# Question about my chi's weight...



## hoclaho (Feb 9, 2013)

Hey! I'm new here, and I posted in the Newbies forum already.  But now I want to ask my question... I put it here instead on in Diet and Nutrition just because it's more broad of a question than just his food intake... Okay, so I have a 3 year old long-haired chihuahua named Toulouse. Ever since I've had him, from 15 weeks old, he has been a big chihuahua. Not fat, but large. He's absolutely precious with his white fur, cream patches, and pink and black nose, but nobody wanted him because he was such a large male chihuahua. Except me, of course, so I lucked out! 

But anyway, other than being big, he never really had a problem with being overweight; he used to be lean, easy to see his waistline, muscular... But when he was neutered about a year and a half ago, things changed... Look, I know that getting them fixed doesn't CAUSE them to get fat. But it did change his metabolism, and he started eating like a downright piglet. And my family, including me sometimes, enabled him. He gained weight pretty fast after that. His ideal weight is somewhere around 10 pounds at the lightest. (He was almost that much when he was a puppy! And not fat! His son is super lean and long, and he's 9 pounds.) 

Now he is 14 pounds. Yeah, that's a lot. He's definitely overweight, but he's not extremely obese looking. You can still feel his ribs if you put your hands on his sides, and his stomach isn't almost touching the ground or anything, but he's still chunky. I'm not in denial about that, haha. He goes to the vet regularly, and he said to feed him 100 calories a day, about 1/4 cup of the food I have. Ever since I started doing that, he hasn't really lost much weight, but maybe a little since then. I split it up twice a day, morning and evening. But it's so little food, he acts like he's starving all the time. Is this okay? My family falls for it every time he goes to their houses, but I've banned them from feeding him extra treats. He's recently switched to Wellness Core Reduced Fat food; do you think that will keep him more full? It's supposed to have a lot of protein and fiber, and no grains, which is good because they mess with his stomach.

He gets a moderate amount of exercise a week, but not nearly enough. He's a lazy dog, and I'm a full time student so I do the best I can. He goes on walks a couple times a week, but I need to take him on a lot more. He plays a lot, and he runs around for hours at my mom's house once a week. I know that's not enough, but how much would be enough to start seeing a difference? How long and how often should I walk him? What's a sure way to see results? 

I'm asking all this because he seems to be at a stand still. He's been stuck at 14 pounds a while now. He was 15, but that was a while ago... But I guess that means he's losing some. But lately it's been pretty stagnant. Do I cut back even more on his food? He acts like he's a starving animal. How much exercise would be effective?

None of the vets I've been to have checked his thyroid or anything; two of them just acted like I was irresponsible, in denial, and a bad pet owner, despite my agreement and concern about his weight. One of them acted like he was supposed to be like... 7 pounds. He was 7 pounds when I brought him home at 15 weeks old. I'll go with 10 pounds, but if he gets down to 11, I'll be so relieved.

Any advice? Thank you so much for reading!! 

P.S. I tried to post a picture, so you can see what I'm talking about. You can see he's definitely a little sausage dog, but not a balloon.


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## TLI (Sep 3, 2008)

First, he's absolutely adorable!! Second, you can't tell he weighs 14 lbs. My guess would have been 10 lbs. He is quite 'round' through the mid-section. He appears to be pretty compact, and larger boned. If he weighs 14 lbs. now, he'd be skin and bones at 7 lbs. Just by judging by the pic, I'd say even at 12 lbs he'd be in pretty good optimal condition. All you really need to do is cut his portion size back. Schedule feed so you know for sure his intake. No table food. If you want to offer treats, use tiny bites of his food. Also, neutering does cause weight gain. You are removing hormones that regulate weight and changes their metabolism. Not all dogs gain weight from spay and neutering, but many do. You just have to reduce his food intake and up his exercise. I've been through this on a smaller scale. Less weight loss needed. Weight loss will hit a plateau. Don't get discouraged. Just keep up with portion control, no treats, and more exercise.


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## hoclaho (Feb 9, 2013)

Thanks for the reply! 

I'm glad he doesn't look too overweight... He's really dense and has a lot of muscle along with the fat, so that might be why he's so heavy. I'm glad 12 pounds doesn't seem unreasonable. I think 11-12 pounds would be good.

I wasn't sure if it would be okay to cut back his food even more from 1/4 a cup a day... He'd barely be getting anything. But I guess I could try green beans again too; I've done that before.

