, vision problems, heart failure.
• Positive Interactions: Vitamin A, B-complex, B1, B3 (niacin)

Vitamin B3 (Niacin): Mostly found in meat, dogs on vegetarian diet may require supplementation.

• Functions / Benefits: Energy (carbohydrate, fat, protein) metabolism. Required to make enzymes function properly. Healthy skin, nervous system, cell metabolism, oral and pharyngeal tissues.
• Food Sources: Eggs, liver, lean meat, fish, rice, potatoes
• Deficiency Symptoms: Weakness, skin rash, memory loss, irritability, weight loss, inflamed gums, cheeks and lips.
• Positive Interactions: B complex, B1, B2, B6, tryptophan

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid): Vitamin B5 is important in the synthesis of amino acids and fatty acids, and deficiency in this important vitamin is thought to contribute to stomach upsets (i.e. flatulence, diarrhea) and constipation in dogs.

• Functions / Benefits: Necessary for metabolism of proteins, fats, carbohydrates which helps to convert these substances into energy.
• Food Sources: Most vegetables and meat.
• Deficiency Symptoms: Hair loss, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal problems.
• Positive Interactions: Folic acid, biotin, B-complex

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): Susceptible to destruction in commercial foods.

• Functions / Benefits: Amino acids metabolism. Growth.
• Food Sources: Meat, eggs, most vegetable
• Deficiency Symptoms: Numerous disorders such as anemia, nerve dysfunction, fatigue, irritability, gum disease.
• Positive Interactions: Vitamin C, Vitamin B7/H (biotin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B3 (niacin), magnesium

Vitamin B7/H (Biotin): Raw eggs whites contain an enzyme that destroys biotin, raw yolks, however, are very rich in it. So feed only the yolk to your dog.

• Functions / Benefits: Promote healthy skin and coat, growth, circulatory system, metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, fats.
• Food Sources: Egg yolk, liver, kidneys, milk, leafy vegetables.
• Deficiency Symptoms: Poor coat, skin rash and sores
• Positive Interactions: Vitamin A, B2, B6, niacin

Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin): Necessary for red blood cell and white blood cell formation. Important for neurological functioning. Biotin involved in fatty acid and protein synthesis in the body. Helps ensure healthy skin and hair coat, growth, digestion and muscle function.

• Functions / Benefits: Development of red blood cells, growth, nervous system maintenance.
• Food Sources: Fish, lean meat, milk, organs—heart, liver, kidneys
• Deficiency Symptoms: Anemia, weakness, fatigue, red-sore gum, nerve degeneration.
• Positive Interactions: Folic acid, A B1, B6, niacin, biotin, pantothenic acid

Choline: It’s required for cell membranes and neurotransmitters. It is present in many plant and animal materials and mammals are able to synthesize it within the body. It is required in larger quanitities than other vitamins.

• Functions / Benefits: Nerve transmission. Regulate liver and gallbladder. Cell membranes structure.
• Food Sources: Eggs, fish, wheatgerm, all organ meats
• Deficiency Symptoms: Growth problem, impaired liver and kidney function
• Positive Interactions: Vitamin A, B-complex, inositol, folic acid

Folic Acid: Necessary for the formation of red blood cells and white blood cells from the bone marrow.

• Functions / Benefits: Production red blood cells, tissue cells. Normal growth. Healthy intestinal tract.
• Food Sources: Leafy green vegetables, meat, yeast, fish
• Deficiency Symptoms: Anemia and increased likelihood of infection.
• Positive Interactions: Vitamin C, B6, B12, niacin

Vitamin C: Urine acidifier, may help reduce bladder stones. Helps protect against cancer and other diseases. Susceptible to destruction in commercial food. Although dogs can manufacture Vitamin C on their own, but the amount that’s produced is insufficient to maintain good health especially living in a polluted environment today. It is highly recommended that dog under any of stress or given medication or with hepatic disease be supplemented with Vitamin C.

• Functions / Benefits: Bone formation, healthy teeth and gum, wound healing, immune system, capillary and mucosal integrity.
• Food Sources: Fresh citrus fruits, tomatoes, vegetables.
• Deficiency Symptoms: Weak bones, anemia, spongy and inflamed gum, dirty teeth, urinary tract infections, cystitis and limping in the front or rear legs (swollen joints—scurvy).
• Positive Interactions: Vitamin A, B6, pantothenic acid, zinc

Dog Supplements and Vitamins Recommendations

Vitamins C Supplements

• Halo VitaGlo Xtra-C Vitamin C
• Rosehip C Herbal Formula (contains Vitamin C and bioflavonoids)
• Wild Things (antioxidants, designed to provide dogs with nutritious whole non-heat processed vegetable foods and fruits that closely resemble what they might consume in the wild)

Vitamin B complex Supplements

• Only Natural Pet Brewer’s Yeast & Garlic
• Organic Pet Superfood Super Immunity (100% Certified organic, vegetarian, DNA certified, and grown in an FDA-registered biotech facility)
• Only Natural Pet Kelp Boost
• Canine Plus

Vitamins Are Classified By Solubility

Fat-soluble vitamins: They are Vitamin A, D, E, and K which are absorbed from the gut along with fat and stored in the body. A daily intake is not necessary as in doing so, over-supplementation, can have toxic effects on your dog which can make him very ill.

