Overweight Sheltie help!:)

E

Emily1098

Forums Novice
hello!
I'm new on here and am looking for some help with my overweight Sheltie ;(
It's a male his name is shooter and he will be turning 8 in August and he's about 5 pounds overweight. We feed him about 1/3 cup of food twice a day but it dosnt seem to be helping and he's always scratching at his bowl for more. He is fluffy but when you wash him he looks a lot skinnier but he is still pudgy. He is shorter for a Sheltie as ive noticed and when he was a puppy he was skinnier. I take him outside almost every day to play but mabey I need to exercise him more? Me and him are super close I'm his master and he never leaves my side! Hehe so I want him to be as healthy as possible and live the longest life he can :) he means so much to me so any help would be great thanks!!!
 
Welcome, Emily to you and Shooter. How much does he weigh now, and what food are you feeding him? Once we know that, we'd be able to advise you better. Dogs require less of good quality foods, between 1/4 and 1/2 cup (for very big Shelties) twice a day, but average size Shelties, around 20 pounds, can get pudgy on 1/4 cup twice daily of good food. Lesser quality foods require feeding more because they have fewer nutrients and more filler, so it's important to know what you're feeding. Read the label for ingredients and analysis (protein, fat, calories per cup etc) and that will help you figure out what he should have.

What works for most people is to reduce the food a bit and add some frozen green beans to the bowl to replace the kibble. I add some warm water too...you can add the beans right from the bag. All my dogs love them so it's a treat when they're dieting and they don't realize they're eating less. Don't be put off by your boy looking for more food! Most Shelties are chow hounds and if you believe them, you're never feeding enough! :wideyed:

Five pounds is a significant amount for a Sheltie to be overweight, so kudos to you for recognizing it and getting your boy on his way to better health. (y)
 
Hi, Emily, and welcome!

I'm going to be a bit of a hard-you-know-what in my reply. Please don't take it personally; it's my standard advice for anyone with an overweight dog. The good news is that, until Shooter learns how to open the refrigerator himself, it is entirely within your power to get him down to a healthier weight.

Emily1098 said:
he's always scratching at his bowl for more.
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Be strong! Dogs evolved as scavengers: they would find a garbage pile/dead animal/unattended food cache, gorge as much as they could, and then move on. They are, as a general rule, always ready to eat some more.

Evaluate his body condition now: put your hands right on him, and see if you can easily feel his ribs (poking down into the fat doesn't count). Actual weight (eg. "He's lost five pounds") is not as informative for dogs as it is for people. The very best measure is the way they feel under your hands. If you can't feel those ribs easily, he's too fat.

Here is what you need to do: cut his food back. Give him a little less than the 1/3 cup/meal. Does he get cookies throughout the day? Do you train him with treats? Does he get a Kong stuffed with goodies or smeared with peanut butter? Those are calories, too: make sure you are accounting for that intake as you figure his daily food allowance.

He will not starve, because you are an attentive owner and you will not let him starve. You will keep putting your hands on him and evaluating his condition. You will know if he feels truly bony and needs more food. Yes, he will "act hungry", because he is hungry; he is hungry because he is a dog.

He will act hungry - but he will also live longer, and be healthier throughout his life.

Emily1098 said:
but mabey I need to exercise him more?
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Exercise is good, but as with humans, you can't outrun overindulgence. Definitely add in more exercise (start slowly and gradually increase), but don't rely on that alone for weight loss. Feed him less, and stick to it.
 
The biggest thing I learned is that amounts listed on the bag of kibble are rarely even close to what a sheltie should be eating. I used to feel really guilty feeding only 1/4 cup twice a day when the bag said 1 cup per day. Since being on these message boards I have learnt that a 1/4 cup is actually more normal. I add a home cooked food to my sheltie's kibble that is about 1/3 veggies and 1/3 pumpkin - this seems to satisfy the hunger without adding as many calories. Steamed zucchini is another great easy to digest veggie and my dog loves it.
 
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We feed Anamaet Lean -- started because we had pancreatitis issues with several of ours.

On another note, Annie Laurie was always a bit of a pudge. We called her our little credenza -- flat and wide. Then last summer we started her on a swimming program for her hind end strength. Now she's lean and fit -- ribs easy to feel, svelte waistline, and five pounds lighter! It takes exercise AND good feeding.
 
Emily1098 said:
I take him outside almost every day to play but mabey I need to exercise him more?
Click to expand...

Does that mean you don't walk him and only play with him sometimes? That would explain why he's overweight, he's not getting enough exercise. As Chris said - you need exercise and good feeding for a healthy dog. It is really, really hard to get weight off a dog without also increasing the exercise. You keep cutting and cutting the food and his metabolism will get slower and slower; exercise will help maintain and even increase his metabolism.

If you haven't exercised him before, you will need to ease him into it, don't try a hike straight out.

As mentioned, add in vegetables when you cut out food. Cut back on all treats and extra food you may be giving (like pig's ears, dental chews, snacks). if he needs something to snack on during the day give him some vegetables.
 
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