Thank you so much for the support and encouragement! :daisy:


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## rubia (Jul 3, 2008)

Green Beans !!! Seriously you have a dog that loves to eat. So you have to give him some treats that a low in calories and not bad for him. My dogs weighs 4 and a half pounds and I feed him green beans--he loves them. Mine would eat all day long if I let him. some pups just love food. I also give carrots, fruitables and some other lo-cal high nutrient treats. I put his kibble in a food-ball or a puppy puzzle so it takes him longer to eats and gives him something else to do. He gets a good amount of exercise but we have about 36 inches of snow outside the door at this moment


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## hoclaho (Feb 9, 2013)

Haha, thank ya! Green beans it is then! He liked them pretty well when I did that before. I stopped because I guess I got discouraged or something... Putting his food in a food ball is a great idea! I might have to try that!


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## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

I would increase his exercise. If he is not taking walks that much even starting short walks everyday will help and building up his endurance. It will not only help him lose weight but will be healthy for him.


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## AnnHelen (Nov 29, 2010)

My tips are: they will always beg...don't feed more than a little meal twice daily. Walk for at least 2-3-4 hours a day  Only give a couple of treats in the weekend.

I know it's hard, but it's the only way to keep them for longer <3


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## Tink (Oct 14, 2009)

What are you feeding him? Did you already say? Some foods have way more fat than others, some are nutritionally inadequate and provide lots of fillers. The point being that it's not just the quanity of food you're feeding him, it's also the quality of it. And of course he's going to be even more hungry if you're feeding him a food that is laden with fillers and is nutritionally inadequate.

My dogs are both 3.5 pounds, give or take a fluctuation of an ounce or two. They each get 1/8th cup kibble twice a day. They eat a superior 5 - 6 star kibble and it keeps them at their perfect weight.

I'd suggest you really do your homework regarding what he's eating and whether it's the best nutritionally for him. 

Here's a good website to get you started: Dog Food Analysis - Reviews of kibble


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## Angel1210 (Mar 14, 2011)

Wellness Core is what I feed, but not the reduced calorie one. It may not be filling him up. I think my biggest problem with Angel is that he doesn't chew his food. Does he chew his food?

I also feed The Honest Kitchen Embark. I feed one eighth cup of each per day. You may want to check into feeding raw. I see a lot of dogs on here that healthy and keep a good weight with it!


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## Lola's mom 2013 (Aug 25, 2010)

He does not look that big to me it is hard to tell with him sitting down. I would just reduce his food and healthy snacks like everyone else said. He looks like a puppy he is very cute. Lola is fed a raw diet and does really well but even with tat you have to be really careful. One benefit is her teeth are so small and crooked when we got her they were brown. Now they are the brightest white color fantastic for chihuahua teeth. It looks like she is a puppy with the teeth she has.what I have been told about weight is when you run your hands down you dogs sides you should feel ribs without pushing in. You don't want to see ribs just feel them. Now that I feel Lola someone needs her food cut back. Being cooped up in the winter doesn't help.


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## Tink (Oct 14, 2009)

Wellness Core is a good food. I didn't know they made a grain free reduced fat version. Some dogs, just like some humans, don't do well with a diet high in carbohydrates and starches, and you're not getting a lot of carbs in a grain free kibble. But you might try comparing labels, because even grain free dog foods have carbs and starches from the ingredients they do include. In an effort to reduce the fat in the food, but keep the flavor, it's possible they've limited the meat but upped the fruits and veggies and things like potato starches and such, which can increase the carb content dramatically. 

As a point of comparison for you, my dogs are 3.5 pounds each. They each get a total of 1/4 cup of grain free kibble a day, which keeps them at their ideal weights. If you're only feeding your dog 1/4 cup total as well, and he's gaining, or at least not losing, that tells me one of four things:

1. The food he's on, not matter the quality, is adding weight for some reason.
2. He's under exercised.
3. He's getting too many treats or other food in between his actual meals. 
4. A medical condition

It could be any one of these things, a combination of them, or all of them. 

I would get him checked out thoroughly at your Vet's, with a complete blood panel to see where all his levels are. 

Do a food comparison, as mentioned above. You can obviously afford decent food. So make what you purchase as nutrient dense and as carb/starch limited as possible. 

I'd cut out EVERY SINGLE TREAT he currently gets, whether it's treats you give him as a training reward, or ones you hand out just because, or the "treats" he gets when he scarfs around in the kitchen looking for what's on the floor that he can gobble up. And that DEFINITELY has to include the treats or other food he's pampered with from your folks. Double check with them to make SURE they're not giving him extra stuff when you're not looking. Use bits of his kibble as a treat if you actually NEED to treat him for some reason....training, NILIF, whatever. 

