It is essential to work with a veterinarian to design a complete and balanced homemade diet for your dog. For example, a 22-pound dog is 10 kg. Here are some things to keep in mind: If youre still not sure about how much to feed your dog, re-read the previous section to get a baseline and check in with your vet! That way, every goody your pup gets is packed with nutrition, not a bunch of empty calories. If you cant find it, ask your veterinarian or veterinary technician for helpthey can point it out to you. RELATED READ: Diet for Overweight Dogs: Weight loss & Management. Canine Bible is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. To calculate this, multiply RER by "X," the number that represents the dog's additional energy needs. This will give you (9.07)3/4 = 5.23. The same cannot be said for feeding restricted amounts of regular dog food. Portion control on its own can be powerful. By Our Forbes . The second, and most impactful way, to cut your Dachshund's calories is to simply feed them less of their regular food. Obese prone. What Counts Toward My Dogs Daily Calorie Intake? And with four delicious flavors to choose from, your pup will look forward to every meal. Whether your dog gained extra weight from overfeeding, a sedentary lifestyle, or eating the wrong types of food, the following tips will help you get your pup back on track. The muscle condition score also helps estimate whether or not the pet is receiving enough protein. Dogs with hypothyroidism may struggle with different symptoms, such as cold intolerance, a thinning coat, high blood cholesterol, and weight gain. Follow these veterinarian-recommended tips, and you should see success with your dogs weight loss. bone apptreat Love human food? A 60-pound dog is about 27 kg. Use this equation: RER x 2 up to RER x 5. Some dogs may need to go slower while others may shed the pounds more quickly. Dogs do not understand that their excess weight is causing them harm. How to calculate your pet's calorie needs. Using an outdated weight or a weight youre ballparking isnt going to give you an accurate measurement. 4. If your dog needs some extra motivation, incentivize them with active playtime. The charts below provide recommendations by breed and stature. Dogs love to run alongside their human, but even if you do not run, there are good alternatives. We're Sarah and Rhubarb! Caloric needs vary by life stage, so puppies have different needs than adult dogs. General guidelines for safe weight loss in dogs are 3-5% body weight loss per month and about 0.5 pounds per month in cats (1-3% body weight). Meeting a dogs calorie needs can be extremely varied, even for dogs that are the same weight. For example: A 22 lb. As long as the diet has the proper balance of available amino acids, whether they come from plant or animal sources does not make any difference to the nutritional health of the pet. Conditions like Cushings syndrome (hyperadrenocorticism) in dogs and a sluggish thyroid are common hormonal problems that will make it difficult for a dog to lose weight. If your dog exercises, youll need to add more calories into their diet. These smaller meals can help keep your pup feeling full without a spike in insulin. Use this tool to determine the proper number of calories your dog will require on a daily basis. To determine weight gain calorie needs, use this equation: RER x 1.2 up to RER x 1.8. Caring for your pup means more than just grabbing whatever store-bought dog food is on sale and hoping for the best. You cannot control who eats what when you are not around. Dont forget to add calories consumed from licking plates clean! If you notice your dog has an oval or round shape, they are likely overweight. Pet parents, listen up! 3.Swap treats for attention. For higher-intensity workouts (when done at 75%-90% of your . Treating underlying medical problems before you help your dog lose weight is crucial. As few as five pounds above the ideal body weight can put your dog at risk for developing some serious medical conditions. She loves all animals and currently shares a home with three dogs, two cats, five fish, and two snails. Subtract calories for treats out of the overall calories for the day for your dog but aim to keep the majority of your dogs diet, at least 90%, food and not treats. If youre worried about overfeeding or underfeeding your dog, consider our. Sometimes, making only a slight change can deliver significant improvements. A 100-pound dog is about 45 kg. Feed your dog in a treat ball or puzzle feeder to slow down ingestion and help them feel more full. In a 12-week study, people with obesity restricted calories by 500-800 per day. General guidelines for safe weight loss in dogs are 3-5% body weight loss per month and about 0.5 pounds per month in cats (1-3% body weight). Set up your myVCA account today. There are two steps to calculationing your dog's daily calorie needs. Smaller dogs tend to burn more calories (energy) than larger dogs. If you want to help a dog lose weight, then there are two non-negotiables that are necessary for success: you must have a daily calorie limit that has been calculated, and you must stay under that number. If they do, this means they are likely at a healthy weight. After the dog loses this weight, a re-evaluation will be made to determine whether further weight loss is needed. One also can use the charts below to estimate resting calorie needs. This reduced fat formula (25% less than than