Diet
 

My yorkie weighs 10 lbs is that to fat for a yorkie. My fault I give him to many treats. What can I do to get him to 9 lbs?

Instead of doggy treats try frozen cut green beans, most dogs like green beans and no calories in them. Try that for 2 months then see if he has lost any weight. A dog loss weight has to be a slow process so do not be disappointed if you see only a few ounces came off, continue with the green beans as a treat.

yorkie
 

Thanks I will try that he isn't a show dog but I don't want him to be unhealthy. And he is going to be 9 just want him healthy.

Doesn't matter if he's not a show dog, a over weight dog is not a healthy dog, but a pound over weight is not an obese dog. More exercise, more walking, playing fetch, running and green beans to replace dog treats over a few months should show some results, also if he eats kibble and you measure it out (say you feed him 1/4 cup twice a day) take 3 or 4 pieces out of each feeding. I have to assume you have him on adult dog food. You will not see fast results but you will see a loss over several months.

Are you going just by weight and think he just weighs to much for a yorkie? I have yorkies that are 16, 14, 12 and 10 pounds and only one of them is a little chunky. I would see what your vet says honestly.

I don't see him as obese just would like him at 9#. I have been taking him out to run a bit now that its been nice out. And I started giving him green beans as a snack and he does like them. He is 9 yrs old I have had him for 3 yrs. When I got him he weighed 8.5. Thanks for the advice.

Be careful with you wanting him at a certain weight because that’s not necessarily the weight he should be at. I’m a huge fan of checking with the vet before putting them on diets.

yorkie
 

I really don't want to put him on a diet just less treats and I started giving him a few greens as a snack and of course walking him more. He goes for his shots in June and I will see if less treats and walking more has helped at all. Thanks for your advice.

If you have his weight from the last vet visit and see a loss of just a few ounces don't get discouraged, a slow weight loss is a healthy loss, dogs are not like humans where we can drop 3 to 5 pounds in 2 weeks and not suffer for it. Dogs have to loose weight in increments, keep up the green bean treats and extra or longer walks, it's going to be a slow but safe process. I have attached a picture of dogs and what they should look like at their proper weight. The top row, last pic on the right you can see (what my vet refers to as the waist) the dogs waist is indented, that's the shaped all dogs should have at their weight for their breed. Looking down at a standing dogs body the should have an hour glass shape. This may be hard for you to see if your pup is in full coat, if you run your hands along his sides you should be able to feel where the waist goes in. I keep my kido in a puppy cut year round so it's easy for me to see his shape.

thanks for the info we are doing walks and i cut down on his treats. My fault gave him to many now he wants them all the time. He seems to be getting better with less treats. Happy Easter

Happy Easter to you......to many treats I guess you found out are not good. My guy gets one doggy treat at 8PM after he goes through all his commands and tricks, a 3 minute routine lol. I am on the NILIF (Nothing In Live Is Free) he has to earn his treats, they are rewards for going through his commands, etc. this keeps all I have taught him fresh in his head as all his commands are not used everyday.

oh yes my fault I want him learn he gets his treat when I eat my lunch. Then I will treat him with a couple of green beans.

Happy Easter!!!!

Treats come in many different forms - anything that your baby loves can become a substitute for some of the food treats. Lollie loves to play fetch, so some of her treats is a toss of her favorite toy. A belly rub is also a "treat" for my chubby girl.

Matese had some great ideas - frozen or fresh green beans (preferably organic) make fantastic treats as does tiny bits of watermelon, banana, and blueberries. Mine beg for carrots. And the weight chart is spot-on.

Talk with your vet at your next visit about the ideal weight for your little one. If he is a big overweight, reducing meals by a bite or two, giving fewer food treats and increasing activity should help with a slow healthy weight loss.

pippin
 

I am trying to avoid him getting big and overweight. But since I got him 3 yrs ago he has gained 1.5#. Thanks for your advice.

