[tirluc]

the amount of calories a dog would need to lose and maintain their ideal weight?...do you go by the kcal method?

[Labsnothers]

You go by the ribs. Dogs vary so much that even the most complicated calculations may not work.

Your dog definitely should be narrower at the waist than the hips and chest. You should be able to easily feel the ribs, but not see them. Each dog is different. Standard recommendations are a good place to start, but each dog must have its food and exercise adjusted to its individual needs. Here is a link to a good illustrated guide, http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/RateYourDog.aspx

On the other side of the coin, Peggy came to us at 7 months with her ribs showing. I think I started at about 5 cups a day, more than enough for most Labs. Then 6, and no weight gain until I was dumping 7 cups of Pro Plan a day into her dish.

It still took 2 months to take her from 55 pounds to a lean 70 pounds.

If your dog is over weight, just keep cutting back until you start seeing a slow lose.

Zephyr recently spent 2 weeks here and went from 92 pounds to 86 on 2 1/2 cups of Pro Plan. He will be back over Thanksgiving and likely closer to 70 pounds.

[Michiyo-Fir]

I go by the kcal method. Same for putting on weight.

First, figure out how much your dog is eating right now. By number of cups and kcal per cup of food.

Then depending on the size of the dog and the rate that you want them to lose weight, decrease food intake by lets say 50 or 100 calories (just examples). Then figure out how much that is in cups and decrease by that much.

[FilleBelle]

You all are so scientiftic! I just feed less...

[tirluc]

Labsnothers, that i know to determine idea condition....what i'm looking for is how to go about determining how much to decrease the intake when trying to take off then maintain weight.....

Michiyo, thanks...that's what i was trying to figure out....my sis need to know by how much she should decrease her dogs intake to take off the 5# that she is carrying extra.....

Fille, yeah, i just adjust mine accordingly but she's afraid she'll decrease by too much and the dog won't get enuff....she's not real dog savvy....

thanx, all....

[Kathyy]

I just decrease the food and since my dogs are eating fresh whole foods I also choose leaner meats.

What about figuring the calories in the food fed now, divide that by the pounds the dog weighs, multiply that by 5 and subtract from the food given now? As in dog weighs 50 pounds and eats 1000 calories a day. Dog should weigh 45 pounds so 1000/50=20. 20x5=100. 1000-100=900. Drop food offered by 100 calories in this case.

[chrisn6104]

Originally Posted by FilleBelle

You all are so scientiftic! I just feed less...

Yeah me too. I use this method.
Dog gets a little heavy .... feed less
Dog gets a little thin ..... feed more.
Dog is more active .... feed more
Dog is less active ..... feed less.

Works great.

[TxRider]

I feed mine 90% kibble, scooped in a measuring cup. Starting with what the food says on the bag for their weight.

They get little fatter, I scoop a little less.. Quite scientific.

[DobManiac]

Originally Posted by Labsnothers

Zephyr recently spent 2 weeks here and went from 92 pounds to 86 on 2 1/2 cups of Pro Plan. He will be back over Thanksgiving and likely closer to 70 pounds.

That's a lot of weight loss. I hope you stretched it out over several months.

[Um Shabka]

Originally Posted by Labsnothers

You go by the ribs. Dogs vary so much that even the most complicated calculations may not work.

Your dog definitely should be narrower at the waist than the hips and chest. You should be able to easily feel the ribs, but not see them. Each dog is different. Standard recommendations are a good place to start, but each dog must have its food and exercise adjusted to its individual needs. Here is a link to a good illustrated guide, http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/RateYourDog.aspx

Thanks for the information and site. I've worried that maybe Shabka is too slim, but she has lots of energy and coat is nice an shiny. But it gives peace of mind as this site indicates is she at about perfect weight.

[Labsnothers]

Originally Posted by DobManiac

That's a lot of weight loss. I hope you stretched it out over several months.

I had thought 6 pounds in 2 weeks was reasonable. He didn't seem to be excessive interested in food, just a normal Lab.

[DobManiac]

Originally Posted by Labsnothers

I had thought 6 pounds in 2 weeks was reasonable. He didn't seem to be excessive interested in food, just a normal Lab.

3 lbs a week isn't too bad, but I wouldn't want to keep that up for an excessive amount of time. You mentioned the dog weighs 70 lbs now for a total loss of 22 lbs. That means the dog has lost over 20% of its weight. And a weight loss of 3 lbs a week for that entire time is practically starving him. I would worry about how else that could be effecting his body.

[Labsnothers]

He isn't in my care right now. He is also living in a home with a toddler. I am not sure what he weighs now. My daughter may have checked with the vet about how rapidly to slim him down.