Does your dog motivate you to lose weight?

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slendercurves
slendercurves Posts: 49 Member
in Motivation and Support
Joey (my Corgi mix) weighed 55 lbs in March when he should have weighed closer to 35 or 40 lbs. I decided we would start dieting together and I'm doing it for him (like when people say they're doing it for their kids). Some days he's my main reason for walking when I'm otherwise very tired.

He's lost 4.5 lbs and I've lost 13 lbs in exactly 2 months!
Woo-hoo!
That calls for a weekend binge!
NOT!
But I will buy some Ben and Jerry's this weekend. Hmmmm...maybe some extra slices of cheese in his dog food this weekend?

Does anyone else diet with their dogs, or find their dogs motivating when it comes to losing weight?
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Replies

  • JessicaDumont2
    JessicaDumont2 Posts: 100 Member
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    My dog Disney motivates me to exercise. :) everyday we walk 2 1/2 miles, and a couple days out of the week we walk 10+ miles. :)

    If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't enjoy exercising as much as I do. :) she is pure muscle though.
  • walleyclan1
    walleyclan1 Posts: 2,784 Member
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    I am a veterinarian and some of the local Drs. got together with us vets to try and use use a dogs weight issues to also help the owners. I think it is great that your dog is keeping you motivated and you both will feel so much better! Congrats and keep it up!
  • Shan790
    Shan790 Posts: 280 Member
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    That's awesome. I took my dog with me for a run and he quite halfway. I had to carry his 13 year old 22 lb butt home. So he isn't motivating me as much a he is a physical challenge. I quit taking him with me :)
  • slendercurves
    slendercurves Posts: 49 Member
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    That's awesome. I took my dog with me for a run and he quite halfway. I had to carry his 13 year old 22 lb butt home. So he isn't motivating me as much a he is a physical challenge. I quit taking him with me :)

    LOL! Joey plopped down and refused to budge one day on a walk. He was more than 50 lbs, so I had to carry him, put him down and coax, carry him, put him down and coax...on the last mile home. I know people driving by in cars were thinking, "Well, that's one way to WALK your dog!"
  • christinealexis
    christinealexis Posts: 41
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    Not my dog. He's a spoiled lazy one! I have an English Mastiff named Roc...he's almost a year and weighs almost 155lbs. I do walk him but boy he is lazy! he just loves to plop near the couch and chill. I love him to pieces but if I want to go for a brisk walk outside I leave him home or jump on my treadmill. Now a leisure walk is more his speed.
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
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    My dog encourages napping, watching hours of TV on the couch and cookie consuming.
  • Christean
    Christean Posts: 2 Member
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    Yes! When we going running (or walking) my German Shepherd is always out in front and going 90MPH. I find that when he comes along, I tend to push myself more and get in better workouts.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    I have pugs. They encourage sloth. :laugh: I think they sleep about 18 hours per day. Maybe more.
  • Dogwalkingirl
    Dogwalkingirl Posts: 320 Member
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    I am a dog walker so my DOGS help to keep me moving..I really have no other choice. Some of the dogs I walk are a lot more high energy then others. I have a client with a 8 month old Australian Shepherd and she has not become my jogging partner because one walk a day was not enough for her. Dogs are wonderful!

    By the way mine is super high energy as well and typically walks 6 hours a day and also does agility!
  • paulperryman
    paulperryman Posts: 839 Member
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    both my dogs were motivation, the one pictured in my signature was around 45kgs and we also had a female German Shepherd who was also around 40kgs we walked them every day for atleast 40mins, then they got old and didn't want to move ;( both had to be put down last year at the age of 12yrs old a piece
  • DestinyS29
    DestinyS29 Posts: 48 Member
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    Yep! :) One of my two rescues put on a little weight, he was 14# when I got him.. well he got up to around 21.... Vet said 14 was his puppy weight but she'would like to see him around 18#. I cut his food/treats back some (Some.. I don't know why it's so hard not to treat him!) and we walk all the time, my neighbor noticed his pudgy belly getting a little smaller! :) And I have lost almost 30# this year so far so my pudgy belly has gotten smaller too! ;)
  • mjhedgehog
    mjhedgehog Posts: 249 Member
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    My dog likes to run on the treadmill with me. Its a little awkward but it works. :laugh:
  • barb1241
    barb1241 Posts: 324 Member
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    My dog doesn't need to lose weight, but he loves being outdoors-as you can see by my avatar which is his pic. I would feel awful if I didn't take him out to hike, so he motivates me to get out and moving that way. Happy bonus that it fits my macros for exercise ;-)
  • paulperryman
    paulperryman Posts: 839 Member
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    Yes! When we going running (or walking) my German Shepherd is always out in front and going 90MPH. I find that when he comes along, I tend to push myself more and get in better workouts.

    anything like the one we had you didn't have a choice :) she would drag almost non stop the whole way and never could be trained otherwise but she in fairness a trained Security Dog and loved her job.

    also have had a Rottweiler in the past and he was worse, weighing in at 50Kgs of solid muscle he was a handfull, discolated a finger and a shoulder walking him one day and at home he would go into Loony mode where he'd jump around like a grasshopper on speed do flips and land on his head and rear up like a Grizzly. Then when you least expect me, full steam straight at you and your knee caps lol... Loved that dog sooooo much Great exercise too trying to keep up with him
  • katieelizabeth827
    katieelizabeth827 Posts: 41
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    My dogs most definitely motivate me to lose weight. I want to help both them and myself become more healthy. They love their walks! :)
  • AlexThreeClaw
    AlexThreeClaw Posts: 73 Member
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    Absolutely. I'm trying to increase my fitness for my greyhound. He's brilliant and I love him to pieces but he's not into the things I like to do, he's not interested in chasing a ball, he can't be trusted to run sensibly alongside my bike, he's not a great swimmer. All he wants to do is trot along at a pace I struggle to maintain. So I need to get fitter, faster, build up my stamina. He's pretty chilled out at home though, happy to sleep for hours in the sunshine. Not motivational at all. Nothing like the spaniel I was fostering a couple of years ago. That dog had so much bounce in him! He was always keen to be outside doing something and his enthusiasm was infectious! I miss that dog quite a lot.
  • Dogwalkingirl
    Dogwalkingirl Posts: 320 Member
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    barb... what kind or mix is your dog? From your profile pic I thought he was small like a wire haired jack russel or terrier but then I saw he is big...was just curious..he is adorable!
  • Reneeisfat
    Reneeisfat Posts: 126 Member
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    <<<<==========this is Reagan my Boston terrier. This little ball of energy encourages me everyday to not only exercise but to live life simply. She has taught me to enjoy the squeak of a bouncy ball, the thrill of tiny treats and the value of a little belly rub....the little joys of life.

    We should all be so lucky to be my dog!
    Cheers!
  • berriboobear
    berriboobear Posts: 524 Member
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    I actually really wish I had a dog to walk, just because I love dogs and it would be a great way to get more exercise in!
  • marhod5
    marhod5 Posts: 84 Member
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    Yes! My dog loves to be outside and loves to go for walks. Walking makes him so happy that I look forward to going too.

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