I would increase his exercise considerably. While I'm sympathetic to the schedule you keep as a student, I also have concern for your dog, and it sounds like you do too. No, he's not a balloon. But he is a sausage, and that additional weight is contributing to all kinds of future health problems which I'm sure you want to avoid. If you can't walk him more than you already do, then play games with him. Chase him around the coffee table. Play tug. Throw a ball that he can run after, even if he doesn't bring it back. Increasing his activity level doesn't just mean walks, it means ANYTHING that keeps him on his feet and moving as opposed to being curled up on the couch or your lap. 

And one last thing. Some dogs are just food hounds. They will act like they're starving even when they're so obese they can barely move! I have one of those (not the obese part, the food hound part) in Tango. He always acts like he's just positively STARVING and if he doesn't get food RIGHT THIS MINUTE A Horrible Thing will happen! :nshocked2: 

I just don't buy it. He's always the one tearing around the kitchen with his nose to the floor looking for crumbs. I treat my kitchen now the way I used to treat it when I had toddlers who would crawl around on the floor and put anything they found in their mouths. It's always swept or picked up. He would beg for food if he were allowed to be where we are when we're eating. He has to be put up when my grand kids are over, because he'd take the food right out of their little hands....as toddlers, their hands are at the perfect height. 

Tango is at his ideal weight but acts like I'm starving the crap out of him. Jazz is also at her ideal weight, and though she's excited at meal time (because she's hungry by then) she doesn't go crazy like Tango does when there's food in her environment. 

Some dogs are just like that. So don't please buy into your dog's little act. He is definitely not starving because he's definitely overweight. 

I hope you're tenacious about getting some of that weight off of him. It's not good for him and is only going to lead to more problems as he ages.


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## intent2smile (Dec 4, 2011)

Tink said:


> Wellness Core is a good food. I didn't know they made a grain free reduced fat version. Some dogs, just like some humans, don't do well with a diet high in carbohydrates and starches, and you're not getting a lot of carbs in a grain free kibble. But you might try comparing labels, because even grain free dog foods have carbs and starches from the ingredients they do include. In an effort to reduce the fat in the food, but keep the flavor, it's possible they've limited the meat but upped the fruits and veggies and things like potato starches and such, which can increase the carb content dramatically.
> 
> As a point of comparison for you, my dogs are 3.5 pounds each. They each get a total of 1/4 cup of grain free kibble a day, which keeps them at their ideal weights. If you're only feeding your dog 1/4 cup total as well, and he's gaining, or at least not losing, that tells me one of four things:
> 
> ...


Great post!! Jaxx is like Tango and acts like he is being starved but he is his ideal weight. I agree about the playing catch and such indoors. I usually have a pile of toys sitting beside me when I am doing school work. That way I can always throw a toy and Jaxx can chase after them while I get assignments completed. I know that a students life is busy. There are days when I have to find the time to exercise Jaxx. Jaxx on a normal day usually gets a 2-3 hour walk but if I am busy with school work I can always find 30 minutes somewhere to walk him even if it is just 30 minutes before I go to bed because I know it is what is good for him. I am sure if you find time here and there to exercise him you will see a huge difference in his weight overtime.


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## hoclaho (Feb 9, 2013)

Tink said:


> Wellness Core is a good food. I didn't know they made a grain free reduced fat version. Some dogs, just like some humans, don't do well with a diet high in carbohydrates and starches, and you're not getting a lot of carbs in a grain free kibble. But you might try comparing labels, because even grain free dog foods have carbs and starches from the ingredients they do include. In an effort to reduce the fat in the food, but keep the flavor, it's possible they've limited the meat but upped the fruits and veggies and things like potato starches and such, which can increase the carb content dramatically.
> 
> As a point of comparison for you, my dogs are 3.5 pounds each. They each get a total of 1/4 cup of grain free kibble a day, which keeps them at their ideal weights. If you're only feeding your dog 1/4 cup total as well, and he's gaining, or at least not losing, that tells me one of four things:
> 
> ...



Wow, thank you so much for such a thorough reply... I appreciate it! And you're absolutely right about all of it. I've been thinking recently about getting a blood panel. I hope they're not too expensive, but I know it needs to be done... Even just for reassurance that nothing is wrong. 

