We all try to keep our dogs healthy, happy and an ideal weight.
There are so many reasons why your dog might not be at its optimum weight:
Do you have a picky eater?
Is your dog recovering from an illness?
Have you re-homed an underweight rescue?
Do you have a nursing mum that perhaps isn’t getting all the protein she needs right now?
Sudden and unexpected weight loss should always be checked out by your vet to rule out any underlying illness but if you have a happy, healthy dog who just is a bit underweight or if you are looking to find ways to pack on the pounds, let’s look at ways to help them gain.
What do the scales say?
It’s helpful to pop them on the scales from time to time – yes, we know that may not always be easy but it helps to track any gain, or loss, in their usual weight. If you stand above your dog and look down at their body, you will learn to recognise their silhouette and notice any changes. You can also run your hand over their sides and you should feel the ribs under a thin layer of fat. Remember that some breeds are ‘leaner’ than others, but there should always be some padding between ribs and skin.
Review your dog’s diet
Remember that dog food varies in quality so be sure you’re feeding appropriately for age, breed and activity levels to ensure your dog gets all the nutrients and vitamins needed. Your vet can advise on changes to your dog’s diet and exercise routine – maybe even adding an extra daily meal or offering smaller, more frequent meals (which might require additional “walkies” as part of the faster metabolism).
Additional calories may also be added in the form of safe ‘human food’ such as roast chicken meat but no skin, boiled eggs, canned tuna and fat-free plain yoghurt. But, be aware there are some human foods that should never be fed to dogs – such as chocolate, grapes/raisins, garlic and onion.
Extra exercise may sound counterproductive but can help to build muscle – always check with your vet first.
Treats and snacks will also add calories to your dog’s diet though should not be their primary source of calories.
Should I consider high calorie supplementation?
Yes! Why not try Buddy & Lola’s Weight Gainer - a high calorie powdered supplement boost that you can simply sprinkle onto your dog’s existing food. Knowing how underweight dogs struggle with their food, our powdered supplement comes in a yummy chicken flavour.
We understand how important energy and proteins are for building your dog's muscle mass and weight which is why we have developed a product that will help dogs who are struggling to gain weight or are in need of further nutrition.
Will Weight Gainer really make my dog put on weight?
We hear from dog owners all the time who are struggling to support weight gain in their dogs. When dog owner Shanaya contacted us to tell us about her dog Warrior, we were over the moon to be able to help.
"Warrior was pretty underweight when he came to us. We went to the vets but they couldn’t find anything, he just wouldn’t eat enough. As a last ditch attempt to get him to gain some weight, we ordered this supplement although we didn’t really think it was going to work for him, since he’s such a fussy eater we weren’t even sure he’d eat it! Thankfully, he really likes the flavour, and it has really helped his weight gain, he’s almost caught up with where he should be now!”