If you follow my blog you may be familiar with my post from a few weeks ago where I lament over the fact that my vet said my dog is obese. Well, as any obsessed dog owner I did not take the news well. I cried for a bit like any crazy pregnant lady would, then did a ton of research on how I could get him to lose the weight.
My main problem with the vet’s diagnosis was their suggestion to feed him a prescribed food that basically had poop for ingredients. It was extremely low calorie and I tried to mix it in with his normal food over the course of two weeks. While I didn’t want to, I went against my own judgment and fed it to him anyway.
As soon as I fed him the new food exclusively, (which only lasted three days), he started to act weird. He was depressed and constantly asked to go outside so he could eat grass. Turns out his stomach was so upset from the ingredients.
An employee at Petco told me eating that ‘diet’ food was like him eating McDonald’s every day and it just wasn’t agreeing with him. (He’s so used to natural, holistic stuff.)
So, long story short, I went back to the brand I know and love and bought their weight management food. Riley is now on Blue Buffalo’s Healthy Weight Control and he has lost two pounds or more!!
We’ve cut back on the treats too and he has his waistline back. Hooray!
Truth be told, my dog is a mixed breed, so we don’t really know what his weight should be. He has shaggy hair and looks like a mini Sheepdog and has always looked like a chalupa to us. But, he just got groomed over the weekend and he now looks so tiny.
When he came home with his new do my two-year-old said “Aw, it’s little Riley!”
And just hearing that from my toddler made me realize he’s not fat, he just needed a haircut.
Kristin Wheeler (@MamaLuvsBooks) says
OMG!! He’s the cutest! We have a white fluffy dog too!
Courtney says
Is your dog a little guy too?
Joanna {Baby Gators Den} says
He looks great! If I was a dog, I would want to be fat and happy ๐
Courtney says
Aw thanks! And so true!
Joanna {Baby Gators Den} says
I think he looks great. If I was a dog, I would want to be fat and happy! ๐
MelissaG813 (@MelissaG813) says
Your dog is adorable!! This is the perfect little pup. I”m so not a dog person, but this little guy, I could handle him. ๐
Courtney says
Aw thank you! ๐
Candice (@TheNewModernMom) says
I have seen obese dogs and that is NOT it! LOL. Yea, any food from the vet is a joke and sorely overpriced. Glad you went with your intuition. ๐
Courtney says
Totally! I don’t know how I fell for it. I’m so not confrontational, so I was “like oooohhkay, sure, I’ll buy this ridiculous food because I’m afraid to say no!” ๐
Jen @ keekoin says
Um, your dog is obese?? I’m not seeing it! What a little cutie Riley is and I’m so glad you stuck to your guns and did what you thought was right with his food. And glad he’s back on track for you! You’re totally right though- sometimes they just need a dang haircut and it takes pounds off…. LOL.
Courtney says
hahah if only that worked for humans too! It’s so weird they used the word obese…I mean he’s supposed to be like 26 or so pounds I guess, and was 30 at the time, so percentage wise he was a little heavy. But, either way, I don’t see it now whether it be the fur or the treats fault! ๐
melissa weintraub (@dentistmel) says
He is so not fat. He looks like a healthy, beautiful dog!!! What a cutie!
Courtney says
Thank you!!! He is a cutie, huh? ๐