tyler needs to loose weight - HELP!
 

Tyler needs to loose a pound! I need people with 5lb adult dogs to answer me please.
1. What do you feed?
2. How much do you feed?
3. How many times a day do you feed?

Your help is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

My pups are larger but we have cut out store bought treats and human food handouts and they are losing weight. We were really overdoing it with treats and didn't realize it. I hope you are successful. It was hard. They don't understand why they are getting a green bean or bite of fruit for a treat now. They want the good stuff.

Hi there!! I am really just curious....if he is 6# is there a medical reason he needs to be 5#? Honestly just wondering because to me 6# is still really small dog....

Tyler is a rescue who was used as a stud. When we got him he weighed 4 lb and needed a few more ounces according to my vet. He is a tiny. Unfortunately he shows evidence of starvation syndrome so he eats as much as he can whenever food is around and now weighs just under 6 lb.

Yesterday he started carrying his left rear leg. Fearing ACL I got him into to the vet. X-rays were taken and showed arthritis in his hips, knees and ankles. Three vets looked at him and his X-rays and couldn't confirm or rule out ACL. The vet said to get at least a pound off of him and put him on rimadryl. ACL wasn't ruled out so we need to see if we can get results this way first. Of course no stairs, running or jumping for 8 weeks.

The reason I put my question the way I did is because I want to feed him the way a 5lb dog is fed. I think in that manner he can loose the weight. We ddon't feed treats and cut out people food a long time ago so the only thing left to consider is his dog food, both type and amount.

Keep in mind that dogs are like humans: they each have a different metabolism and unique body system. You could feed the same food, same quantity, and give the same exercise to two 5 pound dogs and it doesn't mean they will end up weighing the same.

Max and Teddy eat the same food, same quantity, and have the same amount of exercise but do not weigh the same. Teddy's metabolism is much faster.

I would cut back Tyler's diet. Do you have him on a feeding schedule? Smaller portions at mealtime. Nancy always recommends supplementing with frozen green beans (you can thaw them or warm them up a little).

1/4 cup, twice a day of Fromm's or Acana.

green beans or carrotts between meals.

Ahhh....gotcha! Very good reason then! Didn't mean to sound ignorant...was just genuinely curious ;-) My Winnie is still a baby and our senior weenie is about 10 # she could stand to lose a pound just because she has a small frame. So we have cut her food by 1/4 of a cup a day. She gets carrots for snack. I don't know if you have facebook but I've been following an obese weenie dog and she had great SUCCESSFUL techniques. Just go on Facebook and search Obie dog journey....or Google him. He's quite famous! I hope you are able to find a good diet that will work for your little boy!

After a trick training class, Joey gained a pound and needed to lose it. The vet said to cut his food by 1/3 and add a few green beans. Joey would lose about 2 ounces a week on this diet. He always has had a tendency to gain, and we've always had to watch it with him. Joey and Ralphie are similar to Maximo's dogs, they weigh about a pound apart, but eat the same amount of food. I recently changed foods because my old food Royal Canin for Yorshire Terriers had an ingredient change, and I didn't like the change. I think for dogs, like humans who struggle with weight, less grains and more protein might be helpful. Someone posted this thread today, and I think it gives valuable information on choosing a food. http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...food-food.html The doctor recommends minimum levels of protein at 30%. I was worried because the new food I've chosen is higher in calories, and I was worried that if given the same amount of Joey would gain too much weight. The good news is that in about 10 days, even though he's eating more calories, he actually lost 2 ounces, which is good, he is now at the weight his vet recommends. Ralphie didn't gain or lose, 10 days is too early to know much of anything, but it tells me that Joey might process proteins better than he did grains, and I'm sure he'll be happy with more food!

Just thought I would update y'all on Tyler's progress. He has lost 6 ounces and the knee problem was probably a sprain as he isn't limping anymore. He still has some weakness in that leg. He is no longer on meds. I feed him first thing in the morning and then give him a green bean or carrot slice around mid-day and again around 7pm. I've watched him closely for hypoglycemia and so far we haven't had any problem. His biggest problem was getting over grazing all day for food. Thanks for the advice.

That's great reults! Tyler is sweet and lucky to have you looking out for him.