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Weight problem

1K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  browndogcbr 
#1 ·
I have a 12-14 year old black Labrador mix, and over the past 7 years I've had her, she's always been very active, and healthy. I took her jogging with me every morning before sunup, as I live in the desert and it gets very hot, very quickly around here. You could fry an egg on the sidewalk, even this late in the year, so walks during the day or early evening are a bad idea for my pooch's paws.

Recently I've moved further out into the boonies, and since then had to stop my pre-dawn jogging sessions. There are no streetlamps in the area, many fast-moving cars, as well as a lot more wildlife such as rattlesnakes and coyotes about. It just isn't a good idea to go out in the dark, and I only have time on the weekends to go later in the morning when it's still cool. As a result, Molly has put on quite a bit of weight since the move.

The main problem is, I really don't know how else to get her some daily exercise. Vet said she was definitely a lab mix, but she doesn't care too much for swimming, and won't willingly play around in the pool, even though she goes kayaking with me and clearly is not afraid of the water. She also has absolutely no interest in toys, balls, frisbees, or anything you'd expect out of a labrador, even though my much younger Dachshund and Havanese puppy play with their toys often.

Right now, the only real exercise she's getting is on the weekends, and the daily playing and wrestling rituals with my other two dogs. But with them being so much smaller, and her being very gentle, I can't imagine she gets much of a workout beyond that.

As far as diet goes, I go with what's on sale usually, and try to stay away from Ol' Roy, but money is very much a factor in this issue. She doesn't get tablescraps beyond what I wouldn't be proud to eat myself (roast chicken breast, for instance. Nothing like pizza.)

She's getting older, and I feel sad and guilty to see her put on so much weight, and want to keep my friend living healthy and happy for as long as I can. I'm kind of run down on ideas of how to keep her in shape though. Any suggestions?
 
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#3 ·
I hear you about the cost of dog food.

You can train your dog to use the treadmill if you have one.

However, since she is aging you might look at a food made for senior dogs. Like humans their calorie requirements decrease with age. There are several good foods on the market.

Also, I would cut down to just a taste any human food treats. Make that chicken just a tiny bite or two. I'm assuming, like my husband, you couldn't completely stop giving her table food.:)

Hawk aka BrownDog's Momma
 
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