Sunday, April 17, 2011

He lost almost half of his body weight!

He may have been only 19lbs but for my Min Pin/Chihuahua mix that was obese!  I got Spec about two years ago.  He was an unhappy, mean, overweight dog.  My sister had Spec and couldn't keep him anymore so I took him under my wing.  Little did he know his life would change dramatically.  Spec didn't lost his weight overnight it took time.  It took about 9 months for him to reach his ideal healthy weight of 11lbs and become a happy dog. 
It was a simple strategy of more exercise and less food.  People think weight loss for humans and dogs is some secret method but its not!  I started with short walks.   He walked with me and my other dogs about 20 minutes 4 times a week.  I gradually increased his walk time over the course of 6 months getting up to one hour.  Then during our walks I did short 20 seconds of jogging throughout the walk.  We slowly worked up to jogging continuously for 1 mile.  Months later it was 2 miles.  Just recently we did a 3 mile run!  Here is a picture of me in my Vibram shoes and Spec after our run!
It was almost two years from the 20 minute walk to the 3 mile run.  It is so important to increase exercise slowly with your pet.  Be patient!  It is even more important if the dog is overweight to start with.  A few pounds on a small dog like Spec is alot of excess weight.  A 12lb Pomeranian is equal to a woman 249lbs and 5'4"!  Every excess pound on a small dog like a Pom is equal to about 24lbs on a 5'4" female.  Excess weight for any size dog will lead to critical health problems and will cost you more money in Vet bills.  It is well worth it to exercise your pet.  You will save money and have your furry friend around much longer.  It is NEVER too late. 
Along with exercise you must review how much you are feeding your dog.  With Spec I started by giving him the suggested amount of food on the dog food bag.  Sometimes this works and sometimes you may need to consult your Vet to see how much you should feed your dog.  You may need to get lower calorie dog food.  Most importantly don't give your pets scraps from the table, human food and treats.   All these calories add up quick!  I use carrots for treats and my dogs seem to like these as much as they like the higher calorie dog treats.  A bonus is the carrots are much cheaper! 
I love my dogs and want them to live a healthy and happy life.  Diet and exercise will help them do that. 
Check out the Get Fit With Fido calendar and see when we get moving with our mutts.  Come and join us for some fun.  www.coachcyndee.com  under the Get Fit With Fido tab.  You can also come to the Henderson REI and here me talk about safe and fun exercise with your pet.  I will be there Wednesday April 20 at 7pm.