So you rescued your lil guy, thank you. My kid is a rescue also, he was 2 1/2 yo old and very, very under weight,he weighed in at 9 Lbs but his ribs and spine were severely protruding. He was not an abused dog, a surrender that was much loved and spoiled rotten. I believe the underweight was from a illness he had, surrendered because of lack of money to get him well. My vet that I adopted him from took care of his heath issue and after finding a food he liked I got him up to 12 Lbs, a proper weight for his size. This comment I am about to make has nothing to do with you and your pup, there will be other ppl at some point reading this thread and this comment is for those ppl.

I go to the vet, I see ppl coming in with a pure breed dog that is so over weight you cannot tell what breed it is. We all want to spoil our babies to show them how much we love them, many ppl show their love by giving their babies table food, what they eat, so does their dog. There are ppl food that is good for dogs, certain veggies and fruits, greasy burgers, french fries, fatty pieces of steak is not healthy for dogs. Now their dogs become obese and heath issues start which can end up being fatal. Spoil your dog with more walks, more playing fetch, toys, veggie or fruit treats you will have a healthier dog that will spend more years with you.
Junehosta...I admire and respect you for showing your love for your baby by keeping an eye on his weight, making sure he stays in the weight he was meant to be in, yes, do check with your vet about the proper weight he should be in for the size he is, You are a great fur mom :love:

This yorkie is not a rescue by me but the girl that had him before me rescued him and she had him for 3 yrs. Was waiting for the right person to come along. she had 4 other little dogs plus him. But I did rescue one that is in the pic at the age of 3 he lead a tuff life from day 1.He was sold for gas money at the age of 6 mths and eating kitty food. And from then he was at several different homes When I got him he was at a neighbors house by where my sister lived. She was not good to him he peed and pooped in the house but she also would leave him in a small bathroom from early evening to late morning so she could go out and not come home to check on him. she would rub his nose in his poop. She had him for 3 mths and just gave him to me with a bag of big bites dog food. And full of fleas I never had a house dog just a big dogs that stayed outside most of the time. So I debated but took him cause she didn't want him. I had him for 1 1/2 yrs he was sick a lot but at least he had a happy home his last 1 and 1/2yrs of his life. He got sick about 1 in the morning and he was gone 12 hrs later. I was devastated I cried and cried. A week later a friend told me she had pippin another yorkie she was waiting for the right person for him. I have had him for 3 yrs. So Pippin is the yorkie I am concerned about. I took him to groom yesterday and had them weigh him he is 10.4. So at least I know if more walking and less treats will help him. He goes for yr shots in July. Didn't mean to go on and on about my yorkies. But do appreciate all the info. Thank You again.

This is YorkieTalk. We are family. That's what we do - share the yorkies we love with others who have yorkies they love. THANK YOU for sharing. And a double thank you for being a hero and rescuing both Pippin and your first yorkie. I am so very sorry for the loss of your first little one -sounds like he had a terrible life until you came along and saved him.

You are such an awesome Yorkie mom. Please don't ever quit sharing.

yorkie
 

Im back again with another question about dog food for my yorkie.What kind of dog food do you feed your yorkies?

If I can no longer see a good indention on Gidget's "hips" then I know it's time for more exercise and less treats.

Taking into consideration my kid is 8 years old and maintains a weight of 12 pounds, I have been feeding him Wellness Core...Grain Free...Reduced Fat kibble for about 3 or 4 years, I am changing his food the end of July as it has been discovered a grain free food can cause heart attack. I will continue to buy Wellness kibble brand, a low fat, I have not selected a new kibble so far but it will be Wellness.

Gidget was 3 in January. She's been on Royal Canin for Yorkies since she was 18 months old. No problems and she's extremely healthy so far. Vet said to keep doing what I'm doing since she gets an A plus at her Vet visits. :)

What is he eating now? Is it not working well for him? I personally would say away from any grain free foods due to the heart issues being related to them. I am a huge huge fan of Royal Canin. They have vets on staff and do feeding trials.

