The main cause of obesity in Australian pets is overfeeding. Weighing issues can have a negative impact on your dog’s health and quality of life. That is why we are promoting Pet Obesity Awareness Day to provide you with the information you need to maintain a healthy dog weight.

Let’s Get Physical

No matter what breed or size your dog is, it needs to be exercised at least once per day. Playtime, walks, running off-leash, or any other physical activity can be incorporated into your daily schedule to help ensure that you receive the exercise you require.

It is important to keep your dog healthy, even if you have a large yard with plenty of space for him to run and move around. Be sure to supervise your dog when it is off the leash and maintain control.

It is important to exercise your dog in cooler temperatures and during the day. This is particularly true for flat-faced dogs such as bulldogs or pugs that can’t cool themselves off as easily.

Note that dogs shouldn’t be exercised right before or immediately after eating, as this can lead to bloat, which can be fatal, especially in large dogs with a pronounced chest, such as Great Danes or German Shepherds.

Treats can be a tasty food.

You should give your dog high-quality commercial food such as Hill’s Pet Nutrition to ensure that your pet has a balanced diet. On the back of commercial dog food, there is usually a guide that indicates how much food your pet needs on a given day. Your vet can also help you determine how much food to feed your dog.

You can also add raw meat of human grade (e.g., lamb), bare meaty bones, and some vegetables. You can also add bare meaty bones, lamb (e.g.), and vegetables.

Use the following to make treats for your pets:

* A small amount of commercial dog food

* a safe and appropriate morsel from ‘human food,’ such as vegetables or meat;

* Homemade treats are made under vet advice.

Check if the treat can be fed. View our diet guide here.

If you’ve already noticed that your dog is overweight, even a little, avoid giving him treats. This could make the problem worse. Avoid high-calorie treats like peanut butter and cheese.

How to identify an overweight dog

Use this scale provided by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association in order to determine if your dog is overweight or underweight. Speak to your vet if your pet’s weight is at either end of this scale.

It is important to keep your dog’s health in check by ensuring that they attend their annual and regular vet appointments. Your vet can check to see if the diet of your dog is still right, if they get enough exercise, and if they spot any potential health problems.