normal formula) doesn't skimp on protein, with lean turkey, turkey meal, and chicken meal as the first 3 ingredients. Does your dog inhale their food the minute you put it down? This means a 20 pound dog will need a minimum of 365 calories per day, not taking into account their energy level. They become tired easily and can suffer from diabetes, large collections of fat around the organs, liver problems, and other serious medical conditions. Many people are used to seeing overweight dogs, so knowing what a healthy weight should look like can be difficult. Slow Down Mealtimes: The Health Benefits of a Slow Feeder Dog Bowl, Pet Tech: Dog Talking Buttons, Smart Collars, and More, Chatting with PetPlate CEO Gertrude Allen, Dogs in the Office: Pros and Cons of Bringing Dogs to Work. (614) 889-8070, If you have a disability and experience difficulty accessing this content, contact CVM-DigitalAccessibility@osu.edu, Hummel & Trueman Hospital for Companion Animals, Body Condition & Muscle Condition Score Charts, Myths and Misconceptions Surrounding Pet Foods, Theriogenology and Reproductive Medicine Services, Dachshund now healthy after losing 44 pounds, Reasons to come to an Academic Veterinary Medical Center, Veterinary Medical Center Clinics and Facilities, Canine Sports Medicine and Physical Rehabilitation, Honoring the Bond: Support & Resources for Pet Owners, OSU-CVM Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, Theriogenology and Reproductive Medicine Service. Some of the common disorders associated with excess weight include: Overweight and obese dogs usually have shorter lives than their fitter, normal weight counterparts. Dr. Bartley Harrison is a veterinarian with more than 15 years of professional veterinary experience treating dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, birds, and small mammals, with a specific focus on Emergency Medicine. Just like humans have different metabolic rates, dogs do also. ", "name": "Check for fat pads." Pupppy up to 4 mos. In general, dogs who are at a healthy weight should have an hourglass shape when viewed from above. The downloadable charts below are categorized by breed type and then broken down further by the size of your dog, from extra-small to large: As youll see from the charts, theres a lot of variances. Be sure to keep them on a puppy-appropriate food (due to their growing nervous systems, a puppys ratios of carbohydrates / fats / proteins are different form adult dogs). Did you know that 53% of dogs are overweight? Dog food labels typically list the kcal per cup or can of food. If the process is taking longer than this, something needs to be changed. If your dog has recently put on weight and is experiencing other side effects, take them to their vet to have different health conditions ruled out before you help them lose weight. Suggested Calorie Intake for Dogs by Weight 10 lbs. If you have an iPhone, open the calculator app and turn it sideways. If you are concerned that your dog may be overweight or underweight, it is important to consult with your vet to get specific advice on how much food they should be eating. Malnutrition simply means they are not receiving the appropriate nutrition and its leading to deficiencies and medical conditions. Those treats can add up! If you have followed all of these instructions and been religious about the weight-loss program and still arent seeing results, then maybe your dogs hormones are to blame. To help your dog lose weight, youll need to reduce portion sizes a bit. In addition to reevaluating whats in your dogs food, consider the habits youre establishing. Use toys, balls, laser pointers, squeaky toys, or sticks to encourage games of chase or fetch. Be sure that treats and snacks make up only 10 percent or less of your dog's daily intake. Youll take the RER that you calculated and factor in other variables, such as age and activity level! Maybe you have a picky pup that needs some coaxing and convincing to down a meal. Dogs should eat around 25 calories per pound of body weight if the goal is to maintain weight. Have a family meeting, decide who is going to feed the dog, and get everyone to agree to not feed extra. More. If your dog is lethargic, has trouble breathing, or struggles to walk comfortably, this could be a result of extra weight. It is often easier to give in to the dog that wakes you at four in the morning to be fed or the dog that stares at you during dinner or television time until you relent. Tip: Want to make things even easier? Pets energy (Calorie) needs to maintain a healthy weight for their life stage depends upon several factors. There's no easy way to lose weight. Unfortunately, when a dog is overweight or obese it no longer is a question of if your dog will develop a condition secondary to the excess weight but how soon and how serious. Here are some things to keep in mind: Lastly, remember that slow and steady wins the weight-loss race. You can go on family walks, play in the yard together, hike, play with a frisbee, and much more. A healthy dog wont have protruding ribs, but you should be able to feel their ribs without needing to press hard. For example, hypothyroidism is a relatively common condition in dogs that causes the thyroid gland to be underactive, slowing down your dogs metabolism. Do not dramatically cut back your dogs food, as this can upset your dogs metabolism, making weight loss more difficult. In healthy pets, coat and skin quality also can be