Diet Tips to help your chubby pet lose weight

We love our pets. They are the sunshine in our lives. Unconditionally loving, constantly there, so much so that we have heard more than one pet owner say – that if they could date their pet, they would!

At the end of the day we look forward to playing with them, cuddle them and we love to shower heaps of love on them. While all of that love and attention is totally great for your pet, there is one way that we show our love that can be very detrimental to their well-being.

Much like people these days, our pets are getting a tad bit pudgier. Well, just like us, it’s time for a diet. Animal diets are finicky things that need to be treated with as much care as you give to your own.

Before you decide to put your pet on a diet, we recommend you take him/her to the vet first to determine that there is no medical condition behind your pets weight gain. Here are a few vet and trained-approved tricks to keep your pets little body in the best shape!

Cats : Need to cut Carbs

Small amounts of tuna, meat and chicken are fine, but they should be supplemented with cat food as well. Cats are obligate carnivores and ideally should not eat any carbohydrates.

Dogs : Cut down on excess food

Reduce the amount of food you put in your beloved Fido’s bowl. Read the recommended amount on the label and reduce by 15 percent for small dogs and about 20 percent for larger dogs. Your heart’s going to break, we know. But it’s best for your little cutie.

Cats : Try and Make Bone Broth

Bone Broth is a great way to get your cat to start eating real food. It’s important to explore diet options beyond packaged food. Bone Broth is made my boiling bones in water and adding one or two teaspoons of cider vinegar to it.

Dogs: A Walk is Important

Ideally you should be taking your pet for at least one leash walk per day, every day, for 20 minutes. If it’s too hot out, cut the walk down to 15 minutes but toss a ball around a few times at home.

Cats : Use a Muffin Tin

Try making mealtime fun by dividing their portions into a muffin tin. Cats love a challenge when it comes to their food. It also has an added effect of preventing overeating.

Dogs: Slow them down

We are often advised to eat slowly to allow our brains time to register the fact that they are full. Unfortunately for our pets, they do not have the same comprehensive abilities. We need to do some sneaky strategies to slow them down like feeding their meals in treat toys. That will slightly slow it down.

Cats : Water Water Water

Cats are notoriously bad water drinkers. Often a cat gets dehydrated especially if he or she is on dry food. Try switching to wet food which better mimics cats’ natural diets and provides much needed water.

Dogs: Do not sneak in Table Food

Human food from the table is an absolute no-no. You know your dog, it never stops at one bite. He’s going to be looking at you with those big puppy eyes, but be strong. You can do this.