how can I get my chocolate lab to lose weight?

Question

i feed him table scraps sometimes which i will stop doing, but he eats grass and sticks when he is outside?

why do they eat grass all the time?

Answer 1

I have three labs and labs love to eat! They are a dog that needs to exercise because that is what they are . A working dog. They were not meant to lay around. Get a ball or stick and play fetch , go for walks go for swims labs love to swim! They love to play fetch and swim at the same time. Do not feed him table scraps , that is the worst thing to feed him.Do not feed him snacks even though he begs loves them and tells you I love you with those big brown eyes.He probably is eating grass for an upset stomach. Talk to your vet for the proper weight and diet for him.He is probably just chewing on the sticks because he is bored or teething.Labs like to chew! Sticks don't add any weight.Grass is a dogs way of making themselves to throw up when their stomach is upset it is normal . Cats do this also.

Answer 2

You have to reduce the food for her to lose weight. Weigh her, feed her half of what she gets now, and then weigh her again every week for a little while and see what she loses. Don't give her any treats or anything but her two dogfood meals. She shouldn't lose more than 2% of her weight in a week- if she does, increase the food by small increments until she loses the right amount a week. She'll probably be very hungry. I have a dieting lab as well, I haven't found a way to fix this yet. You could try the green beans. Just remember that for a lot of labs, actingb hungry doesn't mean they need more food- it means they're alive. Exercise is good for her health but it probably won't make a huge difference in the weight loss. Don't run with her- go swimming or walking with her. Another game you can play is measure out her dinner (having reduced it by the right amount), throw a ball, and give her a piece or two of kibble for fetching it. Repeat until dinner's finished. You can do that while sitting at the computer. Some labs seem to need very little food. If you think she's not getting enough food, it's a tiny amount and she's still not losing weight after a few weeks- she's getting more than enough food. Keep going until you can see the last rib when she's standing square, she has a good visible waist, and you can run a hand along her side and feel her ribs. Edit- oh yeah, you need to measure the food- this is the most important bit. Get a measuring cup from the vets (amazing how many cups aren't cup-sized or are varying sizes), or weigh the food. It's impossible to put a dog on a diet without actually measuring the food and knowing exactly what they eat.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

He won't gain an ounce from grass and sticks. Besides stopping the table scraps entirely, you need to cut down some on the amount of dog food he gets daily.

And, just like a person, he needs to exercise. If he's not been getting enough exercise (and if he was, he wouldn't need to lose weight) you need to build him up gradually. Lots of walks, throw a ball or frisbee for him.

Answer 5

Eating grass etcetera is natural. Just stop giving the table scraps, and feed him a healthy and balanced diet with plenty of exercise, and he should be fine. If he doesn't appear to be getting anywhere, I would suggest you take him to the vet. He/she will then be able to suggest what is the best course of action. Good luck!

Answer 6

The table scraps will put the weight on any dog so glad you stopped that. Grass and twigs will not put the weight on either. You will have to cut back on what your feeding the dog and get it more excersise. Also they do make weight management food that you can get.

Answer 7

Labradors are probably the number one breed for being overweight.

What dog food do you feed him on? I find that pedigree chum and bakers, and similar brands, tend to make dogs, especially labradors, overweight really easily. A change of food is in order!

Depending on how overweight your dog is, you will probably need to switch to a diet food. If he's only a little overweight, then just switching to a high quality dry food, and obviously stopping the table scraps, may do. Have a look at this cool little diagram to see if your dog is obese or just overweight - it's judged more on how the dog looks than his weight:
http://www.hillspetslimmer.co.uk/overweight/diagnosis_bodycondition.html

I do weight clinics for animals, and diet is the most important factor - quality of food that is, not quantity. I feed my patients Hills r/d, it gets great results and as it's high in fibre they can eat a decent amount of it and so not be so hungry as they would be if their regular food was just reduced in amount.

Diet must be accompanied by exercise, but it's not unusual for labs to be very active and not eat that much but still be overweight - in these cases, it's all about the quality of the food!

Feel free to email for more support/advice,

Chalice

Answer 8

provide him with chew toys when he is outdoors (if he already has some, get new ones)

i have a yellow lab who used to be pretty heavy as well...so just get the chew toys so he won't eat anything outside, take him for a walk in the morning and a walk in the evening, and as you said, no more table scraps! if you want to give him a treat, buy one of those flavored rope toys or something that is hard for him to chew so it takes longer and he doesn't come back for more right away!

Answer 9

NO table scraps.
Feed less. Make sure it is a quality food with no empty fillers. I'd suggest Canidae, 1 cup am and 1 cup pm.
Exercise more; walk or run with him, take him to the dog park and throw a ball for him. Use a tennis racquet or chukka.
Grass and sticks have no food value and should not add weight.

Answer 10

They make dog food that helps control weight. I would try that. If you're really worried take him to the vet and he will probably suggest something. But definately quit with the table scraps and exercise him more.