by Maggi Thomas

Created on: September 03, 2010

Generally speaking, a pet dog gains weight due unhealthy food habits and lack of exercise. It is therefore important to help your overweight dog to lose weight and prevent problems like, difficulty while moving, acute pains in legs and joints and other general inconveniences to carry out its day to day activities. Besides, they may also experience respiratory problems and lack quality life.

Every owner should watch and look out for the signs. This can be observed by feeling the dog’s ribs or when it jumps up to catch a ball or Frisbee. During an annual check-up a vet finds out if the pet dog id overweight, ways to lose weight and qualify for pet insurance. A vet can by observing a pet dog and it’s daily activities like sleeping, eating, sleeping and exercise help find out the exact cause for overweight and suggest cures. 

Any owner help his pet dog by building a habit in his pet dog to not overeat and also eat healthy nutritious food with less fat and salt.  An owner can train his pet dog to be disciplined, obedient and help his pet dog to lose weight faster. A total one day fast in a week could help burn extra calories.

The pet dog could be helped by a high fiber diet to feel full and also to detoxify the body to remove fats deposited on the bones. The owner should never encourage the pet dog begging at the table or eating table scraps.  It is best to give the pet dog a full meal before the family sits down for it. The pet dog can be put in another room while the family eats their meal.

Exercise which helps a pet dog to lose weight must be fun and enjoyable.  The owner and his family can start by playing a game of hide and seek. Then they can start taking the pet dog for longer walks, increasing the speed gradually and ultimately encouraging the pet dog to jog or run with the owner. Playing with a ball or Frisbee could be a fun filled exercise activity..Losing weight would surely help in pet insurance also.  

An owner should not forget it’s occasional teats but help the pet dog by giving it a good treat after a good physical activity session.  He should never encourage his pet dog to eat table scraps and never leave food around always. These activities  would not help but hinder a pet dog to lose weight and get disqualified for pet insurance. 

Exercise with a good nutritious balanced diet in correct quantity can help your pet dog to lose weight and maintain it. The owner and his pet dog both need to lose weight and remain healthy. Hence exercise with controlled diet could be an activity an owner could take up with his pet dog to lose weight.

By maintaining a good health both the owner and pet dog would also find it easy to qualify for medical insurance and pet insurance. This will come as an added advantage to its good health!

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