When Your Chihuahua Weighs More than a Chow Chow – It Might Be Time For a Doggy Diet
Many owners of Chihuahuas do not perceive their dogs’ excess weight as a potential danger to their (the Chihuahuas) well-being. Some even believe it’s acceptable for their Chihuahuas to consume whatever they like and continue to gain weight.
Unfortunately, being overweight is just as dangerous to your Chihuahuas as it is to humans. It can lead to many complications, key among them lowering life expectancy, arthritis, wearing of joints, diabetes, and heart diseases, among others.
If your Chihuahua weighs more than a Chow Chow, then you have a problem. You should take the right action to ensure that your dog is healthy. One of the most important things to start with is the diet of your dog.
Here are a couple of things to can do to get your Chihuahua to a healthy weight;
Use Probiotics for Dogs
Probiotics can be defined as friendly bacteria. Your Chihuahua has so many of these bacteria in its stomach. They help in fighting infections, making nutrients and vitamins, digesting food, and making the immune system strong.
This is known as the microbiome. You need to ensure that your Chihuahua has a healthy one. In case of changes to the microbiome, your Chihuahua might suffer from obesity, allergies, diarrhea, bloating, cramping, and bad breath, among others.
You can take care of these issues, including weight gain, by using probiotics for dogs. However, ensure that you are getting the right probiotics for your Chihuahua. You can get them at Honest Paws to help control the weight of your dog.
Reduce Carbs and Increase Proteins
If you use commercial dog food when feeding your Chihuahua, you need to be aware that such foods do not increase nutrition, but calories. This leaves your Chihuahua with more waste and inefficient energy.
If you are dealing with an overweight Chihuahua, you can switch to high-protein and low-carb meals instead. However, you need to first consult a veterinarian before making the switch to ensure that you have chosen the right food for your Chihuahua.
Getting high-quality food for your Chihuahua is essential in helping the dog get maximum fitness. You can achieve this by getting the right amounts of energy and nutrition without calories that slow the dog down.
Reduce Calories
Your Chihuahua will be overweight if you feed it a lot of calories. One of the most important things when it comes to caring for your dog is reducing the calories the dog takes. Most people feed their dogs more food than they (the dogs) actually need.
In addition, most dog owners do not know that the feeding guidelines they get on dog food packages are incorrect. They overestimate the portion of food that their dogs need. You should, therefore, cut back on the amount of food you feed your Chihuahua.
You can get a measuring cup to ensure that you get the right portions of food. In addition, you need to ensure that your Chihuahua does not take table scraps. This is one of the ways through which they take in more calories. Even though it is difficult, do not let your Chihuahua’s eyes tempt you into sharing your meals.
Add Fiber to Your Chihuahua’s Diet
Apart from increasing proteins in your Chihuahua’s diet, you also need to add fiber to the diet. You can get high-fiber mix-ins and snacks for your Chihuahua. Things such as apples and carrots are also good.
In addition, look for canned pumpkins. It is one of the best-known tummy soothers for dogs. Other dogs love dried vegetables. Before settling on any of these solutions, you can consult a veterinarian to ensure that you are getting the right fiber for your Chihuahua.
This might mean that you have to replace some of the regular treats you use on your Chihuahua. You should make sure that you replace them with fiber-packed treats and meals. This is an important step to helping your Chihuahua lose weight.
Water is Important
Did you know that ensuring that your Chihuahua has enough water all the time is important when it comes to weight loss? Well, just like humans, dogs will want to feed on something when they are thirsty.
If your Chihuahua does not have water, it will take meals that might be available. To avoid this, ensure that you have filled its water dish all the time. In addition, the water needs to be clean to avoid any health issues.
You should also check out for any signs of dehydration. Apart from helping your dog avoid being overweight, dehydration will help your Chihuahua get a shiny coat and softer skin.
Apart From the Diet…
In addition to the diet of your Chihuahua, you need to ensure that your Chihuahua gets enough exercise every day. This is not only important in helping them lose weight but also in getting fresh air. It also helps them have fun, explore their surroundings, release energy, and strengthen their muscles.
Even if you feed your Chihuahua the right meals, it might not help in any way if it lacks enough exercise. Ensure that you have walked your dog at least two times every day. Do not carry them when walking. Instead, let them walk but be careful not to over-exercise them.
Research has indicated that a majority of dogs in the U.S. are overweight. Even though it might not be a cause for alarm if your Chihuahua gains a few pounds, it is important to note that being overweight might affect the quality of life of your Chihuahua. Following the guidelines discussed above, you can control the weight of your Chihuahua effectively.
