Dog Weight Loss, Weight Gain & Weight Control                                                                 

Depending on what side of the scale your dog falls on, effective weight control for dogs is a huge concern.  Like many Americans today, managing an ideal body weight is a challenge, and if your dog falls into the same category, it can be just as tough for them. 

 Dog weight gain and dog weight loss are two situations fighting to meet in the middle.  For those with the concern of dog weight loss, shedding the extra pounds doesn’t come as easy as shedding extra fur. On the opposite spectrum, healthy dog weight gain can be the same frustrating endeavor if not more so due to the fact that there are very few products on the market aimed at helping dogs gain healthy weight in comparison the plethora of products, pills and potions to aid dog weight loss.     

 We’re very proud to be able to provide a solution for both!

  What’s an Ideal Weight for a Dog?

 The answer to this question will have different answers depending on breed and the age of the dog.  Most vets will tell you that they will use a scale between 1 and 9, with 1 being malnourished and 9 being obese where the goal is a 5 as an ideal healthy weight. Determining this number is done through a series of inspections amongst some technical measurements as well.

 To determine if your dog is under or over weight, there is a few things one can do at home to get an idea of where you stand. First visually inspect your dog from both a top view and a side view. Determine from the top if your dog has an hour glass like shape; they should be wider at the chest begin to taper as you reach the hind section.  The same thing applies for the side view.  A healthy body type will have a thinner waist line after the rib cage and before the hind legs.  If there is no upward tapering after the rib cage, odds are you have a pleasantly plump pooch that could stand to lose some weight.

 As a conscious dog owner, you will also want to pay attention to the rib cage itself. If you can see your dogs ribs, chances are they are too thin and need to put on some healthy weight. Feel their ribs.  You should be able to touch modestly and feel a thin layer of fat covering the rib cage or any other bony sections of your dog.  If you can’t feel the individual ribs, then most likely you’ll either need to take off the doggie sweater or Fido needs to lose weight.   

 

 Healthy Dog Weight Loss

 Surveys indicated that 40% of America's pet population is overweight.  Like humans, overweight dogs are at risk for health problems and do not generally live as long as dogs that are trim. In addition to being at a greater risk for heart disease, overweight dogs show greater incidence of arthritis, circulatory problems, pancreatic disorders, liver disease, and more.

 Why risk it when it comes to our fury friends?  There’s no need to starve your dog or buy those expensive diet dog foods that don’t seem to work.  For effective healthy and satisfying dog weight loss, read more by clicking on our all natural Lean Dog product below.

 

Healthy Dog Weight Gain!   

Simply put, unintended dog weight loss is a physical condition that results from a negative caloric balance. This usually occurs when the body uses and/or excretes essential nutrients faster than it can consume them. Essentially more calories are being burned than are being taken in.  Dog weight loss is considered clinically important when it exceeds 10 percent of the normal body weight and is not associated with fluid loss.

During weight loss, the appetite may be normal, increased or decreased, so that’s not an effective indicator to use. Instead look for indicators such as loss of body condition, loss of muscle mass, poor or dull coat, diarrhea, vomiting, difficulty swallowing or coprophagia (eating their own stool).

Until now, there wasn’t a natural, human grade dog supplement to address the need for dogs to gain weight in a healthy fashion. If you have a need for healthy weight gain in dogs, just click on our K9 Gainer product below for more information.