Jack is gaining too much weight.

[Jennifer and Jack]

I never thought I would ever in a million years say that. I stick to his caloric intake suggestion of around 450 calories. Jack is cortisol deficient and gets a very small amount of replacement prednisone a day.. I mean a very small amount 0.1 mg per KG..

Since being put on the steroids.. which in theory is just replacement dose and should not make him any more hungry.. My boy is putting back his food, licking the bowl clean and asking for more.  He has always been under weight.. just 10 or 11 pounds.. when he was 17 pounds a few months ago the vet said he is a good weight and she was happy with that.. Jack weighed in yesterday at 19.2 pounds.  

I would say he can not gain any more weight or he is going to be overweight.... I am feeding him a bunch of different things but I am counting calories... he is right in at 450-470 calories... 

I admit his exercise has decreased because my breathing has been really bad and I am not able to do all the walks he is used to but he is still being walked.. 

He is just four years old.. Since starting the steroids he is way more interested in the house hold things that go on. He is more playful, less grumpy because he feels good....

Should I switch his food to an inactive dog amount which would be less calories then normal activity?  I believe that Jack always was underweight because he didn't feel well and now that he feels well he is just into being a normal dog and wanting to eat and begging for food etc.....I just never had to curtail what he has eaten.. I always free fed, now I have to measure and count and he woofs it right down.

I don't want him overweight for every reason none of us should be but I notice he gets more short of breath and hot easier..

So what do you think should I cut calories?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jen, can you up his exercise with things like playing fetch indoors? That would not be as taxing for you but would still help him burn calories. A small dog like that can run pretty well indoors, up & down stairs, etc.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Karen we did so much inside exercise in the past. I would sit on one side of the house ( we have an open floor plan) and I would throw toys and he would run and get them. I now have wood (Laminate) floors and Jack will not run on them.. I have tried keeping his hair shaved on his feet, booties, and rug runners but if his feet touch the wood he freaks.. He has slid pretty hard on the floors and doesn't like it.

I am thinking of bringing him back to daycare for one day a week to play. I don't trust anyone else to walk him because our neighborhood is filled with pit bull mixes and huge dogs that always seem to "get loose" so I have to be there...

I have a back yard but he won't run or play fetch outside........We don't have stairs..... I may have to try different rug runners that dont' have any gaps in it that I can roll out for play time..... 

I am half tempted to put him on a treadmill but I think he will hate that.....and I can see it being so dangerous.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Jen, it must have something to do with turning four.  I ran into the same thing with Guinness.  He went from 20 to 22, which my Vet says it too much...she wants him right at twenty.  For a little guy that two pounds really does make a difference.  I did cut back his calories, and he wasn't pleased about it.  He would "chow down" his meal and then stare at me...daggers.  His exercise didn't change...he actually gets a lot because he and Murph really need it.  I don't actually measure the calories because of the home cooking, but I did cut the portion and he lost the two pounds.  I know this is the best thing for him, even though he's not too happy with Mom.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Jack went from 12 pound to 19 that is a lot of weight... though again he was way underweight.... I hate the thought of him being hungry all the time.. 

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

Cubbie turned 4 in January and he was normally around 23lbs and now he is 25.5lbs.  I noticed that he felt "thicker" when I was grooming him and have started to cut back on his food a little bit which is fine for him because he isn't much of an eater.  He still seems to be at an ok weight because I can feel his ribs when I try.  I just want to prevent any additional weight gain.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Jack really caught me by surprise because I had let his hair grow really, really long and then when he got groomed I was shocked to see how thick he was.... 

I am going to try to find ways to bump his exercise..We both need to exercise.. I need to walk.. just that the pollen has already put me in the ICU because it is shutting my airway... I wish their was an indoor place we can walk....

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

could you go and walk around inside a Petsmart or Petco or other large pet friendly store?  Dogs are allowed inside the Home Depot and Lowes stores out here.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

I do this when the rain gets bad in our area. Home Depot and Lowes doesn't supply poop bags and clean up materials, though, at least in our stores, so be prepared and bring your own.

[Jennifer and Jack]

I could bring Jack to a lot of stores ...it just isn't practical as I would have to drive a hood 20 minutes each way...plus I am not allowed out. In public too much with my health and germs...and in all honesty..to go out for me is a lot of work right now......if I had the strength to walk pet smart I could mask up and walk outside ..... I am just in a rough season with health right now....

When I feel well enough to go to PetSmart I for sure am well enough to go out for 20 minute or do little walks...

Thanks for the ideas....he has a big yard to play in...he just won't! Lol

[Jennifer and Jack]

Jack always gets at least one 20 or 30 minute walk a day..I just wlk so slow.....I even let him on an extended leash SO he can run ahead and around to get extra steps in.....

Usually though we walk three miles a day now I do at best 3/4 a mile .....slow..I will build up speed and distance again....

[Donna K & Quincy]

Good gosh, is four middle age and our doodles are getting the middle age spread. Quincy is also four and when I weighed him a couple of week ago he was almost 70lbs, he has always been between 63-65. I could still feel his ribs but not as well as I used to so I popped into the vet and weighed him.

Jennifer does Jack have a little doggie friend that can come and play with him in the backyard, that might help if you could find someone. I'm sorry you are having such a rough time, I hope you feel better soon.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Four best not be middle age or I am going to cry... Jack for sure needed to gain weight but now it seems my skinny little squirrel looks like a fat cat.... I can still feel his ribs but he has some meat in there..... 

Jack could have friends over to play but he is not a dog's dog.. he prefers to hang out with humans.... so he won't romp with them really.. A little bit at school but I think it is because he is forced to since he is being jumped on..

I have been in the hospital quite a bit the past few months but Jack is as comfortable with my mom as he is with me and is fully acclimated to being with her or me without any signs of separation anxiety. He eats and plays well. My mom walks them a good three miles a day when she can....

I suppose I could put my stubborn pride away and ride in the stupid jazzy thing so they can walk and I can ride.. but I need exercise too so I have to keep trying. 

I would be curious to see what these dogs do as a breed with their weight if there seems to be a consistent pattern etc......To me going from just over 10 pounds to 19 pounds in just under two years is a lot of weight... though again he should be about 15 pounds the lightest according to the vet.

I hate to say this because it sounds so stupid given the fact that Jack is spoiled rotten and has a better life then a lot of children do but I still hate the limitations I have that don't allow me to do everything I want with him.. 

I can never do anything  half ass..am I allowed to curse on here?? well I just did.. so when I do something I do it 10000 percent or I am not happy...it's the story of my life....

if I think that Jack could benefit from something that I am not able to provide from him it hits me really hard because I feel selfish for not being able to give it to him.... I have to remind myself at least I get to be home with him, at least he is loved, fed, played with and cared for... The rest we will have to do the best we can with.

If anyone can get me to swallow my pride it is Jack.... Maybe we need to start a new group Fit at Four!!! To get our doodles back in or to keep them in shape!!!! Just kidding.... but seriously.... we need to pay attention to the subtle signs of health issues that could creep up...... 

Fit At Four!!!! LOL