Some dogs tend to gain weight just like human beings. Naturally, this is likely to affect the health of your pet in course of time. Obesity may shorten their lifespan significantly or mess up with their health conditions. Choosing the right type of food for an obese dog will undoubtedly help your pet. Taking the right food will allow the dog to burn a few more calories than it consumes daily.
What makes a food ideal for an obese dog?
You will come across lots of dog foods available in the market. Although these are meant for weight loss, not all of them are effective enough. You need to consider some vital aspects while selecting food for your obese dog.
- Less caloric content
In general, specialized weight-loss foods contain fewer calories than other regular dog meals.
In these food items, the fiber content is significantly greater. As a result, your pet would get adequate food while in taking a low number of calories. It would be ideal to look for dog foods containing 300 calories per cup. Even foods with less than 400 calories per cup can do the job as well.
On the other hand, some foods offer increased protein levels in order to reduce the caloric content inside them. Such high-protein foods ensure that your dog is getting enough nutrition according to its requirement.
- Delightful taste
Always pay attention to the taste of your dog’s weight-loss foods. If the food lacks delicious protein and fats, your dog might not show interest in taking it, which may lead to hunger issues. Therefore, choosing an exquisite weight-loss food for your obese dog is imperative.
- Loaded with nutrition
An ideal package of dog food must have the essential vitamins, minerals, and primary macromolecules (proteins, fat, carbohydrate). This would provide balanced nutrition, and your dog would stay healthy. The main difference between regular foods and weight-loss foods lies in terms of caloric content.
- The presence of probiotics
Probiotics have a significant role to play in food digestion. With a proper meal, the dog’s intestinal functions would be working perfectly. Therefore, choosing a dog’s food with Probiotics will mitigate the digestion woes of your pet. Its body will be able to digest foods better than before.
What guidelines should you follow?
As a concerned pet owner, make sure that the dog food fulfills certain crucial criteria, no matter whether you want a weight-loss food or a regular one. The recommended food for an obese dog should adhere to the guidelines mentioned below.
- Safety standards: It is essential to select foods made in the USA, Western Europe, or Australia to ensure proper safely standards.
- Proteins in the first place: Although dogs are omnivores, they consume a significant portion of their diet from meats. Therefore, it would be wise to opt for food items with deboned chicken or beef as the primary ingredient.
- Absence of artificial colors: Try to avoid foods that contain additional artificial colors or flavors. This might lead to canine food allergies to your pet. These artificial colors and flavors are considered unnecessary additives and should stay away from the food’s ingredient list.
- Avoid unidentified meat meals: Always purchase dog foods that are perfectly labeled and include proper meat products. Foods with labels like “meat meal” may contain unhealthy ingredients from nasty sources. So, better you ignore them to keep your pet safe.
From where should you purchase dog foods?
Experts and veterinarians recommend purchasing dog foods from a reliable dog food manufacturer. Always look for a brand that has versatile food options available such as non-veg, weight-loss, or veg foods. All you have to decide is what your beloved pet prefers and what can help them reduce their obesity. Now that you know what to look for in your dog’s meal, you can customize the product for your pet.
