Mr. Butters GAINED weight!

[Anatresia]

I am so depressed. I weigh Mr. B every saturday and last saturday I skipped it. He was down to 18.3 pounds, but today I weighed him and he's 19.8- his highest weight ever!!!!:confused:

I don't know what to do anymore. He's on "weight control" doggie food and he gets one cup of it a day. We really have cut back on treats, chewies, etc. and even the people food.

I know if I could get the weight off of him, he'd be more playful and happy. I'm not a neglectful or abusive owner- I'm really trying to help him.

I am so depressed right now. I feel like I'm the one who gained all of the weight back.:sosad:

[Jen]

I've never used a weight control food but a cup a day sounds like a lot to me! Tasha gets 1/2 cup a day of Evo, which is richer. More green beans and pumpkin for Mr B., a bit less kibble, and more exercise if at all possible.

Hopefully someone who's used the weight control food will know if 1/2 cup a day would be enough....

[JuneyTrixie]

You are not a bad person. You are trying to do your best. But, like humans, some dogs are prone to weight problems.

My vet said that you shouldn't weigh dogs or cats more than once a month. Like humans, dogs can vary as much as a pound a day. (Humans can vary 5-10 pounds a day!) Make sure that you are either taking him for walks daily, or if not that, then you are walking around the house with him. If you haven't been doing that lately, then do it for five minutes, then increase by five minutes each day. Do not run because little dogs really can't keep up running for too long. If you think walking around the house is boring, then take him to a pet-friendly store and walk him up and down aisles. Make sure he has his bordetella nose drops, though.

Baby scales are the best scales for small animals.

Also, my vet will not put her animals on "weight control" food because she says that she has not seen good results. Instead, she asks the owners to reduce the food by 20% and add in its place some type of pureed veggies. I think most people use unsweetened canned pumpkin or unsalted canned green beans. Puree them to get the vitamin benefits, though. :)

Good luck. :bighug: :bighug:

[lotsadox]

A cup a day sounds like a lot to me, too. I feed raw so it's a little hard for me to judge, but I feed Scooter 1/2 c of EVO twice and day with about 1/4 c of raw meat on top. He's probably 35 lbs and a very active puppy! I'd cut back to about 2/3 cup a day and still not feed many treats or other food and see how he does. It can be really hard to get their weight down. It took me a year to get Bogart's weight down 4 lbs and Cash still needs to lose a couple of lbs. Like people some of them lose weight easier than others.

You're not a failure. I know it's depressing, but it will happen. You're in snow country so it's hard for you to exercise them, but that would help speed it along a little. We're here to support you. :hula1:

[Anatresia]

Yeah, the weather is a huge problem in regard to exercising him. When it's not too cold to go outside, there's still a foot of snow to contend with. And he hates being cold.

I will try walking him around the house on a leash, and cutting the food to 1/2 cup.

[Courtney]

Faye's suggestions were great. Definitely try some other food, can you get Evo? hope you find something that works. I kind of have the opposite problem in the summer because it is too HOT to walk and Napoleon won't walk in the heat. His weight stays fine, but I lost 20 lbs in the spring and gained it back!!!! So mad!

[Anatresia]

I just figured out a way to get him to execise (and it's good for me, too). If I carry a cookie or some other treat around the house, with no teasing or intentions of giving it to him, he will literally run to keep up with me. I had him going from room to room, top speed. Of course, I'm exhausted now and he's sad that he didn't get the cookie. But he burned a calorie or two.

If only I could get him to dance like :banana:

[JuneyTrixie]

Instead of carrying the biscuit, then anothe type of treat that seems to be good is "Charlee Bear dog treats". It is only 3 calories per treat, so you can carry that around with you and then give this treat to Mr. Butters, because I'm sure that the walking around makes him lose way more than 3 calories! :)

[Goob]

Maybe ask Santa for a miniture treadmill for Mr. B?? :scratch:

I just saw in informercial for the Bow Flex, maybe they have a little one ... the Butters Flex?

[Anatresia]

Maybe ask Santa for a miniture treadmill for Mr. B?? :scratch:

I just saw in informercial for the Bow Flex, maybe they have a little one ... the Butters Flex?

He'd never forgive me!!!

