My Black Lab needs to shed some weight!

[MaiasMom]

Nettle wrote: Should anyone have a conscience problem, killing without drugs can be perfectly humane and often faster than killing with them.
Thank you for that Nettle, I take some hits for this from time to time.

[WendyM]

Rabbit is good for dogs (and people) that want to lose weight. My parents used to raise California Rex and we regularly fed them to the retrievers if they weren't active enough and getting a little portly. The caveat is that rabbit should only replace other meats for feeding one or two days a week and only when the dog is overweight because there is so little fat.

[Salistra]

WoW. I never put so much thought into feeding our pets!

I'm afraid to feed them anything now!

[Salistra]

I was always not big on wet food - heard it rots their teeth.

Now I'm hearing dry food is no good - too much starch / carbs

Rabbit? ugggg

We cooked lamb once and our lab weirded out on us for a week. Freaky!

Can ANYONE just recommend a "good" dog food brand geared for weight control.

My Lab will only eat cooked carrots - yes they have to be cooked!
My Szhitz -Tzu loves cooked chicken

So what is the best thing to feed our pets then. Now I'm totally confused here.

[MaiasMom]

For me what I feed my dogs is every bit as important as what I fed my children. I want the to live long and healthy lives, the old saying "you are what you eat" is so true for all living things. I avoid store brand dog food like it was poison. You don't really know what is in it or how they killed the host animal. It's never to late to start an animal on a better diet just like us human animals.

[MaiasMom]

canned food is ok in moderation, I like to mix a little bit in water and pour it over their dry food. They get dry food also but mostly they like fruits, veggies, cooked potatoes, yogurt or sour cream for digestion. I call Tre my garbage can because he will eat anything I give him. Some dogs like carrot raw, good it you can get them to eat them, works to help clean back teeth, but cooked, steamed rather than boiled is good also. They love raw chicken, no corn or grapes as it can swell in the gut. No onions or food with onion in it, toxic. Good rule of thumb, no processed human food. My posse likes fish also, water melon, cantalop, oranges, apples, mango's make them slobber. Banana's I get the over ripe ones. Just offer it to them after they see you take a bite.

[MaiasMom]

Eukanuba makes a weight control food, but the best thing is reduce the amount of food and get more walking in. It's good for their muscles to keep them in shape unless there is a medical reason why more walking is not good for your dog. Look at the bag to see what is in it, ask your vet. or google "what is the best dog food" Hope this gave you an idea or two. I know that "cooking" for your dog takes time, more time than putting dry food in a bowl. But it's worth it in the health benefits to your pet.

[WendyM]

Rabbit? ugggg

I don't understand.

I avoid store brand dog food like it was poison.

Sadly for many pets it has turned out to be poison.

[MaiasMom]

Store brand, like you can buy in a grocery store. Most of it has the host animal by products. the key word is by products, the stuff that does not make it to our meat department. There are many good brands as I mentioned that the host animal is not killed with a drug that pumps through the meat as the animal dies and stays resident in the meat no matter how well bled it is. There was a site that would list all the bad dog food by brand and also all the really good food. It might cost a little more to feed good but it is worth it in the long run. Why, because most "store " brand dog foods has a lot of filler that has little or no real food value. It takes more of the store brand to equal the value of the good brands.