Just like humans, it is mandatory for dogs as well to maintain ideal body weight for a healthy life. Dogs in most scenarios are supposed to lose weight because sometimes dogs end up being lethargic and lazy but sometimes dogs are also required to gain weight as they end up being malnourished.
There are various reasons behind a dog being underweight like an adopted former stray dog recovering from illness or injury or just not eating well enough. This scenario can be reversed with proper nutrition intake, raw food diet, and adding weight gain snacks and supplements in their diet.
Why do you need to keep a check on your dog’s weight?
There are clear signs through which one can tell if their dog is under-weighting or not like:
Profile check
Check the crouch level of your dog from the side and see if its abdomen is tucked up and is visibly curving upwards from the rib cages.
Rib check
Run both your hands across your dog’s rib cage while they are in a comfortable standing position. You need to check how easily you can feel their spine, ribs, tailbone, and hips.
Overhead check
Check if you can see the waist behind their ribs from your dog’s overhead angle.
A lower level of energy
Monitor your pup’s energy level and eating habits. See if they are facing depression or anxiety.
Shedding coat
Check whether your fur friend is losing their coat and is facing dull skin.
When these signs show, that means the situation is worrisome and your dog is not eating as per the requirement.
The ideal weight for your fur buddy
Ideal weight for dogs widely depends on the age of the dog, gender, and also the breed to which it belongs. This information is easily available in a table for ideal pet weight, which is suggested by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. They provide you with a weight range that is breed and gender-specific and will educate you about the ideal weight of your pup.
If none of the above suggestions works, you can also use the Purina Body Condition Score to determine the ideal weight of your dog. Vets use this body condition score in which they use visual and touch inspection to rate the state of your dog’s ribs, tummy, and waistline.
After the inspection, they categorize your dog under three heads, which is based on comparing your dog’s appearance and the palpating of their ribs to the standard diagram. Those three heads are:
- Too thin—body condition score = 1-3
- Ideal—body condition score = 4-5
- Too heavy—body condition score = 6-9
Reasons for the weight loss
Multiple reasons lead to weight loss among dogs. Some of those reasons are.
– You need to reevaluate the diet of your dog because if your dog is eating their regular diet and still losing weight, then they need a bigger portion now.
– Age of your pup also plays a vital role in the loss of weight. Adult dogs lose weight with every passing year, but puppies have more fat in them.
– If your dog is facing a sudden drop in appetite, then there are high chances that your dog has some sort of sickness or injury that needs to be acknowledged as soon as possible.
– Stress-induced weight loss is also a thing with dogs that happens when your dog faces anxiety or stress, which can be minimized with the help of dog trainers.
– Sometimes dogs aren’t eating enough because they are picky eaters and are not liking the taste, texture, or meal timings. In that case, a little experimentation with the food can serve the purpose.
– A newly adopted stray dog can also be a victim of losing weight and they need all the love, support, and cuddle to deal with their trauma and help them with the weight gain.
How to increase your dog’s weight
For proper weight and health, you need to give your dog a balanced intake of diet, exercise, play, and sleep time. This balance is extremely important for your dog’s perfect health and will increase the lifespan of your dog by 2 years.
Here are some tips you can follow for your dog’s proper health:
High protein raw food diet
If your dog is under-weighing, you need to feed your dog a diet that is rich in fat and protein and will help your dog gain weight over time. Your dog can get all the required nutrients from packaged complete raw dog food. For doing this, build an eating plan and begin with a 90% old diet and a 10% new diet. Keep increasing this proportion until you reach the 100% target. Add food products like eggs, meat, vegetables, and fruits.
You can also add full-fat cottage cheese and quinoa, which contains a full spectrum of essential amino acids needed for muscle building. You can also add organic superfoods like lean meat, sweet potatoes, peanut butter, and pumpkin to the diet that can help with weight gain. Avoid giving them large portions and divide their meal into multiple small portions.
The weight you dog regularly and maintain a health journal
Weight your pet weekly. This tool will help you journal any losses, gains, or weight maintenance over time. Also, keep track of their daily meals, which must include the portion size and calorie count, treat intake, exercise routine, behavior, and weight. This journal will help you understand and strategize the gain or loss and the weight management of your pup.
Add exercise to their daily routine
Exercise helps in building muscle mass and adding bulk to their body. It also helps in increasing appetite because of the boost inactivity. Ask your vet about the workout type and technique suggested for your dog to gain weight.
Conclusion
Your fur friend requires all the attention and love from their dog parents to be healthy and safe. So as a dog parent, make sure that you talk to your vet about the dog’s ideal weight and discuss all the steps that you’re willing to take for your dog’s health.
Also, ask them for their suggestion and in case they suggest any supplement, make sure you use them for the betterment of your dog.
