Cricket and the Father in Law

[quavec]

Well, we got back from our trip and Cricket was excited to see us. Happy as can be - on everyone's part. Until I saw his belly bulge - much bulgier than it was prior to our trip :( So, he is on a diet. Big time. FIL filled his bowl in the a.m. and then again prior to going to sleep :mad4: I was SO PISSED OFF. But, we are calmer now, and I am in need of some dietary help. This is what he was eating (prior to vacay):

1/3 cup NB low cal twice per day (a.m. and p.m.)
Since returning home, I have cut THAT in half and supplied low sodium green beans to make up the volume difference. Is this good or should I cut the green beans out all together? Or supplement with something else?

[lotsadox]

I think what you're doing sounds good. If he isn't losing in a couple of weeks you could cut out the green beans or cut them down then.

[Frzframe]

Nope Id keep feeding him the green beans because if you stop he'll think your starving him. Then I would also double up his walks. :)

[Chrystyna]

Definitely keep feeding him the green beans. They're a good filler and the calorie intake is next to nothing. You might want to consider changing his kibble though to one that has a higher protein/fat count then carbs. Most often the low calorie kibbles are high in carbs which actually causes them to NOT lose weight.

[quavec]

The kicker is that I MARKED HIS MEASURING CUP WITH A BLACK SHARPIE so he would SEE HOW MUCH TO FEED HIM! Then I taped a sign on it saying no more than 2xs per day. :rolleyes:

Pure laziness. :mad4:

[Chrystyna]

We left Harley with someone for a week and when we came home he was so fat. She said "we weren't feeding him enough, so she gave him more". WTF?!? He's MY dog, not yours!

[Frzframe]

I had the other extreme once. Mitzi was being watched by my aunt and she was only feeding her once a day so she was getting half of what she was used too. Poor baby was starving and my aunt felt so bad she almost cried when she found out.

[quavec]

Definitely keep feeding him the green beans. They're a good filler and the calorie intake is next to nothing. You might want to consider changing his kibble though to one that has a higher protein/fat count then carbs. Most often the low calorie kibbles are high in carbs which actually causes them to NOT lose weight.


I'll check on the nutrional stuff on his food. Thanks!

[catstamm]

Definitely keep feeding him the green beans. They're a good filler and the calorie intake is next to nothing. You might want to consider changing his kibble though to one that has a higher protein/fat count then carbs. Most often the low calorie kibbles are high in carbs which actually causes them to NOT lose weight.
You mentioned this to me also...do you have a kibble you can suggest?
Premium kibble doesn't have fillers, unless you consider brown rice a filler?

[Courtney]

I would suggest any of the top kibbles on the Whole Dog Journal list which can be found on dogaware.com. Maybe one of the grain-free ones like Evo or the Solid Gold grain-free one?

[catstamm]

Courtney you must be reading my mind....I just called "The Pet Pantry" and put both of those kibble on hold for Pick up.... Jen has been on Canidae platium for quit a while so I'm going to switch her up a little....to see if that helps...

[Courtney]

Great! I think Canidae is one of the highest-calorie foods! So maybe a switch will help her then!

[Tex]

Oh no.....if always sucks when someone taking care of our puppers doesn't follow direstions. I'm glad the green bean info. got posted again though....I think I'm going to start Julie on that. Do you mix the green beans in with their kibble? Do you need to use free ones or from the can? I know I'm asking pretty dumb questions here, but I don't know much about this kind of diet and I want the best for Julie......a little help here ....:scratch: :duh:

[Patt]

1/3 cup NB low cal twice per day (a.m. and p.m.)
Since returning home, I have cut THAT in half and supplied low sodium green beans to make up the volume difference. Is this good or should I cut the green beans out all together? Or supplement with something else?
Sounds good to me. I would continue doing what your doing and see if he loses a pound or so in a month. You don't want him to lose it too fast though.

