[kanisha]

This is zazi she came to me at 46 kgs having spent 8 months in a refuge!! free feeding!
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n218/kanisha001/for%20me/Photo029.jpg

she left to go to her new owner six months later a svelt 34 kgs.  how did I do it?

I used flatazor light but you can use any brand and don't waste your money on special vet diets most brands of dog food will do a light or senior range that is fine for this.

I don't know what weight your dog is now but I fed for the weight I wanted her to be. depends howx much he needs to lose . it was hard to start with because she was hungry but you can add haricot vert tinned and chopped or blanched if you have fresh; lots of fibre to fill them up. I only fed once a day if they bug you for something in the morning give them fresh veg carrots or anything thats lo-cal high fibre.  and for treats the same no snacks and every now and again after a good weight loss give them a break allow them to rest you will notice their body shape changes and gets a bit saggy this will come back but takes time don't worry; it is possible there is an underlying condition such as an underactive thyroid but with a labrador this isn't that likely and if he eats reasonably well this is likely to be  the cause of his problem.
if you prefer to start with a slightly less reduced ration then weigh weekly if they are losing fine if not cut it down a bit and exercise is important we used the beach because Zazi really did have joint problems ( she couldn't even run) and this cushioned her joints.

HTH

[pigsatlesrues]

Kanisha thank you so much for your input. New Year new start and the photos have inspired me! Leroy here I come - again!

Kate

[kanisha]

it is easy to be strict but also just as easy to let things slide video of zazi yes it really is the same dog as that large lump in the other photo a few weeks before she left for the UK. the difference in her quality of life is extreme. not to mention her longevity. I got a lovely photo of her at home this christmas; Leroy will thank you for it in the end ( honestly!)

<embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://i113.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid113.photobucket.com/albums/n218/kanisha001/zazi/Photo361.flv"></embed>

[stephen]

hi was at the vets earlier and noticed royal cannin do an obese food and and overweight food, hills science plan also do an overweight food. we feed all out breeding and spayed cats on royal canin and it i good stff, quite expensive but definatley worth the money so the overweight or obese food may be worth a try! i couldnt find it on their website but ringing them and they will be able to help! http://www.royalcanin.co.uk/

 

[pigsatlesrues]

Thanks Stephen - yes have used that one and it is good - he enjoyed it especially eating three times a day with weighed out quanities. He has lost a little weight but not nearly as much as he should have. My responsibility I know and as I posted before, it is I that is going to have to do better for his sake.

Kate

[stephen]

well i wouldnt become disheartened! keep doing what your doing he has lost a 'little weight' as you said so you must be doing something right! my partner and i breed pedigree cats and sometimes a kitten just dosent put weight on, we have one at the moment, she eats all the time both dry food and fresh chicken etc but only puts on tiny ammounts of weight! on the other end we had a cat (kinky boots) who would reguraly need seperating from the food hoppers as she would just eat and eat and eat, she very sadly passed away on the operating table yesterday during an emergency c-section and we now have the task of hand raising the three 2 day old kittens she managed to have naturally (good in a way because it keeps your mind busy and not morning the loss of her) they want food all the time, just like a human baby. your dogs body like many humans may just find it difficult to shift the weight, my mum has been on a diet for as long as i can rember, she has kept at it for years (im 23!) i rember her being and have photos of her as a sizable lady, she walk's everywhere, eats sensibly.... no chocolate etc apart from the odd small treat, snacks on fruit and nuts etc, drinks alot of water, swims at least twice a week for an hour or so, walks with my dad on the weekends for miles and has a very busy social life, recently retired from a school she has spent most of my life running around after either me and my sister, the kids at her school and now my elderley nan. after all of that and over such a long time she has shed quite alot of weight but it did take years of constant hard work. like i mentioned at the top of this post, he has lost some weight so carry on with what your doing, just thought!!... it might be worth trying more intensive excercise such as swimming, he would burn more fat over the same ammount of time, and then only feed him the same amount! or / and try cooking him fresh foods that are naturaly low in fat but high in energy! a breeder friend of ours goes to quite alot of courses / seminars (she is an alternative therapist) and i rember her talking about one on naturaly feeding dog she attended! ill rack her brains and see if she has any suggestions for you!   

[chrisgod]

Kate, we had same problems with a dog we had!! He was brought up with a Bull Mastiff who ate any and everything!! So no wonder the dog was always hungry! BUT we stuck to the muzzle idea and got at first a nylon one from Hautbois but he managed to get this off!! SO we eventually got him a PROPER muzzle in leather. This has worked thus far!! BUT then again he didn't have an ally!! MAY seem cruel? BUT you are being cruel to be KIND!!
The other thing we did was to as has been said feed him doggy pasta from Super 'U'!  certainly filled him up!! In fact I once tried him with his usual food AFTER a bowl of pasta etc. And he ate a couple of mouthfuls, not really happily!! And left the rest, hoping I think it would be there later?? IT WASN'T!! :lol:

[pigsatlesrues]

Thanks Chris, think we will invest in the leather muzzle for when we are out.

The vet says there is nothing medically wrong with him, so here we go!

Kate

[Rosemary]

Kate, have you seen how many views this thread has had? I think it must be a widespread (if you'll pardon the pun) problem.

Come on, folks, if we can will Mrs DeVere back home we can will a few kilos off Leroy!

Rosemary

[pigsatlesrues]

Bless you Rosemary - if it is going to come down to the power of thought, then throw in a few more of them for me - I could do to lose a couple of stone as well!!  Too much wine and good living since I moved accross the pond. The trouble is, I do so much pysical work these days I cannot understand why I am not like a racing whipet!

Kate

[Rosemary]

Hi, Kate

Just wondered how Leroy is?

Rosemary

[pigsatlesrues]

It is a slow process but we are seeing some progress. The pasta is doing the job of filling him up and it goes down as quickly as any other food. His mindset is still if he sees it he wants to eat it and I know he would force himself to eat something else even if he was full up.

If I am in the room he will at least sit and look at a dish of uneaten food since the others eat a lot slower than he does so he just waits.  If I popped out for second he would steal if unsupervised, so I have to be in the room at all times at feed times.

So going in the right direction and getting there. Will keep you posted though.

Kate 

[Rosemary]

Kate, how's Leroy?

[doganjo]

Lots of vegetables, lots of exercise.  If he steals leave a tasty sandwich on the worktop for him - the hottest mustard you can find in a bread and a small amount of butter sandwich. Just treat him as you would yourself if you had put on weight.  Very little dog food, mostly veg.  And don't bother with the specialist foods - they are a con, just overpriced and no dashed good at all.

[sandy]

Hello Kate, I can relate to Labradors, I love my food too...anyway, I find my  young lab piles on the weight when I give her a bit more than she suppose to have, she is young and gets loads of excercise but she needs very little food to keep her healthy. I have had three labs before and as you know, they are very food focused, I am lucky that my dogs have a room where there is nothing else foodwise to get at...that is what I need, my daughter had a very overwieght lab and she changed her firstly into a rake of a dog, a bit like a greyhound, but now she is beautiful, all due to keeping her from food and on a very limited diet but loads of excercise...yes, I know, that is exactly what I need, you have at least given me inspiration for myself,  Sandy (was a Lab in my past life)