Water-soluble vitamins: They are Vitamin C and  B complex. Unlike fat-soluble vitamins, these are not stored in the body in significant amount. Any excess will be filtered through the kidneys and excreted in urine four to eight hours after ingestion. For this reason, these vitamins must be replaced daily preferably in their meals.

Fat-soluble Vitamins

Vitamin A: It is stored in the fat cells in the liver. The first milk or colostrum is rich in Vitamin A and it is very important vitamin for growing puppies. Some dogs, i.e. Cocker Spaniels, have difficulties producing sufficient vitamin A which lead to oily skin problems.

• Functions / Benefits: Vital for vision, proper growth, reproductive functions, healthy skin and coat, resistance to infection, and mucous membranes lining the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts.
• Food Sources: Leafy green and yellow (carotene) vegetables, milk, egg yolk, liver, fish oils.
• Deficiency Symptoms: Stunt growth, depress in immune system which lead to respiratory and eye diseases, dry skin and itching.
• Positive Interactions: Vitamins B3 (Niacin), C, D, E, pantothenic acid, zinc.

Vitamin D: Dogs gain Vitamin D from their diet and can synthesize it by sunlight’s ultraviolet radiation in their skin.

• Functions / Benefits: Regulates calcium and phosphorous levels in blood and bone. Extremely important for bone and tooth development and formation. Important for nerve and muscle functions.
• Food Sources: Fish oils, egg yolk, dairy products, tuna.
• Deficiency Symptoms: Deficiency is rare, however, in excess is fairly common which can leads to calcium deposits in soft tissue and skeleton deformities.
• Positive Interactions: Vitamin A, C, calcium, phosphorus.

Vitamin E: Potent antioxidant. Shown to prevent heart and neurological diseases. Vitamin E is highly susceptible to destruction in commercial foods.

• Functions / Benefits: Protects cell membrane and tissues. Protects the body against free radical damage. Helps prevent arthritis and diseases caused by free radical damages. Maintains circulatory system.
• Food Sources: Liver, meat, vegetable oil, leafy vegetables, grains, wheat germ.
• Deficiency Symptoms: Damaged organ tissue; ulcerated bowel, poor muscular and circulatory performance.
• Positive Interactions: Vitamin C, B12, manganese, selemium.

Vitamin K: Intestinal bacteria. Although supplementation is not necessary as it is produced in the dog’s body, however it is highly recommended in the diet for dogs underwent prolong antibiotic treatment.

• Functions / Benefits: It is needed for blood coagulation—clotting factors.
• Food Sources: Green leafy vegetables, egg yolk, kelp, yogurt.
• Deficiency Symptoms: Rare
• Positive Interactions: Not known

Dog Supplements (Fat-soluble Vitamins) Recommendations

• Canine Plus (tablet): A broad spectrum vitamin/mineral supplement which provides over 40 essential nutrients, including all of the fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K), a complete stress B complex and Vitamin C.
• Only Natural Pet Kelp Boost (powder): Too many to be listed, nevertheless it contains over 65 essential trace minerals, vitamins and amino acids, along with flax seed, rich in natural Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids for supple skin and a soft, shiny coat.

Note: You will notice that these vitamins can be consumed on a daily basis (”contradicts” my above statement on over-supplementation and toxicity). Please keep in mind that the amount of fat-soluble vitamins contain is very minimal to do any damage at all if taken on daily basis but enough to be of benefit to obtain optimal health for your dog. So my advise is not to supplement your dog in addition with other food sources as I listed above.

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Why Supplement Our Dog When…

They are fed a complete and balanced diet appropriate to their age, as most veterinary nutritionists would tell you likewise. This is true in most cases, however, for many adult and aging dogs especially those with clinical problems, some supplementation can be beneficial to ease those aliments.

Another factor, if your dog is very athletic or under a lot of physical stress (working dogs) it wouldn’t hurt to supplement your dog with chondroitin, glucosamine, vitamins C and E to strengthen cartilage (lubricate joint fluid) and lessen the injuries if any.

