Last Updated on October 12, 2018

It should come as no surprise to anybody that the solution to an overweight pet is exactly the same as if we were overweight. All of us need to consume less than the recommended calorie intake to lose weight. When the body takes in too much food, food is stored as fat in the tissues of the body so that when there is not enough food, this stored fat can be used to help them to get through the lean times.

In order to lose this stored weight, you must reduce their calorie intake by a small amount so that their body uses stored fat instead of using the foods that they are given for energy needs. Fortunately, you are taking care of your pet and therefore controlling their calorie intake so, assuming your dog doesn’t know how to open the fridge door, weight reduction is possible.

Depending on what your pet’s calorie intake goal is, reduce this number given to them by just 5 to 10 percent.  No more than this though. This small reduction will help them to use stored fat as energy and therefore help them to lose weight.  More than this amount is counterproductive as it will cause the body to go into starvation mode which will not allow them to use stored fat.

Probably the two most important changes to their diets will be reducing the amount of fat foods that are consumed and to increase the amount of fiber in their diet. Most often used for dogs, this type of diet can be helpful in allowing the pet to have the nutrients they need but to help them to reduce the amount of fats taken in.  The less fat you take in, the less fat you will have stored around the body, it cannot be healthy dog food with too much fat. Be careful not to eliminate it completely though. Pets will need some fat, but in most cases reductions can be an effective method of weight loss.

Consult your vet, tailor your pet’s diet to take into consideration the amount of fiber and fat that they should consume.

Read more about Healthy Human Foods For Dogs