Apartment Dog Weight Management Guidelines

Dog weight management guidelines are important to follow, especially if you live in an apartment. Dogs can gain weight when they live in a confined space and don’t get enough exercise. Therefore, making sure your dog is fed so he maintains a healthy, normal weight is essential if you don’t want him to become sick. Obese dogs are more prone to suffer from such diseases and conditions as high blood pressure, respiratory ailments, diabetes and heart disease than dogs who are the proper weight for their size and breed.

Exercise Is Important

To keep your dog healthy and maintain his weight, increase the amount of exercise he receives. Activities, such as fetching and walking, will help him build strong muscles and keep him lean.

Try Not to Feed Your Dog Table Scraps

To keep your dog from becoming overweight, make it a point not to feed him table scraps as treats. Most table scraps are high in fat, which can lead to issues with weight. Instead, give your dog low-fat treats and reduce the amount of food you feed him at mealtime.

Choosing the Type of Food Your Dog Eats at Mealtime

Try to reduce the amount of flour or sugar your dog has in his diet if he is overweight and increase the amount of protein he receives. For instance, give him wet dog food instead of dry dog food as wet dog food has fewer calories and will fill him up faster. Dry dog food contains flour and extra additives and carbohydrates, which isn’t good for weight loss. You may want to consider giving your dog a commercial “light” dog food, which generally has a higher fiber content and is lower in fat. Increasing your dog’s protein intake and including light foods or vegetables, such as green beans, are also good ways to help your dog maintain a weight that’s ideal for his breed and size.

Serving Requirements

Dogs and puppies have different requirements when it comes to the number of times they are fed during the day. Feed puppies puppy foods as their nutritional needs are different than adult dogs. Puppies who are 6 weeks or younger should be fed with puppy food about ten times per day. For puppies who are 6 to 8 weeks old, feeding should take place around three times per day. Puppies from 2 months to 8 months old should be fed twice a day. After your dog turns 8 months, switch to adult dog food and feed him once a day.

Supplementation Is Helpful

To ensure your dog receives optimum nutrition, supplements may be necessary. Talk to your veterinarian. Omega-3 and omega-6 are both supplements you can add to your dog’s diet. They help keep your dog’s coat shiny, alleviate joint stiffness and pain and contribute to heart health.

Do all you can to give your dog the right amount of food and exercise for his size and breed. Monitor his feeding so he will be healthier and you can enjoy his companionship a lot longer too.