But most importantly, most commercial dog foods fall short of providing optimal nutrition due to several reasons:

• High temperature and long storage times required for processing deplete critical nutrients needed.
• Levels of free radicals appear to be rising in many animals which are used in conventional process.
• Unregulated “by-products,” low-quality protein sources, lower the bio-availability, or bottom-line nutritional usefulness, of the products.

Benefits of Giving Dog Supplements

Because dogs frequently lack key nutrients in their diet, the right supplement program can return their system to balance. Their natural defenses will work well only if they receive the proper diet, vitamins, and minerals required for ideal health. A balanced nutrition program is an important starting place before pursing additional therapeutic alternatives. A good daily multi-vitamin and mineral complex will ensure that your dog receives the additional supplementation the current diet may lack, as well as best prepare the immune system for dealing with common aliments.

We will look at several categories of supplements that can promote better health for your dogs:

• Vitamins: Vitamins are organic compounds that are essential to your pet’s growth and development and day-to-day life-support functions. Fat-soluble vitamins. Water-soluble vitamins.
• Minerals: Minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium are required for your dog’s bone growth, nervous system, muscular system, and ability to assimilate nutrients.
• Enzymes: Enzymes are required to break down food into components that can be used for energy. They are also needed to enhance absorption of essential nutrients. Enzymes are normally present in raw foods, but can be destroyed by heat and processing.
• Probiotics: Probiotics are live “good bacteria” that take up residence inside your dog, fending off harmful bacteria and aiding digestion.

Each of these nutrients groups works synergistically with the others.

Can We Get Human Supplements To Dogs?

While dog require supplementation for optimal health, it is important to remember that animal physiology is very different from humans. This means it may not be appropriate nutritionally to give your dog a human multi-vitamin, for example.

Although dogs often take supplements and remedies with the same base as those of their human counterparts e.g. glucosamine, the proper dosage and delivery method (pull-apart capsule, chewable wafer) should not be indiscriminately means to meet the needs of your dog is to find a species-specific supplement or remedy from a trusted manufacturer who uses only human-grade ingredients.

Just Supplementing Our Dogs Isn’t Enough

Supplements can contribute to your dog’s overall health, vitality, and longevity but they are supplementary to a healthy lifestyle that should include regular veterinary checkups, a premium diet, plenty of exercise, stress reduction and prevention measures, and emotional support. Supplements are most effective when integrated into a holistic program of optimum health for your dog.

Final Note On Supplementing Your Dog

Most dog owners, in general, only supplement their dogs when “crisis” (vitamin or mineral deficiency) arises. Though this is better than not supplementing at all, nevertheless, you may not see any immediate result even the manufacturers claim otherwise. One obvious reason being that symptoms of a vitamin or mineral deficiency take months or even years to develop. By the time they are apparent, optimal immune function has been compromised and the dog’s body processes have begun to break down.

In order to resort his original health, it requires time for the supplements to take effect which many owners do not have the patience to see it through. My advice to you is to allow 30 to 45 days for the supplements to work at its best. If it fails to delivery what’s promised, move to the next.

Of course, the better advice I would give to any dog owners is to supplement their dogs before “crisis” strikes. Continuously taking optimal amounts of nutrients is more beneficial than suddenly reaching for a multi-vitamin supplement when your dog doesn’t feel well. Not only this will save you money and headaches in the long run, but your dog will enjoy many healthy and happy days than not.

Dog Multi-Vitamins and Mineral Complex Recommendations

• Super Daily Canine Multi-Vitamins
• Multi Essential Dog Vitamins
• H20-IonX (Water Nutrients)
• Wild Things (Antioxidants – Helps to prevent free radical damage)

So if you want to make sure you’re getting the most from your healthcare prevention – get a handle on the stress in your life. You can’t eliminate stress, but you can learn simple techniques for controlling the harmful physiological responses your body has when inevitably exposed to stress. And Princess can be a great stress-busting coach.

Find Out If Your Health is Sensitive to Stress

Everyone’s life is full of stress – stress over work, school, family, health problems, finances, even our friends. Stress is important because it causes mental distress and also can aggravate a variety of health conditions. Stress often triggers headaches, stomach aches and diarrhea, elevated blood pressure, sleep trouble, and mood disturbances. Stress can also strain your heart. Take this quiz (reprinted from Fit As Fido: Follow Your Dog to Better Health) to see if you are susceptible to developing physical symptoms from mental stress:

• Do you have trouble finding someone to share problems with?
• Have you stopped attending to your spiritual needs?
• Have you stopped making time for your hobbies?
• Do you frequently skip meals?
• Do you drink more than 2 cups of caffeinated beverages daily?
• Do you regularly smoke or drink alcohol?
• Are you overweight?
• Do you frequently sleep less than 7 hours per night?
• Do you usually exercise less than every other day?
• Do you worry about doing a good job at work?
• Do you worry that you won’t be able to pay your bills?