So sorry, I don't think you will ever get through to your FIL. They usually live in their own world "they know what's best" and nothing will change it. :sosad:

[Jen]

Do you mix the green beans in with their kibble? Do you need to use free ones or from the can?

I use frozen ones--organic when I can get them. Just soak them in hot water for a few min before I give them to Tasha--and she gets one frozen one too when I first take them out--a beancicle.

Also you could add some 100% pure pumpkin as filler. We use that and beans as Tasha only gets 1/4 cup of Evo twice a day. Its low carb but RICH. So you stay with no more than 1/4 cup for two meals if you switch to it.

A thought--next trip prebag the servings in zippies and mark them Monday breakfast, Monday supper--and give him ONLY what he needs, premeasured in the future.

[Chrystyna]

I'm a huge fan of Chicken Soup for the Pet Lovers Soul (http://www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com/)

Piper hated meal time for the first 2 years of her life. I had to force her to eat most days and the other days she flat out wouldn't eat. There were times she would go days without eating. Harley (our Min Pin) wouldn't eat anything except for crappy Iams. Anything good for him he flat out refused. Someone in our Dane rescue suggested this food to me because it's made from human grade meats/fish and is a much better kibble then most out there. I figured it was worth a shot. Harley was overweight and Piper hated eating. It worked! Harley started to lose a little weight. They get less of this food then they would with lets say Nutro because their getting more protein and less fillers. The most amazing thing was Piper was actually excited to eat. I mean...wake me up at 6 AM excited to eat. I wondered what in the heck was wrong with her the first time she did it. I opened the bedroom door and she ran straight to the food bin and started jumping around acting like a fool. She wagged her little butt all the way to her food dish!

Whatever you decide to do I hope it works! I was very pleased when I found something that worked for us! Then we made the switch to raw and I've really been lucky! Harley has lost more weight, Piper is more lean, and Tex looks amazing! Raw is definitely not for everyone though. If I ever have to go back to kibble I will go right back to Chicken Soup because it worked for the dogs and I know they're getting a good quality kibble.

[Chrystyna]

Do you mix the green beans in with their kibble? Do you need to use free ones or from the can? I know I'm asking pretty dumb questions here, but I don't know much about this kind of diet and I want the best for Julie......a little help here ....:scratch: :duh:
No question is a dumb question!

You can either feed them the green beans with their kibble or feed them at a separate time. It really doesn't matter. Some like to feed it with the kibble, so the dog thinks they're getting a lot of food. We buy the canned green beans because I don't have the time to prepare the frozen ones. Just try and get the low sodium ones if you buy the canned ones. The sodium won't kill them, but if you're going to feed them every day that's a lot of extra sodium they don't need.

[LUVMYGUNNER]

Gunner and Petunia get a mixture of Evo and Low Calorie NB--I couldn't find anything on carbs on it.

[Chrystyna]

Let me see if I can find the site that breaks down the carb, protein and fat levels in the most popular brands of kibble. If I can find it, I'll post it.

[alfina]

I feed Sarina this kibble. I find it that she gets pudgy on anything else.

http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/products/showproduct.php?id=6&code=160

I also add pumpkin to her meal for added volume.

[jenfer]

I marked my measuring cup too. :)

I like Jen's idea of prepackaged measured food in ziplock bag.

One thing that helps is to CUT OUT TREATS COMPLETELY Or it should be coming from his alloted food. I think one of the reason Gi lost so much weight was because of that... no treats, no human food.

Or you can send Cricket to me and he can enroll in my Wiener-Jenny-Craig program. :rotfl:

[Tex]

I'm a huge fan of Chicken Soup for the Pet Lovers Soul (http://www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com/)

Piper hated meal time for the first 2 years of her life. I had to force her to eat most days and the other days she flat out wouldn't eat. There were times she would go days without eating. Harley (our Min Pin) wouldn't eat anything except for crappy Iams. Anything good for him he flat out refused. Someone in our Dane rescue suggested this food to me because it's made from human grade meats/fish and is a much better kibble then most out there. I figured it was worth a shot. Harley was overweight and Piper hated eating. It worked! Harley started to lose a little weight. They get less of this food then they would with lets say Nutro because their getting more protein and less fillers. The most amazing thing was Piper was actually excited to eat. I mean...wake me up at 6 AM excited to eat. I wondered what in the heck was wrong with her the first time she did it. I opened the bedroom door and she ran straight to the food bin and started jumping around acting like a fool. She wagged her little butt all the way to her food dish!

