would love to have sub-account for my obese dog!

What worked for my dog was increasing feeding, from about a cup of kibble and 3/4 of a can of wet food once a day to the same amount but fed half in the morning and half in the evening. She's a mixed-breed about 80 pounds at healthy status and did so much better with the multiple feedings. She was never quite to normal weight on that, but she was starved when we got her (rescue the day before she was scheduled to be put down by the shelter) and I would never expect her to be completely normal due to that. Sadly, she has cancer now and the focus is on keeping her weight up rather than down, but the steroid treatments keep her happy and energetic as a puppy again (and I really hope I get to see her again before she's gone). I think that for the years she was healthy, those feedings really did increase her quality of life, even if she was technically overweight.

By the way, she also ruptured her ACL at 10 years old and Rimadyl was a miracle worker. It made her totally pain-free and she could go on long walks/runs and acted so happy, so it was definitely worth it. You can find it online for a dramatically-reduced price, so it's something I would strongly suggest discussing with your vet.

I work in a vet clinic and see a tone of obese dogs, and usually the number one cause is treats, dog treats or human food.... NO MORE. If you want to give your dog a treat then give him/her a piece of their kibble, dogs dont care how big or what a treat is as long as they get one, a treat can even be praise give them and extra long belly rub. Making sure your dog gets enough exercise is important, if your dog has a torn CCL then I would not let him run very much as it will make things worse and more painful, a good thing for him to do is swimming.
Also look into prescription diets, Like Hills or medical. My Lab had weight issues due to bad genetics we didnt feed her much but she ballooned she was abou 37Kg since we have put her on Hills Prescription diet R/D she is not 27.3Kg and she get 3 cups of food a day.
Try feeding your dog 1-3 meals a day, so lets say your dog gets 3 cups a day either give him 1 cup 3 times a day or 3 cups once a day.
Good luck.

I giggle not because it is serious but the fact is labs are noses attached to stomachs, I know, mine is. The majority (please note not all) lack the ability to regulate their food. My own would (and has when he got into the room where we store food) eat until he threw up and keep eating. Sort of my point about free feeding. Some dogs will self monitor. Some dogs won't. I agree with monitoring treats and food intake. Prescription diets - often more expensive then they are worth.

Yes my lab will eat anything, just a month ago she ate 4 bags of dehydrated camping food. lol poor thing but I swear she has an iron stomach.
As far as prescription diets, I thought the same thing about them being more expensive then they are worth until I started working at the clinic and i see the differences, even in my own dog she went from being fed 1 cup a day on normal dog food and still being over weight to 3 cups of R/D a day and lost weight. Also the difference the hypoallergenic food does wonders for sensative dogs, one dog came in with litterally no fur do to a food allergy, we put him on Z/d diet and in a month had hair growth. same with the kidney diets for cats and dogs, I have seen great results.
But there are some non Rx foods out there that are good there is "Summit" they have a food for overweight less active dogs.
another good food but more expensive is "blue buffalo". The thing we have to remember is the more you pay the better quality it is, its the same with our food. You can pay 5 bucks for a steak but have to chew it for an hour or pay 25 and have a great meal.
Another thing to remember is if you can buy it in your grocery store (safeway, saveon etc) it is not a good dog food.

http://www.dogfolks.com/doginfo/?p=789

If you are going to use a machine, this is what you really need

"Also, do some research on the raw food diet (google BARF [biologically appropriate raw food] Diet). Keep in mind that vets don't get trained on dog nutrition (they are "lobbied" by pet food companies who tout the nutitional value of their brand). If you have the time and inclination, this diet is a great (and cheap with a small dog!!) way to control weight and overal health. I started doing it because my friend has a 9 year old husky, who she rescued from an abusive and foodless yard, that looks like a 2 year old dog. "

Unfortunately, you are incredibly misinformed about veterinary curriculum. In fact, there is an entire course devoted to nutrition at most, if not all veterinary schools, in addition to their being several thousand boarded veterinary nutritionists (keep in mind that there are only about 90,000 veterinarians in the entire US). Speaking as a second year veterinary student, I believe that while the raw food diet may be appropriate for some owners in some situations, it is certainly not the correct diet for most pets. If you do choose to look into the raw food diet for your pet, please consult your veterinarian before doing so. Most major pet food companies are major pet food companies because they have been able to provide pets with the appropriate amount of nutrition and have worked with veterinarians and food scientists to come up with a formula that is both palatable and nutritious.

There are benefits and risks to any diet, and especially the raw food diet. If you have young children or young animals, you must be extremely careful about placement of raw food and hygiene in areas that raw food will be kept. The same bacteria that can infect us when we eat raw food (E. coli, Salmonella etc) can also infect your pet and children. Additionally, please do your homework: if you want to be your pet's nutritionist, read up on what your pet needs in terms of the essential amino acids (protein sources), fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, etc.