If you checked four or more boxes, you’re at risk for stress aggravating physical problems. The more of these boxes that you checked, the more vulnerable you are to developing physical symptoms when exposed to stress.

Dogs Take A Bite Out of Stress

Luckily, Fido can show you how to take a bite out of stress. Did you know that medical research has proven that dogs are great stress relievers, helping to reduce anxiety and the effects of stress? In a unique experiment, heart rate and blood pressure were measured in healthy adults asked to do math calculations. Increases in heart rate and blood pressure show that the stress is also causing a strain on the heart. Interestingly, having a spouse or supportive friend present during the math test worsened the stress response. Having a pet nearby decreased the stress response.

Practice Stress Management Techniques

You can reduce your stress response by keeping Fido close to you. The next time you need to balance your checkbook, talk with your teenager, or have dinner with your mother-in-law, make sure you have a four-legged friend nearby to help ease your stress response. Simply petting Fido, will lower your stress response and reduce the negative effects stress can have on your body.

Another simple technique is cognitive restructuring. Cognitive restructuring means changing the messages you tell yourself from negative to positive. Sound hard? Listen to how you talk to Bailey – “What a good dog you are!”, “You’re such a good boy!”, “You’re so precious!” (And you KNOW you say this stuff all the time!) Next time you tell Precious she’s sweet, tell yourself, too. So instead of ,”Oh, I’ll never get through all this paperwork. It’s a nightmare,” tell yourself, “I’m good at organizing yourself. Let’s get started and I know I’ll succeed.” Instead of, “I’ll never lose all this extra weight,” tell yourself, “I’m proud of myself for starting that walking program with Fluffy. I’m going to be getting healthier and I’ll start feeling better, too!” And don’t be afraid to look in the mirror and tell yourself, “You’re wonderful!” You’ll be surprised how relaxing hearing these positive messages can be.

Exercise is another great stress buster. So adding daily dog walks can be helpful to minimize the effects of daily stresses. And you may want to add in a more vigorous workout on particularly stressful days.

Putting It All Together

So the next time you feel stressed, don’t sink into the sofa with a bag of chips and the television remote. Whistle for Max, tell him he’s terrific, tell yourself YOU’RE terrific, go for a brisk walk together, and start taking a bite out of stress.

Article contributed by regular guest blogger, Dawn A. Marcus.

About the author: Dawn A. Marcus, MD is a medical doctor and professor at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She also serves as medical expert to Del Monte’s Power of Paws program, which promotes better human health through pet companionship. She is an internationally-recognized speaker, educator, and author, receiving the National Headache Foundation Media Excellence Award. Dr. Marcus has written nine medical books, including her latest book, Fit As Fido: Follow Your Dog to Better Health. Visit her websites www.dawnmarcusmd.com and www.fitasfido.com.

Dogs do not limp on purpose unless he is trained to perform the trick! Joke aside, there are a few possible causes that your dog is limping.

Paws: Check his paw (the limping leg) for any foreign object like thorns. Remove it with appropriate applicator and apply medication to sooth the pain.

Toenails: Overgrown toenails could also be a possible cause. Make sure all nails are trimmed to the right length (before the quick). Here’s a guide on how to trim your dog’s nail probably.

Muscles/ligaments: He could have sprained the muscles in the affected limb. If it’s a minor tear of the ligament, generally it requires no surgery or oral medication. It would resolve itself in a matter of days. It the condition persists (on and off case) you might want to try Arthro-IonX™—is a homeopathic complex which utilizes a multi-directional process to relieve your dog’s joint pain and revitalize his health.

Bone or Joint: For some bone or joint abnormalities, they cannot be detected by physical examination alone even for vets. Also some bone disease conditions can take some time to show more clinical signs.

If the limping persists despite any oral medications given by your vet, I would recommend doing an x-ray of the affected limp to look for any bone or joint abnormalities. Having said that, not all bone or joint problems will show up obviously on x-ray. You may have to do repeated x-ray or other diagnostic tests if the limping worsens or persists.

Until your vet can confirm the cause of limping, there isn’t much you can do for now. And once the verdict is out that your dog is suffering from osteoarthritis, osteochondrosis (cartilage deterioration), degenerative joint disease, elbow, knee, and hip dysplasia or any joint problems; you might want to consider Flexpet with CM8™ (all-natural formulation that is clinically proven to nourish the joints, support stronger cartilage, help stimulate the lubricating fluid in the joints and increase total mobility) to ease your dog’s ailment.

