Hi, I have had to put both of mine on a diet. My Dolly Dee started putting on weight after she was put on Atarax and went from a grazer to eating every kibble right away. I didn't realize soon enough that she didn't eat the full servings of her kibble when she was free feeding and continued to give her the same amount of kibble twice a day that would have been for at least a day and a half before that.
Both of mine - when lean - are a little over 7lbs and a little over 8lbs. If you start off giving less kibble per serving, and you do that slowly to where you think that she is doing OK. You may have to hear her crying in between her meals too. But, at those times you have to look down at her and think of her at her optimum size and then look at the amount of food that you are feeding her...she is little and what you are feeding her in proportion to her size is a lot. Dolly Dee who is at 7.3 lbs gets a little more than 1/8 cup twice per day; Desi Lou gets 1/4 cup twice a day. The thing to remember is that you are the one that is giving her food...and what you give her is all that she can eat. You are feeding her double of what she probably should be having AFTER she has lost. If you stick to kibble, it is easier to know you are cutting back because you have the measuring cup and what you are feeding already has calorie content assigned to it. You also need to be mindful of what you are adding to that kibble. Do you measure the sweet potatoes and the meat every day...meat and sweet potatoes are good, but you have to measure to make sure that her intake is reduced. If you are giving the meat and sweet potatoes then you have to reduce the kibble. Adult dogs should eat only twice a day...they don't need to eat three times a day. I have to admit that Dolly would cry and cry between her feedings and it was very tough on me. That whining time became a time that I just might have to go out to the store or something, and it didn't take too long until she was happy with what she was getting. If she were mine, I would decrease slowly both the kibble and the amount of sweet potatoes and meat that she gets. You have to remember that unless you give her the food, she can't eat more per meal or more servings a day than two. Start by decreasing what she gets at the third meal...and maybe add just a tad more kibble to dinner. After she is at two meals a day, then decrease by a little what she gets at the two meals that she should be having. After the first couple of weeks, I had Dolly not crying for more food during the day, and she would eat the kibble that I gave her and then all of a sudden the weight just started coming off. Right now we are on maintenance mode for her and so I do weigh her about once a week and make sure that she hasn't started gaining again. I know it is hard to hear your baby cry for food...maybe at that time just give her a couple of kibbles in place of the third meal and then decrease that a little every day. --- In [email protected], "jacehomeart" <jacart@...> wrote: > > I know my Chihuahua is overweight but it seems I am unable to do anything > about it. If fact we love her chunky body. That doesn't help. Our Vet said > she's overweight. She's about 11 lbs and the Vet thinks 9 lbs would be best > for her. > > Do any of you have issues? Mine is always up for a meal and although I've > reduced her food - she still wants 3 meals a day. I have tried to do 2 meals > but that seems to be against her wishes. > > She gets kibble and dried sweet potato for breakfast - veggies and a bit of > meat for lunch and kibble and sweet potato for supper. The whole thing isn't > more than a cup. > > We live in Ontario and now the weather is a bit warmer we are out more -so > exercise is going to help. I have to say I am really tired of everyone > saying she's fat. The only Chi's I know that are skinny, have eating issues. > ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chihuahuas/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chihuahuas/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