He's on the last day switching over from his other food to Wellness Core Reduced Fat, so we'll see if it makes a difference. I read so many reviews about it and they all say promising things... I hope so. But, yeah, I think it's the only or one of the only grain-free reduced fat foods. The ingredient label has lots of fruits and vegetables after the meat, so hopefully it will keep him full a little better. He does chew his food, but he scarfs it. I think I might give a food ball a shot too, haha. The past couple days I have been trying to do at least something active with him. Saturday I ran around like a crazy person in the front yard with him for a while, ha... There's a steep slope in the yard down to the sidewalk, and he kept running up and down it, so he got a little workout! And there was lots of walking at the Mardi Gras parade today.

Also, I just thought about something... I go to my mom's house every Sunday with him, and the "bonies" are a big thing over there... Sometimes she overindulgences them with rawhide (or that other stuff like it?) chew sticks. I betcha that's putting a big damper on things. But he is so incredibly excited about it, I wouldn't know how to tell her or him that he can't have any! He ends up only eating one, but they're a little on the bigger side compared to the super skinny ones. Do you think one of those would be okay a week if I cut back a little on his food that day? If not, is there any alternative? 

Thanks everybody else for the replies too! I really appreciate all the help. :love2:


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

Rawhides are not a good idea because they have a tendency to block up the bowels. I'd recommend bully sticks, they're totally safe to eat and very nutritious, made out of bull pizzles. And of course nothing is better for a dog than a raw bone, yum!

I know how hard it is not to feed them all the time. Mine is the exact same way, he acts as though he never gets any food and I'm such a bad mummy and his little life is just over. He would eat himself to a coma if given the chance.

The way I handle it is I feed two small meals a day, we are working on manners and remaining calm with food, he lies down now before coming to eat. At the table he has been taught to keep his paws on the floor (NO pawing my chair, climbing legs, etc). He usually sits next to my feet quietly. Depending what I am eating I will offer the tiniest possible morsel to him. For example if I have pasta, he gets ONE elbow macaroni noodle for behaving while I eat. Not enough to add a lot of fat but enough to make him happy and me feel a bit less mean. He does not get access to bully sticks and other treats all the time, though this is mostly because we don't allow them on the carpet. He gets them when he is left, though he's usually too anxious to chew them, and when I take showers or am cleaning.

I walk him every day. Lately that has been decreased because I am chronically ill and had a flare up that had me in the ER, and walking increased pain, but it has been gradually dying down and I have been increasing my walks as I can. Now we walk most days, just to the park down the road. I let him off the lead and he runs and runs, and I sometimes try to jog with him if I am not hurting that day. I'll sometimes throw a stick for him as well. Twice a week we go on long hikes along the river, usually 3 miles or more. He loves those and they are a weekend event with my aunt and her hound.

On days we don't walk we play indoors. Does your boy like toys? If he does, set up a toy box for him with lots of his favorite types of toys. Douglas loves skineez and stuffed toys, and he also appreciates a rubber squeaky duck I got him. He will pull his toys out on his own and play by himself, but I always sit down with him at least once during the day and throw his toys and play tug of war with him. I can do this even when I am in pain, so it is a good solution for us, and it gets him up and moving and he moves around and runs in circles playing.

I also would suggest a blood panel, especially if upping exercise and the lower calorie food doesn't help. You could wait a week though and see if there's any change, might help in terms of not spending money you don't absolutely have to.
'
He is pudgy, but oh so cute! He will be much happier without the added strain on his joints and it will help in the long run to lose the weight. It's great you are thinking about it now, rather than wait until he is obese. It will be easier to get rid of it on a young, pudgy dog than an older, huge dog. 

Also, because of reasons, my five pound Douglas on this regimen. He actually needs to lose a couple of ounces but he will- it's the fault of a month of not being able to walk like I should because I was so sick. It's very hard to see in pictures but I notice..his belly is a bit different shape and a tiny bit bigger than I want, I like his waist nice and tucked in. Ribs aren't visible though.


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## Tink (Oct 14, 2009)

Here's a really good visual aid and other recommendations for you to categorize your dog's weight issue. It's way easier to see what we're talking about here in terms of "ideal weight" than it is to explain it. 

How to Evaluate Your Dog's Weight - For Dummies

(Ignore the "for dummies" part...that's part of the title, not my addition  )
Tango has less of a midsection tuck than Jazz, who is built very differently than Tango. Tango's shorter, more squat, stockier, and even though their exercise is the same, is more muscular. Jazz is leaner, more leggy, finer boned with less muscle. So visually they look somewhat different even though they are within a couple ounces of each other in weight. 