Taking Fido to Work is Good for Your Health

Did you also know that taking your dog to work can be good for your health? Dogs understand the importance of connecting with others and are ideal role models for excellent socializing. A study at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom showed that taking your dog to work resulted in three times more social encounters. By having a dog as their sides during the day, people had one-third more encounters with friends, over twice as many encounters with acquaintances, and over twenty times more meetings with strangers. Just having a dog at your side widens your sphere of these important social interactions.

You might guess that connecting with your co-workers can lighten your mood, but did you also know that socializing improves your physical health? Studies prove that being more socially engaged improves your health by:

• Improving your mood
• Reducing your risk for heart disease
• Improving your long-term memory
• Extending your life

So take a trip to the water cooler. Get a drink for you and Fido, and use that time to also connect with your co-workers. They won’t be able to resist your pooch’s sweet brown eyes and you make begin a lasting, and healthy, friendship

Make Sure Your Fido Will Enjoy Going to Work

Before taking your dog to work, make sure your dog is well socialized and comfortable with people, other dogs, and any noises or equipment that might be encountered during a visit to your work. If your dog is nervous around others, upset by a change in his routine, or stressed by lots of attention, consider celebrating the day with an extra walk before and after work and adding a photo of Fido to your desk.

Getting Ready for Fido’s Day

Make sure you have supplies for Fido to take with you to work. These might include:

• Leash
• Kennel, pillow, blanket
• Water dish
• Chew toys
• Poopie bags
• Paper towels, disinfectant, and hand sanitizer for unexpected accidents
• Small doggie treats

Be sure to set up a quiet area for Fido – perhaps putting his favorite blanket next to or under your desk. Being a canine ambassador is hard work, so make sure Fido can take a break from greeting others.

Also, be sure to take Fido for a nice walk on the morning before work to help reduce excess energy and prepare him for quiet time while you get your work done. Give Fido time for potty before entering your building and plan on potty breaks during the day and a nice walk at lunch. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy the before and during work walks so much that you’ll add them to your daily routine every day!

Celebrate Taking Your Dog to Work

So check with your employer about adding Take Your Dog to Work Day at your job. It’s fun for you and Fido and good for your health!

For more tips on Take Your Dog to Work Day and information on how you can enroll your workplace, visit www.takeyourdog.com

Article contributed by regular guest blogger, Dawn A. Marcus.

About the author: Dawn A. Marcus, MD is a medical doctor and professor at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She also serves as medical expert to Del Monte’s Power of Paws program, which promotes better human health through pet companionship. She is an internationally-recognized speaker, educator, and author, receiving the National Headache Foundation Media Excellence Award. Dr. Marcus has written nine medical books, including her latest book, Fit As Fido: Follow Your Dog to Better Health. Visit her websites www.dawnmarcusmd.com and www.fitasfido.com.

To be honest, losing weight is the easiest part as compare to maintaining that ideal weight. When we decided to lose weight, we set a goal and implement the steps needed. And in a matter of months we accomplished what we had planned. But we know that our journey doesn’t end here if we want to stay trim and fit for good. Like us, to help our dogs to maintain their ideal weight is all about lifestyle—choices we make for ourselves and our dog each and every day. One example, if we don’t introduce or encourage bad habits, our dogs will never know what they are “missing”—i.e. giving table scraps whenever you eat.

The methods used in preventing canine obesity and maintaining program are very similar and interchangeable. You’ll also notice a couple of rules similar in the dog weight lose program. So I’ll list what is needed in no particular order. Take whatever you see fit and apply.

How to Prevent Canine Obesity and Keeping the Weight Off

Start Young: Start monitoring your dog’s weight using the Body Condition Scoring method (weighing and observing figure) when he turns one year old until his adult weight. Large and giant breed dogs, will reach their adult weights at about 2 years old.

Sterilized Dogs: Once sterilized, we’ll need to control the calorie intake by feeding the right amount in multiple small meals as advised by your veterinarian. “Lite” or reduced calories diets may also be used. These are also special prescription diets available, which can only be prescribed by a vet (usually very pricey and some are awful tasting, be warned!). Also, you might want to check out Royal Canin’s Neutered series diet specifically for neutered dogs. It’s important that you check with your vet before feeding it to your dog.

Quality Dog Food: Investing in a high quality diet will ensure your dog will live a long and healthy life and still enjoy the benefit of top quality diet. Some recommendations which many of my clients and myself use to feed our dogs are Natural Balance, Taste of the Wild, Newman, Sigma, and Wysong—raw or dry. These are some of the highest quality dog food in the market. Some of these brands come in many varieties—raw, organic, senior, grain-free, vegetarian, weight and allergy control to name a few.

