There are few important factors that go hand in hand with obesity in canines including size of the dog, over-feeding/portion size and level of exercise. Diets must be fed at a balanced rate compared to the amount of activity your pup is doing. If you own a lap dog, who would rather lounge than play, you want to stay away from high calorie diets. Not only should you keep track of calories, but you should be cautious where those calories are coming from.
Calories from carbohydrates have a much quicker effect on the blood-glucose levels helping the body to maintain stability. Obesity in canines not only makes our pups unhealthy, but it ultimately shortens their life. It’s important to maintain your dog’s weight so they can live their lives to the fullest.
Size Of Your Dog
Smaller sized dogs have higher metabolic rates, meaning they must take in more calories per pound than larger breeds. This is because smaller dogs have smaller bodies leading to short digestion tracks, allowing the food to enter and leave the body faster than large breeds. They need to be supplied with more calorically dense food to maintain muscle mass, and energy for activity.
With that being said, it’s important we feed them with high quality protein and fat sources, rather than high levels of carbohydrates. We want to keep a low-glycemic index on carb sources for small breeds to keep their metabolism moving quick and at a healthy weight. Small dogs are also known for having a longer life span, leading them to experience more age-related illness such as decreased digestion and immune system function.
Medium to large sized dogs grow a lot more throughout their adolescence than smaller breeds due to the size of their skeletal structure. Owners must control large dogs’ nutrient intake because growing too fast can also lead to health issues. Large dog breeds’ skeletal structure suffer more under heavy weight due to the effects of gravity and being higher off the ground. Since they grow at such a rapid rate, large dog breeds typically need to be supplied with more food to support the muscle and skeletal structure.
On the other hand, we still want large dog breeds to be fed high quality proteins to support their joints and mobility, while also supplementing calcium and phosphorus. To calculate the rate for feeding according to your dog’s size, both for bone strength and structure, check out our article here.
Portion Size and Quality
One size fits all is not recommended by Wise Woofs when it comes to feeding your pup since all dogs have different needs. While we can follow a basic understanding by counting calories and keeping track of the contents in our dog food, it’s important to remember, diets are never the same for everyone.
To understand this, we can imagine the range as a bell curve for each size breed of dog; A bell curve is a graph used to show distribution.
The black line shown in the chart below, represents 22 pounds or the average weight. The purple and pink lines on the left represent the smallest of the small breeds, where the lines on the right show the biggest of the small breeds. A small breed has an average weight of about 22 pounds but have been known to reach up to 40 pounds. However, some smaller dogs like chihuahuas will never weigh more than eight pounds.
We can use the chart in the same way for large breeds – Average size on the black middle line, and then smaller large breeds on the left and largest big breeds on the right. When we consider the right side of the curve, you can have a dog ranging from 120 to 170 pounds. Both are considered large breeds but the 120 pound dog won’t need as many nutrients and calories as the 170 pound dog.
The NRC, National Research Council, has some daily recommendation intakes for contents in our dog’s food. Smaller dogs have a faster digestion process, but also a smaller belly and digestive tract. For small breeds, to avoid over feeding and over supplying, it is recommended to feed a few times a day rather than two large meals. This allows them to use the nutrients they are receiving as they get them and don’t lead to excess in the blood and body.
For large breeds, it is recommended to serve two larger meals a day. This allows them to absorb and use the nutrients given from meal one, prior to meal two which avoids excess nutrients as well as proper energy supply.
Age of Dog
The chances of your dog becoming obese increases with age due to the natural decrease in mobility and energy. Older dogs typically endure less exercise yet continue to take in the same amount of calories and nutrients from their diet. When extra nutrients are not used, they begin to store in the body for the next time they may need it. This is what begins formatting fat on the body leading to obesity in canines.
Similar to small breeds, as our dogs get older, it is recommended to feed smaller amounts more frequently throughout the day. This allows them to use the nutrients they receive rather than storing them in the body for later use. After all, we want our dogs to live happy, healthy lives!
