Tisaann Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 And I just have no idea on how to get her weight down. Rosie (king charles cavalier) is now 9 and in good health apart from a very slight heart murmur. When she went to the vets 6 months ago they said that she needed to loose weight otherwise the murmur would get a lot worse. I was never too sure if Rosie was overweight or not as she seems to have hips and I can feel her ribs but her chest is very broad and she has always been on the large side. I am feeding Rosie on Naturediet. She has a quarter of a tub in the morning with a handful of mixer and again the same at night. She does have treats which I know I have to stop giving and this I will do. However, my biggest problem is that most times she can't be bothered to walk. Every morning I start to take her and after a very short time she puts the brakes on and I either try to carry on and drag her or give up and go home. This also happens in the evening depending on how she feels. If I do try to go a more interesting route Rosie soon susses and pulls me in the direction that will lead back home. I know there is nothing wrong with her because at the weekend I will take her over the common where she has a whale of a time and i end up having to drag her home. I can't take her over the common of a week day as it is still too dark to be safe. I do try and play with Rosie and get her to chase a ball in the garden and also chase her around the house but this is very short lived. Never have I known a dog to be so laid back that she spends half her life comatose. Any help please. xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fee Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Naturediet do a lite/senior version, maybe that would be worth a try? No idea on the walking thing, do you think she doesn't like going out in the dark? If so it might get easier over the spring/summer. I guess you could get a buggy and wheel her a distance from home so she has to walk back, but it seems a bit extreme! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackmagic Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Naturediet is a complete food so shouldn't have mixer added to it. That is added calories that she doesn't need if she is overweight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fee Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Just a thought, but has your vet considered hypothyroidism? Symptoms often include weight gain and lack of energy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 Naturediet do a lite/senior version, maybe that would be worth a try? Naturediet is a complete food so shouldn't have mixer added to it. Wot they both said The only way to get weight down is to feed less and exercise more. Could it be that the extra weight is putting a strain on her legs/hips and/or because she has less energy that she feels less inclined to exercise? If cutting out the mixer/using Naturediet lite doesn't work, just feed her less. If you need to bulk out her food a bit because you don't feel it's enough, then try using veg (frozen mixed veg is good and easy to keep in the freezer) . You could heat up the naturediet/frozen veg in the microwave and mix them in together Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 You could replace the mixer with diced raw carrot, crunchy but low in calories. I'd cut down on the naturediet short term too. Could someone drop you and Rosie away from home, then you walk back? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzeanna Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 I've got a cav called Rosie too...just over three...she had her check up and booster a week or so ago, and we put her on the scales and she was gulp...just about 12.8kg! Her heart is fine so far, and the vet said she could do to lose a kilo or so, but nothing to get in a panic about Is there anything that triggers your Rosie? like cats? if my Rosie is dragging her heels on a walk, I only have to say look! what can you see? is that a cat? and we are off at top speed! So far as the food is concerned, I've been giving her pieces of carrot instead of biscuit for a treat, as she loves carrot. Come to that, she loves most fruit, so apple would do too, but don't let her eat the pips, they are poisonous. Could you try that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackmagic Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 A friend once cared for a cocker spaniel that had half a cucumber in her dinner to help her lose weight. My dogs love celery, which would be another option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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