Bailey's trainer says "Don't be offended but Bailey is getting chunky"...

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

I have also started to notice in the past few months too that she is becoming a little chunky around the ribs.  She will be 3 in May and weighs about 70 lbs. 

I feed her twice a day (1 cup/AM and PM of Orijen regular adult).  I do add toppers but it consists of maybe an egg 1-2 x a week, or some steak/chicken breast (maybe a tbls or 2 at most).  I do give her treats but they are usually chicken jerky or peanut butter cookies...I make both myself. 

Her activity level is starting to slow down some too.  I will admit that I am not as diligent as I should be with her walking in the hot FL heat...but now that it's cooled off I have no excuse...

My question is:  How much should I cut back?  The Orijen bag says she should eat 2c. a day for a less active dog.  Is cutting back to 1.5c a day and only feeding once a day to extreme?  How quickly is too quick for her to lose weight....  AND  should I just make an appt with my vet to get her advice too?  

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Is a cup 140 grams? If so that's 280 per day at the moment. I would cut to 250 per day. I do t think you can go drastic. I would still feed twice per day as that's always best. If you need to add bulk use green beans. I would have her weighed at the vets and then weigh her again in one months time. You probably need to have a target weight and go slowly towards it. You know though when she gets that new sibling the weight will probably adjust as she becomes more active with all that play.

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

2 cups is 240gr.  I thought the same thing about the activity level with the new puppy but want to get a handle on it before it really becomes an issue.  Bailey is due for her monthly flee, heart worm treatment so I think I will take her by the vet and see what they think too....

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

There is almost no food on earth that is higher in calories and fat than peanut butter. Almost any other kind of treat would be lower in calories. Can you make dried sweet potato treats instead? We have recipes right here in TFG.

I'd also try to cut back on the toppers. Eggs are very low in calories, but maybe try substituting a little yogurt for the steak or chicken. 

Two cups a day of Orijen doesn't sound like too much for a dog of her size. I would verify with the vet that she needs to lose weight before cutting her back much. Here's a good guide for assessing your dog's body condition to help you determine if she needs to lose or gain weight: http://vet.osu.edu/vmc/body-condition-scoring-chart

If she does need to lose a little weight, I would not feed once a day. Continue to feed twice a day, but substitute a cup of warmed, canned low sodium green beans for a small portion of her food. The "green bean diet" will help her lose weight slowly. We have lots of discussions here about it, but these two will pretty much explain everything:

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/low-cal...

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/green-b...

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

She is between a 3 and 4.  She has the tucked abdomen like a 3.  I can feel her ribs and spine but I can tell they are a "little meaty".  She does not have fatty deposits on the base of her back by her tail but she is starting to feel and look a little "thicker".  I am going to cut her food back to 2/3c twice a day and give her minimal treats.

I took her to Petsmart today and weighted her.  She weighs 67.4lbs.  I will take her to the Vet on Wednesday to see what they think.  I just want to get a handle on this before it becomes a health issue...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Maybe cut back to 3/4 cups twice a day to start with. That will cut 240 calories per day. If you add a half cup of green beans at each meal, you'll still be cutting 200 calories per day and hopefully she won't feel too hungry. 

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

I took Bailey to the vet today just to get her opinion.  She says she needs to lose only 3-4 lbs.  Not to bad.  It didn't sound like much to me but since it is a dog and not a human there is a difference.  Heck, if I only had to lose 3-4 lbs I'd be over the moon LOL..

So I have decreased her kibble to 3/4c twice a day and have been limiting her treats and will be adding green beans once I get to the grocery store today or tomorrow.

I am also increasing her activity slightly...Hopefully the combination of the above will make the difference.  

Thanks for you help and advice..... 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Elizabeth, please keep us posted on how she does. And be patient, it takes time to lose weight. I don't know what the numbers are for dogs, but for humans, you need to consume 3500 calories less than you burn to lose one lb. 

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

Will do.  I plan on weighing her in a month to see how she is doing... 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Clancy apparently has a lower metabolism and we have to watch his weight.  We feed him 2/3 cup of Orijen twice a day to maintain his 63 pounds of love and snuggles. Our Springer has a higher metabolism and we feed him a generous 2/3 cup (and sometimes more) of Orijen twice a day to maintain his 52 pounds. Metabolism rather than age differences!  Clancy is 5 and Gordie is 10!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Same thing has happened with Peri - she had gained 5 pounds this year.  Doc said she is still okay, but not to gain anymore.  I know what is happening - she's getting into a bit of Tacky's homecooked food.  Sometimes he leaves just a smidge in the bowl and she gets in their and cleans it up. 

We are cutting back on that, plus, we used to give her a heaping 1/2 cup (she's a mini), now we give her a level 1/2 cup and some fruits or veggies for toppings - just a few green beans or a banana piece or two.