[Goob]

I'm seriously picturing Mr. B with a little sweat band around his head laying on his back trying to operate the bow flex!!! :D

[Lisa]

I switched to the raw frozen premix mainly because of Pogo's weight and it has really worked for us! I would give Butter's the treat after he does such a great job, if he is walking or running after you - he should get a treat, but if you get something like turkey jerky (the real stuff) from sitstay or mine love the dried fish chews - they are super low in fat and he will get a reward for all his hard work. Pogo is hardly a mini, but when he is standing I can make out his last rib and he now has a nice cut when you look at him from the top - and he does have oodles more energy.

Of course, I am the last person that should be giving diet advice! But I am super careful about what P&P get (I should take the same care with myself - but don't).

And you are a great Mommy!! :bighug: If you weren't you wouldn't have even written the question!!

[twodogslong]

Oh the nasty weight issues. My poor little Daphne has the same problems.

I swear she is on a concentration camp diet, gets around two walks a day and she is still more than a little bit chubby. In fact I think the act of breathing adds pounds to her.

She is on raw with added pumpkin, and she eats it so fast that I swear by the time I bend over to put the dish down and stand back up, it is gone.

Of course at her age she spends the rest of the day sleeping, and waking only occasionally to bark at something that is annoying her.

Having poor Mr. Butters chase you about the apt in hopes of a cookie really sounds sad to me. I am sure he will find some great dachshund way to repay you for that little bit of torchere.

[isobelsmom]

Tracy, My "Butters" has the same problem. Sara Peanut just stares at food and you can hear the calorie counter going off...ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching!! I have tried everything..the dachsies and Bonaparte eat Wellness Whitefish and Sweet Potato (as she and others have severe allergies and dry skin) and gets about 17 pieces of kibble for breakfast and dinner, into that, instead of the canned Wellness or Canidae the rest of the herd gets, she gets a pureed concoction of yogurt, mackeral, real canned pumpkin, and no-salt green beans...and for her it's about 1 teaspoon of it mixed with warm water. Not very much food at all...and the little creep is STILL gaining!!!!

Back and forth to the vet and specialists I found: 17 allergey hits (that's why the food and supplemental additive of fillers); prone to pneumonia and recently an enlarged heart was diagnosed. She has to have minimal exercising and will be on medication her whole life. So, my question is...when a dog is fat, cannot exercise and eats hardly anything....what do you do to help them lose weight....or is this a forever thing? (All her other values, checked via blood, are perfect.)

Well, we do what you came up with, Tracy. Sara and I will "walk the house" to get a bit of exercising that is safe and she'll get a "squidy from SitSaty" for her efforts. Thank goodness she loves those and Dogitos as both are safe in small amounts.

Thank you, again...that's a great winter exerice and I can do it too without killing myself.....not supposed to be exercising as it can hurt my heart and knee and I am bored silly, so it really does sound like fun! :sosad:

Sara "Butters" sends :hearts: and much comfort :hug99: to your Butters!!!

[Patt]

I use Purina OM for weight control when Trixie loses her waist and we get results. She also gets vitamins, pumpkin and yogurt on her food. I definitely would cut out the treats, people food etc I think your defeating the purpose of the weight control food. He will lose weight if he has nothing else to eat. I'm sorry for sounding so harsh but it is really important to get that weight off. Exercise is a must but I know that is not always convienent. Good luck.

[LUVMYGUNNER]

He ought to get together with Petunia. She is going on a diet after the holidays.

[oceangirls]

I had to reduce Cassie's food when she was a puppy as she was getting a little rounded. She LOVES food. Mine are basically indoor dogs so exercise is limited here too. the pumpkin and green beans are great - increase them and reduce the kibble so you still feel like you are feeding the poor dog something. Also, if you still want to give treats, get smaller ones or lower-calorie ones and break them into tiny pieces... they are just as happy with a tiny treat :) Also make sure you and Paul (and Grandma/Grandpa or whoever else is around) keep track of who is giving treats and how many... they can add up if everyone is handing them out and you aren't aware.

