My dachshund is overweight. I have tried every thing to make him lose weight! What can I do? See details!?

Question

My dachshund is seriously overweight. I have tried every thing to make him lose weight! I have changed his food into reduced fat (I have tried many brands). I but he always finds food! He begs and gets nothing and eats my skinny poodle’s food! He has even gotten so hungry he tipped over the trash and at scraps from it! He always wants food. He never seems to get full!

My dachshund is seriously overweight. I have tried every thing to make him lose weight! I have changed his food into reduced fat (I have tried many brands). I but he always finds food! He begs and gets nothing and eats my skinny poodle’s food! He has even gotten so hungry he tipped over the trash and at scraps from it! He always wants food. He never seems to get full!But I dont give him more than the suggested amount on the food box. But he finds food outside, and from the poodle! I take him for walks with me (or try) but when we are outside him doesn't want to move. He makes his body stiff and sits so I can't move him.

Answer 1

Get unsalted chicken broth. when he is acting hungry, give him a warmed bowl of broth.. He can have all he wants of this with hardly any calories. Also, green beans are a good filler, with few calories.
You can also get creative with rice cakes, and other low carlorie, but bulky foods, such as carrots, oat puffs, rice checks.
Always buy Healthy Dog Treats made with natural ingredients. Treats loaded with sugar and fat aren't good for you or your dog! Look for treats made from whole grains like oats or quality, single source proteins like chicken or lamb.
Fish is a great snack for dogs, and it's low in fat and calories..
Walk him an extra 5 minutes daily..Why not walk him while the poodle eats?
Here is a good article on weight control from Dr's Foster&Smith..> http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?dept_id=0&siteid=12&acatid=284&aid=464
Another helpful page on canine obesity.> http://www.canismajor.com/dog/obese.html

Answer 2

You have complete control over what your dog eats. Even feeding a dog a low-fat food can make him gain weight, if you are feeding him too much. Talk to your vet and get their recommendation. Pets are like people. If you eat too much and don't exercise enough, you will get out of shape and overweight. Also, your vet should do a complete physical and make sure nothing else is wrong.

Use common sense. Feed your dogs in different locations. Do not let them free feed. If they haven't eaten their food in 10 minutes, pick it up and put it back in the container. Yes, this means if you want to feed both dogs in the kitchen, you will need to stand guard over the poodle's bowl. Change trash cans or put your trash can inside a cupboard so the dog can not get to it. Overweight dogs do not get treats - especially high-fat items like pig ears, etc. And ignore the begging and tell family members to do the same.

But the main thing - exercise your dog! You don't mention anything about taking the dogs for walks for exercise. If you love your dog, you'll work harder to help him lose the weight.

Answer 3

I have a miniature schnauzer who is exactly the same... he LOVES his food! He tips over bins for morsels, he begs, he licks the kitchen floor... but, as he has gotten older, I've realized that for him to prolong his life and live longer and healthier, i cannot give into him.
My vet said that maybe he is getting fed more than his weight should allow, obviously you should use his ideal weight not his 'fat' weight to go by. He was being fed 1/2 cup more than he should have been getting per day!! I also get him walked and exercised more regularly on a daily basis, 2 half hour walks, and on the weekends i take him on very long walks but no stairs or anything that might stress out his joints. Cut out snacks, you have to be cruel to be kind, if you are giving in to him then that will not address the problem of his obesity. You may even have to cut his feed down, and walk him more. until he loses weight. Finally i have another dog who is a finicky eater, and i saw my schnauzer stealing his food while he just watched him eat it all!! that's why he was getting so fat! So, feed your dogs separately, when the poodle finishes his food, you can feed your dog, or feed them in separate rooms. And with the bin issue, close doors to rooms with bins or put the bin in a less accessible place!!
remember, keeping yoru dog at a healthy weight will increase his shelf life, and he will feel so much better for it!!

Answer 4

I found the book to be very informative and easy to read.

I've lost 17 pounds in 12 days, I'm just concerned that I'm losing too much weight, too quickly. I will admit I haven't followed the guide exactly. I'm not sticking perfectly to the listed foods and meal plans (but mostly) and doing very little exercise, but the weight keeps flying off.

It clearly works and if I'd followed it exactly I think it would scare the living daylights out of me because of the amount that I'd lose. So thanks again for the information. I've never purchased anything like this before because they are usually full of trash, but 3WD has been a pleasant surprise.

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Answer 5

I agree with all the answers - feed him less, feed the dogs separately.

He needs more exercise - if walking isn't working, will he chase a ball, or some other doggy game you can play with him.
Take some dry food with you to use as a treat (part of his daily ration not extra)

Maybe even try those dog toys you put food in. Put some of his daily ration of dry food in it - it'll take him longer to eat, and it will at least make him move while he is eating - every little bit should help.

I have played "fetch" with my dogs food - on hard floors or a clean outdoor paved area roll a piece of food for the dog to chase and eat, and then another and another, keeps them moving. My dog loves this game. Make him come over to you every so often so he has to chase the food further again.

Answer 6

Try Hill's Science Diet r/d. It is a high fiber diet. You do not need to reduce the amount you feed him, but he cannot have any other type of food or treats. The only treats he should have while on this diet is 3-5 baby carrots a day or 1/4 of an apple sliced up.

Keep all other dog's food bowl where he cannot get to them (cat bowls too), and NO table scraps.

Answer 7

How much excercise does he get? If you don't walk him try walking him twice a day for a half hour at a time. It's good for him and you too. Check with your vet first though. If he's seriously obese you should ask your vet about starting an excercise program for him.

Good luck!

ETA: If he won't walk it really sounds like he's calling the shots. You might want to enroll him in a leve one obedience class. Unless there is something medically wrong with him where it hurts to walk... It sounds like he's just being stubborn and knows he will get his way if he refuses long enough.

But be sure to consult your vet. Make sure he doesn't have any hip, elbow or disc problems that makes it painful for him to walk.

Answer 8

Answering your question, Should I date an overweight woman when I'm trying to lose weight? It doesn't matter about weight. If you love her, date her. If you don't, then don't. Don't count the weight. It's her body, and she wants to treat it the way she wants to. Answering your other question, How can I help her think I might like her? Flirt with her. Show her that you want more than just sex. Compliment her, be nice to her, don't think about sex when looking at her. Answering your last question, Should I dump her? Don't dump her if you really love her. Don't dump her if it's just about her weight. Good luck.

Answer 9

Exercise him. Stick to the reduced fat diet. Put up the trash and food so that he cannot get in to it. Take him for short walks every day, then over a period of time increase the duration of the walks. A mile is about the limit of what a small dog like yours will be able to handle.

Answer 10

It's common with the breed. Try a high protein (not just lower fat) and meat treats such as dried chicken instead of biscuits. Plus ALOT of excerise. I recommend using a holistic food and not something packed with grains. The first five ingredients make up 95% of the food!