Is your dog suffering from obesity? If your dog is overweight, it is important to let the dog lose weight slowly and evenly. As an aid, it is recommended that dogs lose up to 2% of their body weight per week.

hond afvallen overgewicht

Making your dog lose weight?

Your dog loses weight by eating less (high-calorie) food and exercising more. In addition to an appropriate diet, it is important that your dog gets more exercise. By exercising regularly, more energy is used by the body. But build up the exercise slowly! As a tool, it is recommended that dogs lose a maximum of 2% of their body weight per week. For example: your dog weighs 35 kg. Then it is allowed to lose a maximum of 700 grams per week.

Veterinary food

The special veterinary feeds from Prins, including the Prins ProCare Veterinary Diet WEIGHT REDUCTION & Diabetic pressed veterinary food and Prins ProCare Croque Veterinary Diet WEIGHT REDUCTION & Diabetic crispy veterinary food, are low in calories and contain ingredients that support the dog during weight loss.

overgewicht hond afvallen

Exercise tips for your dog:

  • Walking: it is better to walk more often than very long at once. This prevents too much strain on the dog's joints.
  • Playing: when you play with your dog, the dog consumes a lot of energy and calories.
  • Feeding games: offer the veterinary food in a different way, for example with a feeding ball and/or feeding puzzle. This keeps the dog occupied for a longer period of time with the meal and also keeps him active, both physically and mentally.
  • Cycling: let the dog walk beside the bike at trotting pace as much as possible. At a trot the dog puts less strain on his joints and he can keep going longer. Note: cycling with the dog must be built up slowly and do not cycle when it's warmer than 20 degrees outside.
  • Swimming: with swimming the dog burns many calories and the joints are minimally loaded.

9 tips: let your dog lose weight

It can be quite difficult to make your dog lose weight. For this reason, the Prins CareTeam offers some additional tips for achieving faster results.

  • Try to weigh your dog every two weeks. This allows you to monitor the weight loss properly.
  • Weigh the portion of veterinary food on a kitchen scale, so that you know exactly how much you are feeding.
  • It is better to divide the daily food over 3 to 4 meals; this promotes the weight loss process.
  • It is strongly discouraged to give extras such as chewing bones, snacks, cookies, cheese, bread or other table scraps in addition to the veterinary food.
  • If there are other pets in the house, feed your dog separately and prevent him from eating other food.
  • Leash your dog while walking, this will prevent him from eating anything outside.
  • Let the rest of the family know that the dog is on a diet and ask them not to give it any snacks.
  • Take a picture of the dog. It can take up to eight weeks to see results. The photo allows you to see and track the progress of the weight loss process.
  • Always provide plenty of clean and fresh drinking water.
  • Store the food in a cool and dry environment. This preserves the quality and maintains the tastiness.
Also interesting:

Annerike from the CareTeam

Questions about your pet's behaviour? The CareTeam loves to help you with free advice!