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Weight loss

N

nicola

Well-known member
Well as I've posted in other threads I have changed my two boys diets to orijen and have reduced the amount they are given in a bid to help them lose some weight. I am just wondering how long it should take before I notice a difference?
 
Generally weight loss should always be slow. I'd want to see a gentle drop in weight -- say 1/4th to 1/2 pound -- after 2-4 weeks. If really slow I'd feed a bit less and exercise more. I think Lily dropped about 1/2 pound every 2-3 weeks when I first got her and she was HUGE.
 
Nicola, if you're measuring their food, how many kcal/calories are you feeding them per day? What are their ages?

I'm feeding Orijen regional red to Geordie and Chocolate this winter, and they're getting just under 360 calories per day to stay at their normal weights.
 
Not sure about the calories but will work this out. I am feeding them slightly less than the recommended for their weight. It is about 3/4 of a cup each daily.
 
To help you with some idea of normal amounts (though this is based on UK foods, and dogs vary - as mine do!) my two are both fed on Burns Brown rice and lamb or fish. I try to keep both their weights around 9kg. Oliver is active and almost 10 and tends to lose weight quite easily, so he has 100g a day plus a good helping of raw vegetables. Aled is a Blenheim who only has to look at food to put on weight (and has a Grade 3 heart murmur), so his maintenance amount is 60g and if his weight starts going up (when he gets less exercise in bad weather, for example) it's cut to 50g with extra vegetables (and 3 or 4 times a week he has a couple of small low-fat sausages as his training treats). On these amounts they have plenty of energy, good coats and skin and are slim but not too skinny, so the amounts seem to be adequate. Raw vegetables are a good way to help the dogs to feel full without adding calories; mine love cabbage, brussels, carrot, parsnip, raw and frozen peas and beans, squash, asparagus trimmings, broccoli, spinach - almost anything except the onion family is OK for them. They also have half a carrot each as a bedtime treat - it's often not the mealtime food that puts on the weight but the treats in-between! And do weigh your 3/4 of a cup from time to time - it's amazing how the extra biscuits creep in!

Kate, Oliver and Aled
 
Thankyou Kate H, this is just the input I was looking for. Your posts are very helpful :thnku:
 
Hi I have been told by my vet that charlie smudge needs to have his food intake closely monitered, as he is quite over weight. He has been on steriods/cortisone for nearly 12 months now is is always hungry. I have been doing a search on google and can not find anywhere that is tells me how many grams of food per day a cavalier should have. Charlie is tall cavalier, nearly twice the size of a female cavvie in height, and due to his medical condition I need to take his weight loss slowly, and as we live in the tropics in Australia, and its currently summer and very very humid, which means he can only exercise either first thing in the morning or very late at night, I was wondering if anyone could help me help charlie lose the 6 kilos we need to lose within the next 3 to 6 months. Any little tibit on diet or exercises I can do with him with the airconditioner on at home will help. We have totally cut out rice from his meals and as of tomorrow will be only eating raw vegies. I told the vet he wont eat them raw and she said thats good, he will eat if he is hungry. SO if anyone could help Charlie Smudge and I will be very gratefull
 
Hi rybinna

All the vegs Kate said ,try giving them a light steam it then helps your Cavaliers break them down and digest them better and
don't forget about fresh fruit strawberrry ,water melon ,apples ,bananas etc they all help to fill them up and no salt rice cakes with neem sticks as a treat .We feed raw which is essentialy no fat beef ,turkey breast ,lamb breast of rib and lots of boneless rabbitt ,just had a huge box of rabbit pces delivered .And get an accurate set of scales,I weigh my four once a week and keep a spread sheet on them all ,you have to be a bit hard but weight loss makes them so much more active and healthy ,good luck .
 
Burns do a food called High Oats, which is specially designed for weight control. For older dogs it can be used all the time, but for younger dogs, you decide on a target weight and use it until that is reched, then transferring back to a regular food. I don't know whether it is available in Australia, but you might be able to get something similar. You can see what's in the Burns from their website and then compare locally obtainable foods. High Oats does work well - they get plenty to eat but it really does reduce weight.

Kate, Oliver and Aled
 
When I was feeding Origen Max was getting 1/2 cup a day to maintain and 3/8 when he had to lose. I switched to home cooked because it seemed like so little food. At least now the volume is more:). Just for interest sake Max's healthy weight is between 18 and 18.5 pounds. Rylie (who is more active) was able to get 3/4 cup a day and maintain his 14 pounds.
 
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