Whatever you decide to do I hope it works! I was very pleased when I found something that worked for us! Then we made the switch to raw and I've really been lucky! Harley has lost more weight, Piper is more lean, and Tex looks amazing! Raw is definitely not for everyone though. If I ever have to go back to kibble I will go right back to Chicken Soup because it worked for the dogs and I know they're getting a good quality kibble.


How awsome is this!!! I want to try this food and when I got online to find a retailer....I found out they sell at a place that's about 100 yards from where I work. Who knew!?!?! Think I'll give this one a try (if I can afford it...:scratch: ) Ok, I'm reading over the list of ingredients...seems like a lot of carbs...I live on carbs, but not sure my doggie should if I'm trying to get her to lose weight....any thoughts anybody???

[alfina]

I used to feed Chicken Soup for Dog Lovers. I had to switch because the closest retaler that carried it was 25 miles away. Mine liked it

[Tex]

I used to feed Chicken Soup for Dog Lovers. I had to switch because the closest retaler that carried it was 25 miles away. Mine liked it

Julie isn't picky about taste or anything...I just really want to get about a pound off of her....she's my little chubby bunny.....but nothing I do seems to make a difference....maybe she's just "big boned"....:scratch:

[Rae]

when Duchie goes to my mom's, mom says "it's time for ice cream" and gives her a spoonful of Pedigree canned.

urk.

Mom says her dog gets a half a can of that twice a day and she will not listen to the nutritional side... and the part about kibble being better for their teeth, etc...

SO- in return for Duchie getting to go to a safe place where I know she will be comfortable, well cared for and spoiled rotten, we have to get her on the diet bus after she gets back.

I think mom thinks food = love. BUT "fill his bowl twice a day"... now that's just lazy.

Give larda$$ kisses from Auntie Rae with a green bean on the side!

[Chrystyna]

Ok, I'm reading over the list of ingredients...seems like a lot of carbs...I live on carbs, but not sure my doggie should if I'm trying to get her to lose weight....any thoughts anybody???

What are you currently feeding her?

[jenfer]

We tried Chicken Soup for Gigi long time ago, it made her itchy. :(

[Jen]

Millet and barley in Chicken Soup? I'd go with Evo or Wellness SS myself.

[quavec]

Millet and barley in Chicken Soup? I'd go with Evo or Wellness SS myself.


I was *this* close to picking up some Wellness at Petsmart last weekend. I might go by there again and try it this time. The only downfall is that Petsmart is the only place that carries it around me (40 miles or so). NB is sold at a store not far from us (10). If it worked, I could order online.

[catstamm]

Georgann....Hoomans need carbs for energy and pupper need fat for energy....If I were a dog I'd have so much energy that I'd drive people nuts :banana: :banana: Oh that's right I already drive people nuts :shocked:
Julie isn't picky about taste or anything...I just really want to get about a pound off of her....she's my little chubby bunny.....but nothing I do seems to make a difference....maybe she's just "big boned"....:scratch:

[Bella's Mom]

The kicker is that I MARKED HIS MEASURING CUP WITH A BLACK SHARPIE so he would SEE HOW MUCH TO FEED HIM! Then I taped a sign on it saying no more than 2xs per day. :rolleyes:

Pure laziness. :mad4:
Grandparent's are easily swayed. :D Bella was getting away with murder while we were at my mother's house and it has taken several days to make her realize that people food and whatever she wants isn't a given around here. My mother kept saying that Bella was on vacation and they were so cute together I would turn a "blind eye." :faint: