Murphy is FAT! 2 Week Diet update.

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

I can hardly believe how this happened....I kept thinking there is no way I would have allowed my dog to get fat. It must be DHs fault.

I took Murphy in for his yearly check up and vaccinations and he has ALWAYS been between 60-64 pds MAX!  He was a whopping 70.5 pds. I even had to take his harness off, like we take our shoes off when being weighed at the doctors!

 I have always prided myself on keeping my guys fit, lean, active, well fed with 5 star kibble, homemade meals and treats, no fat yogurts, and equal weights so they can wrestle together and not hurt each other by outweighing the other.  

How could this have happened? It's kind of like that state of denial we are all in when we get on the scale after a few months and realize that 10 extra pounds just magically appeared on our body's. Thinking back I do see the error is both mine and DH's as he said "They always look hungry, so I give them a heaping cup when I feed".  I don't know what that "hungry look" is other than Bella salivates at the thought of food coming, but regardless, that "heaping" cup equates to about 1/4c more food 2 x a day.  

And I too have been thinking this last month that they would really enjoy some Peanut Butter in their frozen fat free cream cheese Kongs and added a few tablespoons the last two times.  You wouldn't think either of these small additions would make that much of a difference, but obviously it does.  

So we are on a doggie diets here, and luckily they both love green beans because they are going to be back into their fit, hourglass bodies for swim season.  

UPDATE 3/26/16

Murphy has lost about a pound a week, and was 68.5 on Wed when I had him weighed. So we are on the right track to reach our goal weight of 64ish in about a month.  

I decided to take Bella along for the first weeks weigh-in and found out she's up a few pounds as well, although she still have her curvy body. She was 64 which is the most she's ever been too. She lost 2 pounds the first week of cutting back and that feels a little too fast so I am tapering her food down a little more slowly.  

They will be more active soon as well since the pool is warming up nicely, so that should help. 

[Joani, Skadi & Elli]

Hello Hello...again!  Skadi wanted me to check up on her sister Bella...to see how she is doing!  Skadi struggles with her "pudginess" all the time.  She has become a real "couch" potato.  Don't know if it is because of her arthritis due to her torn cruciate ligament and subsequent surgery at the age of 2.  When I try to take her too far on a leash walk he will sit down and balk...however, when I take her in the woods off leash she has absolutely NO problem.  Keeping her slim and trim is our ongoing battle.  She had green beans til they were coming out her ears...so she started balking at them!  What to do, what to do.  So I just cut back on her food and she stays around 59#'s.  I always tell folk this breed is "stockier" LOL.  Do you see how I added Elli to our pack?  Now we have the same colored doods!  It's so nice to know Skadi's sister Bella is having a great life too.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

OK, I just saw Karen's comment below about the peanut butter ... I have always wondered how any of the dogs getting peanut butter Kongs weren't getting fat.  We feed Lucy the amount of food for a 60 pd dog an she gets minimal treats (only dehydrated sweet potato) and she doesn't loose a pound.  Anyway, back to the peanut butter ... have any of you tried PB2.  I just discovered this the other day and I am totally in love with it.  I love Peanut Butter, but never eat it because of the high calories it has.  I just want to eat it by the spoonful.  If you aren't familiar with PB2 they take the peanuts and grind them down to just a powder, removing a lot of the calories and fat.  It has 85% less fat calories than traditional peanut butter.  Two tablespoons only have 45 calories and 1.5g of fat.   You just add water.  It smells like peanut butter and taste great as well.  I can make a double serving and get two big ole spoonfuls for only 2 weight watchers points.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Oops - I was wrong.  We went to the vet for a checkup and she said Charlie does not need to lose weight.  However, I am still watching it a little - he has never weighed 44 lbs before.  Generally right around 40 - 42. I gained 5 lbs over xmas that I finally shed - maybe he did the same. LOL

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Good job you guys!  Guess who else is now on the GBD? Yes, little TaraBear. Her ribs have somehow disappeared. I calculated the number of times a day she gets snacks-first thing in the morning and at bedtime for her acidy stomach, DH gives her cheese everyday when he eats lunch, then we do nosework or tricks in the afternoon which involve treats, because she so stinking cute deserves at least one or two treats a day....you get the idea...we have our work to do too. Thanks for the inspiration! 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

That's great progress!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

A few years ago, we cut out the  peanut butter and added a measuring cup to the food bin so when we serve food it is always that measured 1.5 cups.   Good luck with those green beans.  

[DJ & Chance]

Good luck, Murphy and Sue!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Just saw this, Sue. I might copy and post it as a discussion in TFG, to back up my often repeated comment that "there is almost no food in the world that is higher in fat or calories than peanut butter," lol.
I made that same mistake with the heaping measuring cup of food some years back. JD got up to 90lbs! Filling that cup to the brim instead of to the 1 cup line was adding 200 calories per day! It's so easy to do.
I have no doubt that both your dogs will be sleek and slim by swim season!

[DonMarie and Picco]

Those fluffy doodle coats hide alot!  I worry about Picco when he goes a few days gorging himself, eating everything in the plate and all his snacks, but then a couple days later he'll pick at his food or ignore it.  It balances out.  If he ever needs to lose weight I could just send him to fat camp (aka the kennel) where he refuses to eat!

[BG and Gavin]

Ha, ha, I have to laugh at you taking off his harness. I was shocked that Gavin was up a few lbs when he went in for his dental. Middle age spread? I can identify with that.