Ditto what Moonfall said on the rawhides. If your folks MUST give him something, have them switch to a bully stick. Ideally they would get behind your dog's weight loss program and not give him anything at all. But if they won't keep themselves in check, they you need to compensate for what he's getting by reducing his food intake by the same caloric amount for that day. Also, instead of giving him some kind of chewy, maybe they could be convinced to give him slices of raw carrot or green beans....much less fattening and less calories.

Am I to understand that you are planning to feed him Wellness reduced fat, but haven't started yet? Your first post led me to believe that that's what he was on, but your last gave me the impression that you hadn't done the switch yet. Get him on that food right away if he's not on it yet.


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## Lola's mom 2013 (Aug 25, 2010)

Wow I did not realize the ribs should show so much. Looks like Lola needs a diet. I feel them when I run my hands down her sides but I cannot see them like they show in the picture.


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## Tink (Oct 14, 2009)

Lola's mom 2013 said:


> Wow I did not realize the ribs should show so much. Looks like Lola needs a diet. I feel them when I run my hands down her sides but I cannot see them like they show in the picture.


It does depend somewhat on the dog, so don't go overboard!  You can just barely see Jazz's ribs, but you can't see Tango's even though you can feel them. But the reason is, in Tango's case, he has a completely different coat than Jazz. Tango's double coated...a very short, soft undercoat, topped by his regular coat, which gives him a slight ruff around the neck, even though he's an SC. Jazz on the other hand has a very fine coat with no undercoat whatsoever, so she's almost naked on her chest and belly. Consequently when I run my hands over them, though I can easily feel ribs and backbone on both, it still feels different one to the other. It's important you take into account ALL factors, and use good judgment when making your evaluation. 

It stands to reason that with differing coats, the visual and the feel will be different. Personally I pay more attention to the belly tuck for both mine, which is much harder to hide no matter what kind of coat the dog has.

When you look at mine from the side, both have a distinct tuck up behind their rib cages. And when you view them from above, there's also a definite indentation behind their rib cages as well. You can see that tummy tuck in my siggy picture, though it's more easily viewed on Jazz than on Tango because of the camera angle.

Edited to add: The chart even mentions the coat thing. _"Breeds with heavy coats need closer scrutiny because you probably can’t see ribs even when the dog is underweight, so try the next two steps for a more complete assessment."_


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

Tink said:


> Tango has less of a midsection tuck than Jazz, who is built very differently than Tango. Tango's shorter, more squat, stockier, and even though their exercise is the same, is more muscular. Jazz is leaner, more leggy, finer boned with less muscle. So visually they look somewhat different even though they are within a couple ounces of each other in weight.


Tango=Hope
Jazz=Ruby

You describe it perfectly! It is amazing how build affects look. Ruby weighs about 4 ounces more than Hope but people swear Hope weighs more. 

Thanks for the chart. I think a LOT of people are surprised but how a Chi should look. In my area, most Chis are sausages!


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## SkyAtBlue (Jul 25, 2010)

I know this is off topic, but your boy is shaved. What is his coat like when it grows back? Is his coat different since you shaved It? Sorry for the inconvenient ques. My boy became very barreled after he was neutered too. He was nice and slime at 9lbs. Now he is 14lbs too. I can't feel his ribs though. I have cut down his food, put him on low calorie intake and nothing. He looks like a balloon to me!


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## Tink (Oct 14, 2009)

I don't know who you're directing your question to about being shaved. 

Also, as far as neutering and weight gain, Tango was neutered at around 8 months, shortly after I rescued him. His weight jumped a bit after that, so I just had to work harder on his diet, treats and exercise.


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## Tink (Oct 14, 2009)

jesuschick said:


> Thanks for the chart. I think a LOT of people are surprised but how a Chi should look. In my area, most Chis are sausages!


I see a few Chihuahuas when I go to the pet store with mine, and it's sad to me how many are overweight. Well, how many dogs, period, are overweight.  It's SO bad for them....their overall health, their internal organs, skeletal systems...everything is affected by obesity, just like with humans I guess. 

These little guys are completely dependent on us to keep them healthy. They have no choices, which makes it even more upsetting to me when I see overweight dogs. I'm sure in most cases the owner means well, but they're essentially KILLING their dogs with their "kindness" when they overfeed them, give them treats, feed them from the table. 

Especially if you have a dog who won't self-regulate (Jazz will, Tango won't) it becomes even more important to be their advocate.