I run around the house with mine, too (or turn the music on and dance around the room with them :banana: )... and another thing is if I will give them a Kong with kibble and some pieces of treat in there (and a little Kong stuffing) - you have to subtract this from the total amount of food they would have gotten for the day of course, or it defeats the purpose. They roll the Kong around and get a little exercise and it is fun for them :)

Wish someone would put MY daily calorie ration in a Kong and make ME chase it around the house :lol:

Don't feel bad - you are doing a great job with him. Angel was so lean as a pup I thought something was wrong with her... and she was picky but suddenly last year she decided she liked food so now I have to watch her too. She is also a serious couch potato. And Cassie eats paper towels because mama does not feed her enough :rolleyes: :D

[jenfer]

My mom has a shih tzu, Chilli. She is 9. She has had weight problem for YEARS! And she eats VERY VERY little... poor girl, but she is still on the "heavy side"... and she is not allow ANY human food... and my parents have no idea or how to solve this problem. Well, I guess I am not offering any solution, just telling you sometimes it could be "genetic"??? Sorry, no help. :ashamed:

[Patt]

My mom has a shih tzu, Chilli. She is 9. She has had weight problem for YEARS! And she eats VERY VERY little... poor girl, but she is still on the "heavy side"... and she is not allow ANY human food... and my parents have no idea or how to solve this problem. Well, I guess I am not offering any solution, just telling you sometimes it could be "genetic"??? Sorry, no help. :ashamed: As a suggestion, has she been to the vets lately? Any overweight pet should be checked for Hypothyroidism.

[Anatresia]

He's going to the vet in Feb. for his annual. I am hoping to get his weight down a bit before then, to avoid the lecture on how unhealthy it is, like I don't already know that.

He was checked for a thyroid problem when he was a year old, because of the fact that he's balding, but we think that it's just skin problems caused by allergies. His bloodwork for the thyroid problem came back clear.

[K2]

Pippit(who weighs 14 to 14 1/2 lbs)would weigh 30 lbs if I let him. For "snacks" he gets no salt green beans, the mackerel, yogurt concoction that Mary talked about or some homemade frosty paws.

When I got him, he weighed 12 1/2 lbs which was too skinny for him. My vet says he's at a perfect weight now.

Also, Pippit doesn't like the cold. So we do lots of activity inside. Fetch~he will do this for a long time. He also likes hide and seek(I tell him to stay in a room and I go hide, then I whisper for him to come and he runs around looking for me) My vet suggests 2-15minute play sessions daily.

[Anatresia]

I cut the food back to 1/2 cup of kibble/day and when he begs at dinner he gets veggies. :) He says to tell you he hates all of you.:rotfl:

[oceangirls]

yeah... tell poor Mr. B there are a lot of starving dachshunds on this board :D You do kind of have to wonder how much they would eat if allowed to plan their own diets :faint:

[Goob]

I cut the food back to 1/2 cup of kibble/day and when he begs at dinner he gets veggies. :) He says to tell you he hates all of you.:rotfl:

Perhaps gastric bypass is the right course of action? :rotfl:

[Fluffy]

I am coming in late on this one, but I have been there too Tracy...Heidi had a HORRIBLE weight problem named Andrew...he would feed her way too much kibble, treats, ppl food everything. I told him time and again to stop b/c has been blessed w/ no back problems and I don't need her to get any b/c she is over weight. When we moved out, that was my first order of buisness, to slim her down. When I started her diet, she was about 19-20lbs. I felt like I was starving her because she was so used to eating SO MUCh all the time that her stomach needed time to "shrink" (kind of like a human's does when they decrease their food intake). She started getting 1/4c twice a day of Kibble and only got treats when she went potty (this was also while we started re-housetraining). I had to be careful when we went to grandma and pa's b/c they LOVE to give treats. It probably took a good 6 months of diet and increased walkies and LOTS of play time around the house to get the weight off. She had a couple re-lapses where her weight went back up, but overall she's maintained a healthy weight for her body type (being part beagle she is a bit larger). It takes time and its so frustrating, but you are SUCH a good Mudder and Mr. Butters will lose the weight. Don't get frustrated from one re-lapse...its just like when people diet, there are re-lapses and they suck, but it just makes you work harder for the next "weigh in." Keep up his new exercise time and its good you decreased the food amount. That will DEFINATELY help. He will lose the weight and then you will both feel amazing. Heidi's quality of life improved so much when she lost it. Now she plays more, sleeps less and even breathes easier...doesn't start panting after walking to the driveway and back. Good luck and keep us updated!!