Meals: Ideally, two meals a day. If your schedule doesn’t permit, then feed your dog in the morning so that he can burn those calories during the day when he is active. Avoid feeding him late at night.

Ban Free-feeding: No dog should be free-fed! I know this may sound “cruel” for those who spend long hours at work and on commute; and the thought of your precious companion with empty stomach for 12 hours may make you feel guilty or irresponsible. Trust me, your dog will still have the energy to jump on you at the front door and probably begging you to take him for a walk.

Treats: One or two tiny commercial treats a day won’t do any harm. If you want to give more, choose healthier alternatives like vegetables and fruits (do not overfeed those fruits with high level of sugar content). This goes to table scrap, but this can only be given in certain occasions like Christmas and Halloween.

Daily Exercise: If our dogs have no outlet to burn those calories, overtime those calories will turn to fats. Depend on the breed of your dog, mini and small dogs can get enough exercise just romping around the house. To know what suitable activity and exercise your dog needs is all explained here. The important key here is daily or at least alternate days exercise routine. Weekend exercise warriorlike regime will only put too much stress on your dog’s physique in turn doing more damages than be of any benefit at all.

Regular Vet Visit: I will leave this option open as it may not be feasible for some with very tight budget. However, I came across a few veterinary clinics in some suburban areas that offer free weight management program for pets—service includes weighing, body assessment, graphing the result on a computer but no consultation. It would be great if you can find one veterinary clinic that offers these free services and make it a regular visit.

To give you an ideal of how to track your dog’s progress in maintaining his ideal weight especially after the weight loss program, here is a sample of a daily weight management/maintenance log.

Once you begin to record his daily lifestyle on the log for about a month and managed to keep the weight off for good, you need not do so every month. Because the lifestyle (i.e. eating, exercise) has become a choice decision and in very rare case, you will fall back to old unhealthy habits. The only thing is just keep doing the Body Condition Scoring (BCS) once every month/quarter/semi-annually.

Series Posts on Dog Obesity:

1. Dog Obesity: What Are The Health Risks?
2. Behavioral Consequences Of An Overweight Dog
3. What Causes Obesity In Dogs
4. Dog Obesity Assessment
5. Weight Lose Program For dogs
6. Dog Obesity: Prevention and Maintenance Programs

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Probably it’s not wise to rain on your parade before you embark on your dog’s weight management journey but let’s face it, it’s never an easy task to lose weight. To be more specific, implementing the steps needed to lose weight is never easy. Just look at our yearly weight lose resolutions!

Similarly to canine weight management, there will be times you failed one or more of these suggested steps. The idea is not to give up no matter how many setbacks. Having said, the success rate of your dog’s weight lose program will dramatically increase if you set realistic goals and make it a team effort by engaging family members and friends into helping your dog to lose weight. Also, there are many veterinary clinics that run weight management program for pets which I highly recommend as a great way to start. But if you prefer to work alone here are some tips:

Dog Weight Loss Program

Vet Visit: Your overweight dog should have a veterinary examination and tests performed to rule out endocrine or metabolic disorders first before commencing treatment or a weight loss program that should involve the whole family.

Set Goals: Not only on the weight needed to come off but factor in your dog’s exercise/activity routine, choice of diet, the number of feedings given, weight lose supplements, if any. These things need to be planned out before the program starts not plan as you go along. The latter usually fails. To succeed in your quest, it is best to have a log to keep track on the weight. Download a sample of weight management log here.

Diet: Decide on a dietary regime that your dog will be on. Regular dry, homemade meals, weight loss or prescribed diets. One of the reasons why dogs couldn’t lose weight is that owners keep switching diet back and forth when they don’t see any significant result. Be patient as it can take months for your dog to lose all those pounds gained over the years. See below on how much weight should come off per week.

A Note on Dog Food Weight Loss: There are numerous dog food for weight loss in pet stores. Many contain natural ingredients for effective weight loss, the difference is the taste. Some dogs are finicky eaters, slight alternation of the taste will put them off and need to be coaxed into eating. Wellness CORE Reduced Fat Grain-Free Canine Diet, Innova EVO Reduced Fat Dry Dog Food, and California Natural Reduced Calorie Dry Dog Food seem to be more agreeable for my clients’ overweight dogs.

Ban Free-feeding: No dog should be free-fed. Free-feeding, by itself, is not a “deadly” tool as many pet parents can attest that. The problem is when we try to help our dog to lose weight we aren’t helping them to restrain and control over food even if the portion is calculated. Besides there many physiological and behavioral disadvantages when we allow free feeding and I won’t do this post justice if I ramble on the list. Maybe in a dedicated post in future.

