How to Keep Your Pet’s Weight in the Healthy Range

Most fur parents shower their pets with love through snacks and treats, sometimes excessively and often the wrong types. Sometimes we overfeed them during their meals because we’re unsure how much to feed or are carried away by their adorable, begging eyes. And if this keeps up for a long time, your pet may become overweight and risk developing numerous health issues.

Fortunately, a few simple adjustments can help maintain your pet’s weight in the healthy range.

5 Tips to Maintain Your Pet’s Weight

If you believe giving your pet too many treats, snacks, and foods is the best way to make them happy, reconsider. When your pet becomes obese and suffers the consequences of developing various health issues, this will only give them struggles and cost you large amounts of money in their treatment. This is where the importance of maintaining a healthy weight comes in.

Here are five tips to do so:

1. Adjust Seasonally

If your dog is more active during the summer and stuck inside the home every winter season, change the amount of food you feed them as necessary. If your pet is less active in the winter season and you don’t balance their meal portions, they might put on more weight, so it is essential to adjust their diet depending on their active season.

If it’s wintertime and you’re worried about your inactive dog, there’s usually nothing to be afraid of. But if you suspect an unknown underlying problem, take them to a vet lab to be diagnosed and treated right away.

2. Weigh Them Regularly

When you take your four-legged friend to the vet for routine vaccinations and parasite prevention, do not forget to weigh them. You may click here to learn more about essential vet services. Keep a record of their weight each time you do so you can monitor if they are gaining or losing weight. Doing so can prevent minor issues from becoming severe. Do not hesitate to ask the veterinarian if you’re uncertain of your pet’s supposed weight. They can give you advice and suggest tailored adjustments to maintain a healthy range for your pet.

3. Improve Their Environment

A boring environment can cause your pet to become inactive and gain weight. Cats and dogs are clever animals that enjoy food puzzle toys, treat balls, and chew toys that can keep them moving and stretching to strengthen their muscles and maintain a healthy weight.

4. Keep Them Active

Keeping your companion active is as vital as their nutritional diet. Regular walking is the best activity to keep your pet active. It helps exercise their body, boost muscle tone, reduce boredom, and provide mental stimulation. Other than walks, try jogging and playing fetch with their favorite balls. You may also schedule routine visits to the dog park or simply have fun in your backyard.

Always observe moderation when doing activities with your pet. If your dog mistakenly fractures one of their legs during an exercise, immediately stop the activity and take them to an emergency animal hospital to address the situation.

5. Skip the Table Scraps

Not all human foods are safe for canines, so regularly feeding your dog with table scraps can be a dangerous and worst thing to do. Top-quality canine foods are nutritionally balanced, so it’s the more recommended diet to feed them. Feeding them a lot of human food might cause nutritional deficiencies. If you like to share your food with them, make it an occasional treat and consider the healthier choices.

To End

Dogs on a diet might still ask for food even after you feed them. Try petting them, giving them affection, or taking them for a walk instead of feeding them more. Doing so can help eliminate their concept of getting attention by asking for food, and your love might fulfill their cravings. If this does not work, divide your pet’s allotted daily food into smaller portions. This may help keep them satisfied than giving them their meals in one go.

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