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For dogs to live a long, healthy, and active life, it's important that they maintain a healthy body weight. It’s our responsibility as dog owners to ensure we make choices that provide the best nutrition and health for our pets.
A good rule of thumb for determining if your dog is at a healthy weight is by looking at their rib cage. If your pet is at a healthy weight, you should be able to feel their ribs but not be able to see them. If you can't feel them, this indicates there is too much fat and if you can see them, there is not enough fat.
You can also inspect your dog from overhead to assess their shape. See the chart below for profile examples. If you’re not sure if your dog is at a healthy weight, consult your veterinarian.
HELPING YOUR DOG TO LOSE WEIGHT
When switching from a high-carbohydrate diet such as kibble to a raw dog food diet, a lot of dogs will lose excess weight simply from this switch. This is because most kibble contains sugars and is high in carbohydrates that contribute to weight gain and provide less energy to help dogs to burn fat/calories. Many dry dog foods contain lots of grains & additives that provide calories that make your dog feel full but not with the good nutrients they need to stay healthy & lean.
There are many reasons a dog could be overweight.
A raw dog food diet can help with weight loss and is packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals. An adult dog at a healthy weight and activity level should be eating 2-2.5% of their body weight daily. If your dog is overweight, we suggest a decreased feeding amount. To calculate feeding amounts, use our feeding calculator here.
Additional weight loss suggestions:
Be mindful of the amount and types of extra food given. Many people like to add meal toppers such as vegetables, or fish etc. to add extra nutrients or interest to meals. It is important that these are given in moderation and that the calories/fat in the toppers added are considered especially when seeking weight loss. For example, a Duck egg is approximately 130 calories and 10g of fat while a quail egg is only 14 calories and 1g of fat. It’s important to also consider the number of treats given to pets. Treats are great as an occasional reward or motivator during training, however these can be easily overlooked as a contributor to overfeeding. Limit how many treats you are giving your pet daily.
The daily portion should include all food including treats & toppers. When you weigh your pet’s food portion daily, be sure to include food toppers ( for example eggs, bone broth, veggies etc.) in your calculations to ensure you are not overfeeding.
Choose lower-fat protein options. When making meal choices for weight loss, it's important to consider the calorie and fat content of the proteins selected. Protein rotation is very important in raw feeding, but you can choose to rotate more of the leaner proteins such as the ones listed below.
Add in a high-quality probiotic. Feeding probiotics daily to your pet help to balance the gut microbiome and help digestion as well as their immune system. Our Pre-probiotic Healthy Gut is a great daily supplement or you can choose a liquid option like bone broth or goat milk.
Add tripe to meals. Tripe contains concentrated calories that are packed with nutrients. It can help with weight maintenance/loss as it helps dogs to feel full without putting on weight from fat. Learn more about tripe here.
Top 5 Product Options for Weight Loss
*Amounts listed are per 100g
Chicken & Lamb - 164 | 10.6g
HELPING YOUR DOG TO GAIN WEIGHT
Some pets require weight-gain or struggle with gaining weight for a number of reasons including activity level, age, breed, and/or metabolism.
Tips for helping your dog increase weight
Determine the right daily portion for your pet. Our feeding calculator will help to determine recommended portion sizes however sometimes dogs will require more than this amount because of one of the factors mentioned above.
Include higher fat and/or calorie proteins. Selecting higher calorie options to rotate can help with weight gain. You can also consider adding other meal toppers to increase calorie/protein intake. View our blog on bowl boosters here.
Add in a high-quality probiotic. Feeding probiotics daily to your pet help to balance the gut microbiome and help digestion as well as their immune system. Our Pre-probiotic Healthy Gut is a great daily supplement or you can add a liquid option like bone broth or goat milk to your pet’s bowl.
Add tripe to diet. Whether your dog is simply underweight or recovering from illness, adding Green tripe to your dog’s meals can help boost calories to help them put on weight faster. It’s packed with calories made up of vitamins, minerals, and nutrition your dog’s system will thrive on.
Top 5 Product Options for Weight Gain
*Amounts listed are per 100g
Pure Turkey -180 | 13.1
If your pet is consistently losing weight, severely fluctuating in weight and/or is struggling to keep weight on, please consult your veterinarian as weight loss can be a symptom of something more serious.