No Access to Trash Can: Self explanatory. Hungry, domesticated, obese dogs will turn into scavenger dogs in a matter of hours or maybe minutes. Make sure your dog have no access to any area where foods are kept. Lock your fridge or oven or dishwasher if you must.

No Treats: All treats and table scraps should be eliminated. Instead, substitute these with healthier alternatives like fruits and vegetables.

Reduce Intake: This isn’t rocket science. Obese dogs need to eat less. Having said, you have to make sure that reduced amount of food given meets the requirement for his daily activities and sufficient enough to help to keep the weight off.

More Small Meals: We will need to control the calorie intake by feeding the right amount in multiple small meals. “Lite” or weight loss diets may also be used. These are also special prescription diets available, which can only be prescribed by a vet (usually very pricey and some are awful tasting, be warned!). Giving small and more frequent meals a day make him feels full during the day so that he is least likely to scavenge.

One Meal Policy: Of course it would be better to provide two to three small meals a day, but if this doesn’t fit into your schedule then it’s a good ideal to feed your dog in the morning so that he can burn off the food during the day when he is more active. Feeding one large meal at nighttime makes the dog more sluggish in turn the food is being stored as fat rather than burning up the energy.

More Fiber: If your dog is on commercial dog food like kibbles, be it lite or regular, what you could do is to add more fiber into his meal. Almost all vegetables are low in calories, so by adding more fiber to the reduced portion it’ll easy fill his stomach and at the same time it fools your dog into thinking that he isn’t deprived of food. Furthermore, eating crunchy vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, semi-cooked carrot or celery forces your dog to chew his food more in turn slow down his eating time.

Exercise: Exercise is by far the most important key ingredient in any weight loss and prevention program in my opinion. It not only helps to burn excess fat but also encourages bonding between you and your dog. This may involve increasing the frequency or duration of walks, going to a dog run or dog park, jogging, or swimming (a good aerobic workout without her having to bear any weight).

Go Slow: Start slow when it comes to exercising as overexertion can place extra strain on your dog’s already stressed cardiac, respiratory, and musculoskeletal system. As your dog adapts better, the amount and intensity of the exercise can be gradually increased. Remember to exercise your dog daily. Don’t become a weekend exercise warriorlike!

Dog Weight Loss Supplements: There are many “diet pills” for obese dogs these days, however, not many scientific studies are done to look into the safety and effectiveness of natural weight loss supplements, so you have to be cautious when purchasing such products. It is best to consult a vet when in doubt. If you decided to go this route once your vet gives you green light, stick with the above regime otherwise the weight will not come off easily. A few safe and effective recommendations are: SlenderPet, Vermont K-9 Slim Down & Slim Down Plus, and Bio Zyme (not exactly diet pills per se).

How Soon Will You See Result?

For very obese dogs, you will notice significant result within a matter of days. Keep in mind, your initial goal is to keep your dog’s weight off on a consistent basic. You won’t want your dog on a yo-yo dieting program. The general rule in weight reduction for dogs is between 2 – 2.5% of his current weight per week. For older dogs, no more than 2%. For example, a small adult dog weighing 15lbs, he should lose about 0.3 – 0.375 pounds for that week. Doesn’t look impressive, but this is the healthiest and safest way for dogs to lose those extra pounds.

How Long Does It Take To Lose All Those Weight?

As to how long or fast you will see the final result, you will have to use the above guideline and count back the time frame needed to attain his ideal weight. Suppose your dog need to lose 6lbs to regain his original weight of 10lbs, the calculation would look like this:

• 1st week: 16 x 2.5% = 0.4
• 2nd week: 15.6 x 2.5% = 0.39
• 3rd week: 15.21 x 2.5% = 0.38
• 4th week: 14.83 x 2.5%= 0.37

Average weight lost per week is about 0.385, so roughly that would take about 13 to 15 weeks to lose that 6lbs. Realistic goal and easily attainable, huh?

The basic of weight reduction involves reducing the calorie intake and exercise. The rest of the steps mentioned above is to make the weight lost program more effective and easier.

Series Posts on Dog Obesity:

1. Dog Obesity: What Are The Health Risks?
2. Behavioral Consequences Of An Overweight Dog
3. What Causes Obesity In Dogs
4. Dog Obesity Assessment
5. Weight Lose Program For dogs
6. Dog Obesity: Prevention and Maintenance Programs

Assessing slightly overweight dog base on look, however, can be very tricky especially breeds with furry coats like Bichon Frise, Collies, or Pekingese as their luscious coat may conceal their excess fresh underneath it.