All I really have to add is that it is amazing what effect a small change can have over time. If your dog is maintaining his current weight, just feed a little less--i.e. if he gets a cup of dry food at each of two meals, give him 7/8 of a cup at each meal. Add just a little more exercise, and he'll be losing weight. Slow and steady works for our pets just as it does for us. Also, be aware that if you chose to change to a nutritionally better food, or a lower calorie food, make the change gradually to avoid upsetting the dogs gastrointestinal system.

Dogfoodanalysis.com is an excellent site to research quality foods. Practically every food on the market is rated with the nutritional analysis explained. I think my dog is worth feeding wholesome nutrients too. I expect her to be my companion for a long time. She is on Castor and Pollux Organix. Read the labels just like you do for your own food.

But, as I understand it, is one person's opinion. Like everything else in life there are those with differing opinions. I have fed my dogs "superior" foods listed on the site and they have done better on some that were considered less superior. I don't disagree it is a great starting point and I also agree reading labels and understanding ingredients is key. Pair that with what works for your dog.

I agree that dogfood analysis is one of many opinions, but the explanations about how to read the labels, avoiding "by products," corn, and artificial additives proveded me with a good education. I started out with Merrick Pupy Plate, and changed to Wellness before I found what I thought was the best for my dog.

It is only one opinion among many, but I find the site provides pretty good info about WHY each food is rated highly. Certainly individual dogs respond differently to different types of food, but it's a good resource to start figuring out which foods are good choices. My own dogs do poorly on all dog food, so are fed a prey model raw diet.

Firstly, I live in Canada. Our vets are obviously educated differently than their American counterparts. They don't get a whole course - they get a lecture. I have done ample research on the raw food diet, and one of the reasons that I choose to tell the OP to do his/her research is because I believe that everyone should be free to make their own informed choice. If it's not for you, it's not for you. It IS for me and my dog. He is happy and healthy. No lecture required.

To help my dog lose weight, I switched up her food to a grain free brand. The dog foods with grain won't satisfy your dog's hunger as well, therefore they feel more hungry and beg for food more often. I use Blue Buffalo. I know it is really expensive, but my dog eats a lot less, so the budget didn't take that much of a hit. She is a blue heeler/ border collie cross. Although those dogs are very active, if they have to stay home bored all day, they will turn into couch potatoes pretty quickly.

I also take her for several walks a day (3-4) with one walk lasting over an hour. That is usually our early morning or late evening walk in the summer. She likes the heat about as much as I do (not at all!).

I am really happy that you have been able to formulate a raw food diet that both meets your pet's nutritional needs and has enabled him/her to maintain an ideal body weight. However, I also recognize that many individuals would not have your commitment or dedication to finding the resources that would provide this information, and therefore set their pets on a crash course for bone disease, gastrointestinal disease, and muscle wasting. May I ask how you formulate your pet's raw food diet, and which resources you used to come up with this diet? It would be invaluable information for both myself, as a student, and to other pet owners who are looking into this option.

This question may not have been directed at me, but I will respond because my dogs are thriving on a raw food diet, and did VERY poorly on dog food. They had constant diarrhea and ear infections on dog food (we tried several varieties under veterinary supervision). Eventually, they lost so much weight, even on triple the rations for dogs their size, that I was concerned they would die of malnutrition. This is my dogs immediately before they were switched to raw:

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I have consulted extensively with a local vet who is a strong advocate of raw feeding when done correctly, calling it the "gold standard" for pet nutrition.

I also read books by veterinarian Tom Lonsdale, who advocates for raw feeding. Online, I used preymodelraw.com and the dogfoodchat.com forums to learn more about the diet. I spoke to local dog owners who have been feeding raw for decades, and to some who have made the switch in recent years.

Ultimately, I learned that a good raw diet must be balanced in two ways:

First, there must be an appropriate ratio of meat:bone:organ. For most dogs, this is 80:10:10. Some dogs require more bone to have solid stools. The 10% organ is critical, as it provides many essential nutrients. This ratio closely resembles that of small prey animals that dogs would have eaten if they were wild.

Second, the diet must be balanced in terms of types of meat. There must be a variety of different meats in the diet - chicken, turkey, pork, and beef are considered the minimum amount of variety by most. It is even better to include lamb, rabbit, duck, venison, moose, fish, and so on.

My own dogs eat chicken, turkey, pork, and beef on a day-to-day basis, and have other proteins several times per week. This offers them a variety of nutrients.

My dogs now - obviously much healthier, in excellent weight, and have amazing energy, no diarrhea, and no ear infections!

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Raw is obviously not for everyone. It does require time and planning, and you must be committed to getting it right. For those who don't have the time or motivation, there ARE excellent dog foods (Orijen, Acana, Taste of the Wild, etc.) that provide your pet with good nutrition. That being said, I truly think the raw diet has saved my dogs' lives, and I would advocate it to any pet owner who's prepared to make the commitment.

One of my cats desperately needs to go on a diet. She is a Maine Coon Mix, but she's 20 pounds, and I know that it's not all muscle. Though I like to say so. She's a curvy gal with weight to lose--but she screams at me anytime her food bowl is slightly empty. So hard with cranky kitties. And good luck with your dog!