I was told my Bailey(12yrs.) was overweight at his Vet appointment. He was at 7.4lbs., She wanted him to lose a little over a pound. To get him to 6lbs.. I knew he was a little overweight but I had no idea he was that overweight! He should be 6lb., I’m not surprised about that, it’s the weight gain that got me!
We Are Both Grieving the loss of his Mom, he was never alone before and Fergie still treated him like her Baby. He could have been overeating, I may be too?
The Vet thought he had a enlarged heart, on ex ray it also showed a Collapsed trachea, we can’t do anything about his trachea, it’s a common yorkie thing, He’s never wore a Collar or had anything around his neck, he stays in the house? When he goes out he stays right at my side, he’s a mommas boy. I had just got him a harness to go to all Vet Visits.
She said he could of had it from birth, and it has just got worse. My Vet wanted me to see a Cardiologist. I saw the ex ray myself. I was terrified!

When giving the Cardiologist his health history which other than the current Issues was excellent! I told her we had lost his Mother this past March, Fergie(16yrs.) had passed in her sleep. Her health was always excellent. Her loss was my reason for talking him to the Vet in the first place.😢

Bailey, got cleared of any Heart Disease, Thank the lord♥️🙏🏼
But, she found a Mass in his Chest above his heart 😢again. sent me to a Oncologist who was in the same MedVet Facility, an Emergency Animal Hospital, that had already seen the ex ray, and had concerns. I went a week later to the Oncologist, After Many Test, the Mass at this time is Not Cancerous!!! But we need to keep an eye on it. She did also find he has Gall Bladder Disease,😢 again!
He was prescribed a Compounded Medication for his gall bladders, he takes it twice a day. I’m Broke!!! But I know everything wrong with my boy! And, what to watch! The Mass will be checked again by ex ray in a month, she wanted to do a CT Scan. I just don’t have $1,500, I had already spent $2.400!

I included all of this not to scare you because Yorkies are one of the Healthiest Dogs you can have!!! He’s also 12, and Looking at Bailey you could not know anything is wrong with him!
He breathes just fine? All in all, there’s just things I need to keep an eye on. Sorry for the rambling.

For you:
At The ♥️ Doctor’s she suggested a Prescription Dog Food, for his weight loss. She gave me a Sample, lol, a 9lb. Bag. Bailey Loves it! He actually gets to eat more food. He 💩’s a lot more! The food smells really good. It’s Hill’s Prescription, for weight and mobility so there’s a little something in there for his bones! Between the Cardiologist and the Oncologist Bailey had already lost 2oz. in One Week. Please realize Our Babies are Small Dogs and losing ounces is a Big Deal. I have a Baby Scale, and after 2-weeks he has lost 4-oz., you Feed them the amount of food for what they should weigh. For Bailey it’s 1/2 Cup. I can’t get it all in him no matter how hard I try. I have never been a big treat giver, other than some veggies, fruits. He still gets those. The Prescription Dog Food is only sold at a Veterinarians and mine doesn’t sell it. MedVets does, it’s open 24/7, year round!

I would leave it up to your Vet. One thing I want to share is, Don’t use any of the Grain Free Foods. There is a new trend, I don’t want to tell anyone what to feed their Baby.
The Cardiologist said Grain Free Foods are, Bad for Yorkies Hearts!♥️FYI

Best of Luck for a Long Health Yorkie Life♥️ You sound like a Very Loving Concerned Momma♥️ You’re doing all the right things.♥️😊

yorkie
 

Took my pup Pippin in for shots today he weighs 10lbs 3oz.Vet told me a yr ago he weighed 10lbs 12 oz. So I am happy with that. He loves frozen green beans.

pippin
 

Maybe I should change his dog food . He always has had Canidae thoughts please.

If he eats it and likes it with no issues I would just continue what you are feeding.