Ensuring your pet eats well is an essential part of taking care of them. However, it can be tempting to feed your furry friends a bit more than usual when they’re extra affectionate or when they won’t stop yowling until you give them what they want. Additionally, the prospect of tubby pets appeals to some pet owners, which may incentivize them to provide them with more treats or food.
However, all pets must maintain a healthy weight to protect them from debilitating illnesses. Even a few pounds of extra weight can compromise their health and wellness, as they’ll be more prone to developing health issues like heart disease or type 2 diabetes. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to ensure your pet stays at a healthy weight, reducing the risk of illness. Here are six tips to follow:
Visit Your Vet Regularly
The first thing you’ll need to do is to visit your vet, who will evaluate your pet’s health and weight and make recommendations according to their findings. They can also give you a solid plan for helping your pet achieve a healthy weight. Be sure to take your pet back to the vet periodically so they can assess their progress.
Create Goals
Weight gain or loss is a complicated journey that must be taken slowly to avoid severe health issues. To ensure steady progress, set weight milestones and monitor your pet’s progress accordingly through monthly weigh-ins, visual remarks of their body shape and activity levels, and taking them to the vet.
Involve the Whole Household
If you share your home with your family, partner, or housemates, it’s best to get them involved. Doing so will prevent them from giving in to puppy-dog eyes and offering more treats and food to your pet outside of feeding hours. Encourage them to show their love in other ways, such as bringing out their favorite toy or giving cuddles.
Control Their Portions
Another great way to help your pet maintain a healthy weight is through feeding them healthy pet food and controlling their portions. That means feeding them an exact amount of food each day according to their current weight and the target weight goal. If your pet begs you for food between meals, you can opt to set aside a portion of their meal and give it to them throughout the day. Another option is to give them fresh, healthy food, which is lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein.
Make Mealtime More Fun
Sometimes, portion control isn’t enough, so the next best step is to make them work for their meals. For instance, you can use a puzzle feeder, which will extend your pet’s mealtime while making them work for their food. You can also move their bowls to different places to encourage them to ‘hunt’ for their food while allowing them to exercise.
Get Them to Exercise More
Exercise also plays a critical role in helping your pet keep a healthy weight. If your pet is overweight, then you’ll need to lengthen and intensify your daily exercise routine. Luckily, this can manifest in many ways, like a longer game of fetch, an afternoon of running around the dog park, or a longer, faster walk outside. Regardless of the activity you choose, be sure to target at least 30 minutes of exercise at the appropriate level.
Conclusion
Like humans, pets must be at a healthy weight to be free of complicated health issues. By following these tips and keeping them on a diet of healthy pet food, your pet will live a long and happy life.
Wags to Wiskers is an Ann Arbor pet store selling healthy pet food and local pet supplies specially chosen to give your pet the best of the best. We also offer grooming services, making us a one-stop shop for your pet’s needs. Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you!