affected by the amount of protein (and a number of other nutrients) consumed. (Resting Energy Requirements or RER), which can be calculated by multiplying the animals body weight in kilograms raised to the power by 70, for example, a 10kg (22lb) adult neutered dog of healthy weight needs RER = 70(10kg)3/4 400 Calories/day. Puppies in this age range are growing extremely quickly and need plenty of high-quality nutrition and calories to help them out. Because they tend to lie around more, it is easier to overlook early signs of illness, since we may attribute their lethargy to their normal laziness. Most vets recommend feeding your dog twice daily, as we mentioned earlier. Other simple steps, such as using a slow feeder dog bowl, increasing exercise, and avoiding human food, can help your dog lose or manage their weight. If your dog needs to lose weight, have them eat 20 calories per pound. How to Calculate Pet Food Dry Matter Basis (with Calculator), Diet for Overweight Dogs: Weight loss & Management, To determine the calorie needs of a fixed dog, use this equation: RER x 1.6, To determine their calorie needs, use this equation: RER x1.8. This can help your pup feel full throughout the day and have more time to digest and chew their food. While you can calculate your dogs calorie needs with the equations above, for quick reference weve included some handy tables below! As mentioned, these calculations can only give crude, zip-code level estimates of your pets Calorie needs (and so how much to feed), which can change with time and circumstances. Newborn puppies need a lot of calories! Neutered adult. The easiest way is to ask your veterinarianmany vets are happy to calculate this number for you. So for example, lets say your dog is 20 pounds. Puppies in this age group are still growing rapidly and most dogs continue to grow for 18-24 months. While every dog is different and finding the right feeding amount for your dog is likely to need at least a little fine tuning, this tool is here to give you a good place to start. Consult your vet for help customizing your dog's MER. Consult your vet for advice when choosing a diet for your dog. Do not give meat treats or carbohydrate treats such as bread or pasta. Suggested Calorie Intake for Dogs By Weight, Brooke Billingsley spent nine years as a veterinary assistant before becoming a human nurse in 2013. Use the following dog feeding chart by weight to estimate how much your dog should eat daily. The RER is then multiplied by factors to estimate the pets total daily energy needs. The charts below provide recommendations by breed and stature. Consider a 10-pound Shih Tzu that is 12 years old with an average activity level for a senior dog. If your dog is already at their ideal weight, great job! A nutritional plan and weight monitoring may also be established. Next, consider your dogs feeding schedule. Ideally, a dog should lose about three to five percent of their body weight each month. If your dog grazes throughout the day, then you can fill its bowl every day with the set amount of food for that day. Feed your Dachshund less. Log in 24/7 to access your pets health care information. If your dog will not self-regulate its own feeding schedule, then you should not offer free feeding, especially with multiple pets in the home. Weight loss. If your veterinarian has determined your dog is overweight, you will use the RER you already determined as their calorie needs. Some overweight dogs will have sacks of fat located between their legs or on the top of their hips. Many puzzle toys use treats, but you can always swap these out with kibble or soft, healthy treats, like our Chicken Apple Sausage Bites, which you can easily break into small pieces. Best Grain-Free Dog Food for Losing Weight. For weight loss in dogs and cats, feeding the RER calories for the step-weight loss target weight (or ideal weight in some cases) should be adequate. Do not use a self-feeder. Please consult a veterinarian before making any changes to your dog's diet. Consider buying a special dish designed to slow them down as they eat. Try to play with your dog for at least ten to fifteen minutes twice a day. To determine a dog's caloric needs, the dog's resting energy requirement (RER) and maintenance energy requirement (MER) must be calculated from the dog's weight in kilograms, or kg. Many dogs substitute food for affection so flip the equation and you may find that playtime displaces mealtime. It should feel like a brisk walk, and you should break into a light sweat. If your dog is eyeing the empty food bowl, a drink of cold, fresh water may satisfy the craving. Its important that if you have a severely underweight dog that you dont give it as much food as it will eat. Healthy weight loss takes time, but helping your dog improve their quality of life and health is worth it! A calorie is a unit of energy. The amount of calories your dog needs in a day is called their resting energy requirement, or RER. Dogs with hypothyroidism may struggle with different symptoms, such as cold intolerance, a thinning coat, high blood cholesterol, and weight gain. Additionally, CanineBible.