Help me please it's urgent

[rescuedogz]

I have recently acquired a dog who is massively overweight. He's lived in a downstairs toilet for 10 years and has never been on grass or for a walk I need help to get it off. He's hungry constantly. Do I just ignore him when he's crying and pestering for food? He's meant to be 17kg and he's 28kg.

I need to do this for him.

Please help

He has come to me on bakers, but our other dog eats raw so I've been trying to move him over to that which he loves. But it's not filling him up, he refuses veggies.

[ChandlerIsTheBestFriend]

Is he working for his food? Are you hiding it in toys/around the house/giving him tasks to do to earn it? That will help with his mobility and weight loss. Unfortunately he will whine until his stomach adjusts to the smaller portions.

[CMOTDibbler]

Oh bless him! To be honest, I would put him on a dry complete kibble like Burns weight control and split his food so you give him two meals a day and enough left to give him a few bits at intervals during the day if he's been used to having lots of tit bits so you can slowly wean him off that idea, and while you need treats to get him walking. Its going to be a lot easier to divide his food not feeding raw

[sleepismysuperpower1]

have you spoken to the vet? they can help you organise a weight reduction plan for him, give advice etc. They might also want to test for other medical conditions.

[Karcheer]

I think I’d probably split his meals into maybe 4 a day and hide it in kongs or those bowls that make it harder to eat. I’d probably walk him and reward him with a meal so he starts to associate walks with that.
I’d also keep him busy with lots of indoor training to try and take his mind off food.

[ButDoUAvocado]

I break up frozen chicken wings and put them into Kong Stuff-a-Balls. Natures Menu do beef chunks,
poultry hearts etc which are handy for Kongs.
Mine also have the slow feeder bowls so takes them ages to eat their raw food and I split the portions so they get 2 meals a day.

[ButDoUAvocado]

You could also put Greek yoghurt into Kongs and freeze it, maybe with some raspberries and blueberries.

[SingingSands]

@ButDoUAvocado that sounds bloody amazing and I don't mean for the dog

[rescuedogz]

Thank you so much. Do you think I should put him on kibble for now? Or continue with the raw? He eats so fast event with a kong. I used a kong wobbler last night and he got so frustrated he just tried to chew it

[Windyatthebeach]

Have you got a bowl that stops them eating so fast? Has spokes in the bottom!
We had a greedy rotty!

[Ihaventgottimeforthis]

I'd stick with the raw if that's what you want to do long term - what about some natural chews like antler or buffalo horn to distract him otherwise? Or a big bone to chew on?

[KitchenConfidential]

I would be freezing his food into longs to make it last longer and make him work for it.

Do I just ignore him when he's crying and pestering for food? absolutely.

[rescuedogz]

Ok. Brilliant thank you 😊 this was yesterday when I picked him up. I got a call at 3pm and I he was in my car at 6. He is a soppy thing. He needs a name. He is currently called Howard.. but he doesn't answer to it. Hasn't got a clue what his name is. He adores our other dog, and this morning he played with her, but the vet has said he's at massive risk of heart attack because of his weight.

[rescuedogz]

Oh and we were meant to be fostering him
But DH has already decided he's staying, he fits in so well. He just really needs this weight off. He took 2 hours to walk 5k this morning, proper old dog walking the full length of the lead behind him. Vet has put him on metacam for his arthritis. And he has a really gross skin infection all over his body which will mean his fur will fall out eventually, as the scabs all fall off :(

[RedRed9]

We have a licki mat bowl that I spread raw onto. Not quite as frustrating to eat from as a long but still slows down meal times considerably.

We rescued an overweight dog long ago. Take your time with the weight reduction and increasing exercise. A firm, steady but slow pace is needed.

[RedRed9]

*as a kong

[Ihaventgottimeforthis]

Can you take him anywhere to swim?

[ChandlerIsTheBestFriend]

2 hours sounds like a very long (and painful) walk for a dog that has never been walked before. I would start with very small walks first tbh OP. His joints are going to be in agony after walking for 2 hours.

[Whataloadofshite]

Look at that beautiful face.

I rescued a bullmastiff that was overweight, and she refused to eat kibble because she'd been fed burgers etc. Eventually she started to eat it but it had to be a really smelly fish based one for her to do it.

You have to keep him busy with exercise so it tires him out, he will get used to the new food routine but it will take time and patience.

[KitchenConfidential]

Another massive vote for swimming and hydrotherapy and I would definitely not be taking him on that length of walk yet! Baby baby steps to take it easy on the poor fella.

[stayathomegardener]

I think you would have the same issues with any swap to raw from kibble.
The dog needs to adjust to not feeling full. Took our dog about three weeks.

Agree with much shorter walks to start with, ten minutes or so.

He looks absolutely gorgeous!

[FawnDrench]

He's lovely isn't he - gorgeous colouring.

He looks like a Bertie to me.

[fivedogstofeed]

He's so lovely! Don't rush it with the weight, or overdo the exercise.
If he's never been walked then 3 weeks will make a huge difference.
Raw diet is well known for getting dogs to a good weight. Otherwise, a high protein kibble like one of the Millies Wolfheart 60-70% protein will mean he's less hungry and will be getting good nutrition. I imagine eating Bakers makes you constantly starving like eating a Happy Meal.

[FFSFFSFFS]

I can't see the pic??

[Windyatthebeach]

Can't see pic!!

[ChandlerIsTheBestFriend]

I can’t see a pic either!