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## Lola's mom 2013 (Aug 25, 2010)

Lola has a pretty thick coat especially around her neck she has a pretty stocky build. Her waist does go in. Sometimes she looks thicker in the winter but with the weather we have we don't get out much so that does not help. You most definitely cannot see her ribs but when you run her hands down her aides you can feel the. She looks to me like she may have put on a little weight maybe 1/2 a pound. She is funny she will leave food behind if she is done and she is not a food hog. I worry because she eats so little sometimes. Sometimes she will not even eat breakfast.


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## SkyAtBlue (Jul 25, 2010)

Tink said:


> I don't know who you're directing your question to about being shaved.
> 
> Also, as far as neutering and weight gain, Tango was neutered at around 8 months, shortly after I rescued him. His weight jumped a bit after that, so I just had to work harder on his diet, treats and exercise.


Lol sorry, the ques. was for hoclaho. As her boy seems to be shaved. My groomer shaved my girl without my permission so I've been very scared that it won't grow back. My boy being a balloon was also a response to hoclaho.


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## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

I also have 2 chi's (I have 3) that need to lose weight. One is on phenobarbital for focal seizures, and the vet says that I just need to keep her at the weight she is now. The other is on pepcid for reflux. Both are spayed. My vet says they need 200 calories a day, but I bet that is for keeping them at the weight they are now.


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## Lola's mom 2013 (Aug 25, 2010)

My first chihuahua who passed away 10 years ago was very overweight. Since then I have tried to be very careful with my dogs weight. Winter time is when I really have to adjust their food intake.


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## Moonfall (Nov 16, 2012)

My lab is overweight...but I don't have any way to change it. My mother took her and won't give her back, feeds her pedigree. Always used to complain about how I didn't walk her (she used to always do it before I could, when we lived together) and now she doesn't walk the poor girl at all, and my chi gets daily exercise. She claims the dog is healthy... not the case.

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/r90/9657_4011220762456_768421139_n.jpg

It is sad how so many people think fat is okay. In grooming we see it a ton and it's just awful. We have one dog who comes in who can barely walk. She can't hold her foot up for you for more than a few seconds without having to put it back down to support herself, her skin is a disaster with mold and yeast everywhere in big patches, and her ears are so yeasty that they bleed. We have told the owner that the dog needs to lose weight. It never does.


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## hoclaho (Feb 9, 2013)

Thanks everybody! Y'all are awesome. But, yeah, it is sad... I don't want to be one of those people.. I love my dog so much, and I want him to be healthy. That's why I'm here, cause I needed some insight.



Tink said:


> Here's a really good visual aid and other recommendations for you to categorize your dog's weight issue. It's way easier to see what we're talking about here in terms of "ideal weight" than it is to explain it.
> 
> How to Evaluate Your Dog's Weight - For Dummies
> 
> ...


Thanks for the visual. Yeah, he's "heavy." I can feel his ribs but definitely can't see them. But the tummy tuck (or lack thereof) is the most obvious part. It's not lower than his chest but it's the same level.

And I have been switching to Wellness Core over the past few days, mixing it with his other food like they say to do. Today is the first day of just that food by itself. The original post did sound like he was switched already, sorry; I meant he recently started the switch. 

And thanks Moonfall and others about the rawhide info. I'll try bully sticks every once in a while instead.



SkyAtBlue said:


> I know this is off topic, but your boy is shaved. What is his coat like when it grows back? Is his coat different since you shaved It? Sorry for the inconvenient ques. My boy became very barreled after he was neutered too. He was nice and slime at 9lbs. Now he is 14lbs too. I can't feel his ribs though. I have cut down his food, put him on low calorie intake and nothing. He looks like a balloon to me!


Haha, good luck to you also! Toulouse has a very thick, fluffy coat. It usually grows back normally after I shave him. It's just easier to deal with like that, but he's only shaved for about half the year most of the time. I really can't tell if he looks fatter shaved or not shaved, haha. The fluff looks like it adds some poundage, but you can see his little belly and double chin when he's shaved... 

Here's a picture of him with all his fur. He loves socks, as you can see...


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## FantasiaFarm (Feb 12, 2013)

Great responses. My babygirl needs to diet (well I have to STOP feeding her off my dinnerplate) She weighs about 4kgs and I have to get her to about 3kg. I know I have to start walking her for at least 30 mins a day - the beach is 5 mins away - I really need to get my butt into gear!!!!


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## hoclaho (Feb 9, 2013)

So far this week he's lost about 3 ounces! Yay, progress! Haha


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