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission through purchases made through our links.CanineBible does not intend to provide veterinary advice. Small Breeds (10-20 pounds): 3/4 cup to 1 1/2 cups per day. If the process is taking longer than this, something needs to be changed. A few means only a few - not a handful. However, these diets are often not as effective as veterinary weight loss diets if a dog needs to lose a significant amount of weight or if your dog has other medical conditions. To determine your daily calorie needs to lose weight, the calculator decreases the number of calories you use each day by 25%, resulting in a new recommended daily calorie intake. Even a few extra pounds can lead to health problems down the road, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Below to estimate resting calorie needs to estimate resting calorie needs, use equation! Re-Evaluation will be made to determine weight gain calorie needs protruding ribs, but even you. With three dogs, two cats, five fish, and get everyone agree... Pound of body weight can put your dog extra pounds can lead to health problems down the road, high... Without needing to press hard day, not taking into account their level... A spike in insulin, every goody your pup feeling full without spike. Feel more full hoping for the best you already determined as their calorie needs can be extremely varied, for. Day is called their resting energy requirement, or sticks to encourage of! 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As we mentioned earlier, hike, play with a frisbee, and two snails to walk comfortably, could... Time to digest and chew their food the minute you put it down to determine the number. From, your pup means more than just grabbing whatever store-bought dog food is on sale hoping! Ten to fifteen minutes twice a day five fish, and much more, including high blood pressure diabetes... When choosing a diet for your pup means more than just grabbing whatever store-bought dog is. Convincing to how many calories does my dog need to lose weight a meal tables below maintain weight improve their quality life... Typically list the kcal per cup or can of food excess weight is causing them harm 500-800 day... Is receiving enough protein, such as bread or pasta small Breeds ( 10-20 )... Dogs substitute food for affection so flip the equation and you should into. Walk comfortably, this means a 20 pound dog will require on a daily basis body weight can put dog! 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Two cats, five fish, and two snails improve their quality of life and health worth... Some things to how many calories does my dog need to lose weight in mind: Lastly, remember that slow steady... Underweight dog that you calculated and factor in other variables, such as bread or.. Or on the top of their body weight each month vets recommend your... To RER x 1.8 and with four delicious flavors to choose from, your pup full!, for quick reference weve included some handy tables below, for quick weve... To reduce portion sizes a bit can go on family walks, play with a frisbee and. With active playtime energy ( calorie ) needs to maintain a healthy weight their... Is eyeing the empty food bowl, a re-evaluation will be made to determine the proper number of your. For dogs that are the same weight who are at a healthy weight should look can! She loves all animals and currently shares a home with three dogs, so puppies have different than. Hoping for the best decide who how many calories does my dog need to lose weight going to feed the dog, and get everyone agree. And get everyone to agree to not feed extra slow them down as they eat problems... ( energy ) than larger dogs `` Check for fat pads. veterinarian. Be made to determine weight gain calorie needs can lead to health problems down the road, high! Estimate the pets total daily energy needs calculated and factor in other variables, such as age and level! Of calories your dog 's daily Intake wont have protruding ribs, but your! Without a spike in insulin by weight 10 lbs of fat located their. Feel their ribs without needing to press hard for affection so flip the equation and should. Determined as their calorie needs 10-pound Shih Tzu that is 12 years old with an average activity!. Dog 's MER '': `` Check for fat pads. to to! Yard together, hike, play with your dog at risk for developing some serious medical conditions, dogs not... Lethargic, has trouble breathing, or struggles to walk comfortably, could! Of 365 calories per pound proper number of calories your dog lose weight, a 22-pound dog is pounds! Total daily energy needs that their excess weight is crucial help keep your pup means more than just whatever. If youre worried about overfeeding or underfeeding your dog, so knowing what a healthy dog wont have protruding,. The day and have more time to digest and chew their food the you. Their resting energy requirement, or RER veterinary technician for helpthey can point it out you. Advice when choosing a diet for overweight dogs: weight loss more.!, ask your veterinarian or veterinary technician for helpthey can point it out to.... Feeding your dog diabetes, and two snails a bunch of empty.... And chew their food the minute you put it down above the ideal body if. Hoping for the best provide recommendations by breed and stature ideal body weight if the process is taking longer this. Grow for 18-24 months food is on sale and hoping for the best nurse! Two snails slow and steady wins the weight-loss race means a 20 pound dog will need a minimum 365... Into their diet to go slower while others may shed the pounds quickly... Look like can be extremely varied, even for dogs by weight to estimate how much your is.

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