Thomas doodle is too FAT

[Debbie and Thomas]

We went to the vet today for the annual checkup.  I can't remember when but the last time we were there he weighed in at 96.7 pounds.  The vet at that time did not have any problem with his weight.  He is a huge boy and she did not seem concerned with his weight at all.  Not so at all today.  He weighed in at 100.4 pounds!!  I was surprised at that when the tech weighed him but then the new male doctor came in and told us he was getting too heavy.  This doodle runs with a dog group 5 days a week for 2 hours in a wooded setting with a dogwalker.  He is walked every evening when we get home for 30 minutes and on the weekends he goes to our community schoolyard where dozens of people meet with their dogs early in the morning. SO...excercise is NOT the problem.  So I thought to myself...what could be causing him to gain weight?  Could it be the dozens of milk bones he has every day?  Or could it be the egg McMuffins we buy him when we go thru the drivethru at McDonalds?  Or could it be the parmesan cheese and bits of leftovers we add to his dog kibble?  YES is the answer to my questions.  He is only 2 years old and the vet said we have to keep him slim to prevent the wear and tear on his joints.  Tonight....just kibble and a boring treat we bought at the vet!!  He is barking at the pantry cupboard in my kitchen as I type this!!!!!

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Go buy a big bag of frozen cut green beans.  Warm up whatever amount you decide to give Thomas and add it to his kibble for his meals.  Gracie Doodle is not overweight and doesn't ever get human food or tons of treats.  The treats she was getting are dried chicken jerky strips.  My husband would break them up and put them on top of her kibble to get her to eat.  Gracie has always been indifferent to her food and not food motivated.  I was getting upset that he was giving her so many jerkey treats and her poops were getting a bit mushy.  I think there was too much grease or fat in the chicken jerkys.  Since we have put green beans in her kibble instead they have firmed up very nicely.  We normally give her a total of 3 cups a day of kibble so we are now giving her 1 cup in the morning with almost 1 cup of green beans and then again the same thing in the evening.   She doesn't like them cold or frozen.  They must be heated up or we get the "stare" and a look of total insult!  Gracie begs for her green beans and meals now.  She stands and watches the microwave oven while her beans are cooking.  She eats every last bite of her food but singles out each and every green bean and eats them first!  Such a silly girl!  My husband learned about the beans from a lady we run into from time to time while walking Gracie.  Her dog was very fat and now has lost quite a bit of weight.  He inquired and she said "the green bean diet"!  So, do away with the treats other than a very healthy kind for rewards and such.  No more Egg McMuffins or drive throughs and no more table scraps!  Thomas Doodle will be down in weight in no time!!!!

[Michael Gurley]

Oooh, I'm going to have to try this! I have trouble getting Sunny to eat enough of her food, so this might encourage her to do so! I used to put hot dog slices in her food, but the poops were getting soft and she was still eating very little of the dog food but all of the hot dog.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Hi Thomas....wow, are you a "big Dood"!  It sounds like you really "had the good life"....it doesn't get much better than egg McMuffins!  Is there bacon on those....my brother and I LOVE bacon!  We only had it a couple of times....Mom says it's not good for us.  My Mom thought I was getting too fat too, so she put me on the "DIET".  IT WAS NO FUN AT ALL!  Then last weekend, she took me to the groomers and had all my hair cut off.  Now she thinks I'm too skinny.  Now, I'm getting to eat the way I used to.  That's the ONLY good thing about getting my hair cut off.  HA HA!  Keep your chins up, pal!  Guinness

Oh, PS.....I wish I got to run with a pack like you do.  That must be so much FUN!

[Frances Pendrous (Horan)]

Oh I so feel your pain. I have the same problem, but doubly worse as my Frankie is a girl. Everytime my kids come over they tell us "mum....she is way too fat"...Hurts my feelings indeed. We just reckon there is more of her to love as she is gracefully, sitting there with her "doodle stance" licking the ice cream cone she shares with us each night :) Seriously, she is nearly two too, and weighs in at 95lbs. She only looks fat when they do a bad cut on her and shave those skinny little legs down, then she looks like a sausage on four sticks..ha ha.  She and Thomas could be twins....the chubbies !!! Too sad this is not healthy for them as I love her big size and she too gets plenty of romping time, mind you, she cannot keep up with the others very good. So, no more goodies for her and I will see if does anything for her weight. I am guessing 80 to 85lbs is about right, so for now, no more vanilla ice cream cones for you Miss Frankie ....

[Debbie and Thomas]

Just checked your photos of Frankie(which by the way will be the name of my next doodle...boy or girl) and she and Thomas are twins!!  They look exactly alike...especially the picture of her lying across your husband lap!!  Good looking doodles!!(even if they are a bit chubby)

[Sandy]

You tell Thomas that Toby is fat too.  :)  Last appointment we had he weighed in at 80 pounds, and the vet told us he needed to lose five pounds.  We cut him back from 3 cups of food a day to 2 1/2, and he really doesn't get any treats anyway, so that isn't an issue.  We'll find out when we go back in the Spring if the food cutback worked.  Poor guy - he eats his food and looks at me as if to say "Um, Mom?  You forgot some."

[Debbie and Thomas]

I know Sandy... that is what is happening here too.  He devours the kibble and looks at me as if there was something missing!! 

[Sandy]

Apparently the retriever in them would almost always want more to eat.  That's what I've been told, anyway.

[Sue & Willy Babe]

Hang in there u can do       It will be hard   I know  I give Wilson a treat  everyday when I come home   ooops   I probably should stop  just  little  Wilson is 84.5 pounds of loveable fluff

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I know it is so hard when they are starring at you and the treat cabinet or licking there bowl till theres a hole in it after they are fed. My two are very food motivated and would eat all day if they had their way.  I do use a lot of raw carrots, green beans,cooked peas and carrots, leftover cooked veggies, very few but healthy treats, and I homecook their foods as well so it's easier to control the fat c ontent that way.

I use canned pumpkin often and fat free plain yogurt for variety and they are also healthy. But by and large the green beans has been the biggest help in stretching their meals and filling them up. Good luck. No one likes to diet!!!

[Debbie and Thomas]

The reason I started adding leftovers to his kibble which by the way is expensive here in Canada.  He eats "taste of the Wild" bison and if I just put that in his bowl he would just walk away.  Now however we have had a wake up call from the vet...thomas is young now, only 2 1/2 years old...but what would happen to him when he is 9 or 10 if we continued this way?  He is a very large big boned dog and I didn't sleep much last night worrying about my baby getting old with hip etc. problems from being overweight.  Yes...we spoiled him terribly with too many "treats"  but the party is OVER.  I want him around for a long time so it will be "tough love" around here for a long time.  I will try all of your suggestions...carrots....green beans(which I hate) and low calorie treats.  He is due for a haircut and I'll bet he loses at least 5 pounds!!!

[Donna K & Quincy]

Thomas tell your mom it's just that heavy winter coat you're wearing but dood you may what to lay off the egg mcmuffins.