Two Methods of Recognizing Canine Obesity

The first step in effectively managing obesity is to recognize and acknowledge the problem. There are two ways of assessing your dog weight. One is by weighing your dog using a bathroom scale. Unlike small breeds that can stand on the bathroom scale, for larger dogs you’ll have to subtract your weight from the combined weight figure to determine your dog’s weigh. If yours is a purebred dog, the breed standards can give a clear indication of what is considered to be the ideal weight. For mixed or designer breeds, you still be able to gain an approximate idea by comparing his weight with that of a purebred dog of similar size and height. The second method is to do a physical examination—the look and feel method.

Look and Feel Obesity Assessment

A healthy dog body should look as if it is in proportion. The normal distribution of fat on a dog’s body includes a thin layer under the skin, other layers between the muscles of abdominal wall, and some deposits in the abdomen.

Ask Yourself These Questions:

Top View

• Does my dog have a visible indention (waist) behind his ribs?
• How easy is it to feel my dog’s ribs and spine?
• Does my dog’s tail look and feel thick?

Side View

• Does my dog have a slight tuck-up-belly between the ribcage and hindquarters?
• Does my dog have a large or wobbly belly?

If your dog does not have a discernible waist, has a large rounded belly, tail looks and feel thick, and you are unable to feel its ribs or spine, your dog is probably obese! Keep in mind that some fit, smooth-coated breeds you probably won’t notice the ribs but nevertheless they should be easily felt; a fat layer of more than 0.5cm over the ribs suggest the start of obesity.

The best way to detect obesity in your dog is to weigh your dog and observe his figure. This method is refer as Body Condition Scoring (BSC).

Preventing obesity is the single most crucial thing you can do to prolong the life of your dog.

If your dog is not overweight but want to know how fit he is, here (coming soon) is the dog fitness assessment chart.

Series Posts on Dog Obesity:

1. Dog Obesity: What Are The Health Risks?
2. Behavioral Consequences Of An Overweight Dog
3. What Causes Obesity In Dogs
4. Dog Obesity Assessment
5. Weight Lose Program For dogs
6. Dog Obesity: Prevention and Maintenance Programs

Breed/Genetic Susceptibility: Among the smaller breed dogs, Basset Hounds, Cocker Spaniels, Chihuahuas, Dachshunds, Pugs, Miniature Schnauzers, and Shetland Sheepdogs are most likely to be obese. The larger breeds are Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and Collies. Some dogs, regardless of breed, only live to eat which can be difficult to deal with without close supervision.

Sterilization: Let me be clear on this, sterilization does not cause obesity. Weight gain usually occurs after sexual maturity, when spaying is done. Having said, sterilization does increase the chances of obesity because of certain hormonal changes that occur after sterilization as well as a decrease in the metabolic rate by 20 to 25%. Furthermore, the dog’s activity level decreases after sterilization while his food/calorie intake remains the same. Spaying or neutering our dogs, however, is strongly encouraged as the health benefits outweigh the disadvantage. It’s our responsibility to maintain the weight of our sterilized dog through proper diet and exercise.

Hormonal Abnormalities: Endocrine diseases like Hypothyroidism (thyroid gland doesn’t produce sufficient hormones) and Hyperadrenocortism a.k.a Cushing’s Disease (too much adrenal hormone is produced) may result in obesity.

Age: Obesity tends to be a problem of middle-aged and senior dogs as their metabolic system slows down where they can’t convert food into energy as quickly as they were younger. Generally, senior dogs only require about 25 to 30% less calories than young adult dogs. To calculate the calories intake for your dog use the chart here. In addition to slower metabolism, dogs also become less active as they age hence his total daily energy needs to decrease.

Activities: Another possible factor, but not an excuse, is the increase in demands on pet owners’ time from work or family responsibilities which makes it more challenging for them to exercise their dog adequately. I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but these factors should be weighed in before you consider getting a dog—part and parcel of being a responsible dog owner.

Diet: Nutrition and palatability are important factors that are heavily marketed in commercial dog food and treats. I suppose it’s natural we feel better as pet parents that the food our dog eat is both delicious and provides some inherent health benefits. However, too much of a good thing kills. Feeding a highly palatable and nutritional diet may contribute to the development and maintenance of obesity if your dog overeats. Another possibility is feeding impromptu and irregular or constant (free-feeding) meals and too much of the wrong kind of food, such as table scraps or treats and coupled with having too little exercise, idleness, nervousness, and stress can also lead to obesity.

Series Posts on Dog Obesity:

1. Dog Obesity: What Are The Health Risks?
2. Behavioral Consequences Of An Overweight Dog
3. What Causes Obesity In Dogs
4. Dog Obesity Assessment
5. Weight Lose Program For dogs
6. Dog Obesity: Prevention and Maintenance Programs