If you are worried about your dog looking thin or under weight, it’s about time you learn the best ways to fatten him up. Key factors to make it happen is food, supplements, and up-to-date vaccinations. However, if you observe that your dog does not have the appetite or suffering from any medical conditions, bring him to the veterinarian.It is important to keep your dog’s weight in the ideal range. It’s assurance of a healthy and long life for your fur baby.So, let’s see what we can do on how to fatten up your dog!
Many reasons compel dog owners to fatten up their dog. Probably, some of these may hold true.
- Your dog is a fussy eater – This kind of dogs wants to always have the tasty food and are picky.
- Have certain medical issues – Sick dogs don’t have the appetite to eat. No owner has the power to make them eat if this is the case.
- Are your dogs stressed out? – It’s not just owners that know how to be stressed. Dogs too feel the same way and are sometimes depressed.
How to fatten up your dog?
Whatever the reasons why they are not gaining weight, let us find out how we can help to keep them healthy. Let’s learn a few steps to fatten up our fur babies.
What your dog needs to fatten up:
- Time
- Food
- Rest
- Encouragement
- Medication
Simple steps to make your dog gain weight
- Find out the reason of his losing weight.
Did your dog just give birth to healthy puppies? Or was his previous owner cruel to him and have mistreated him badly? You, as his owner, can easily figure out what’s going on. If you know the reason, then fattening him would be easy.
Monitoring your dog is a good way to find out why he is underweight. This is important especially if you have several dogs around. Who knows, one of them may be too dominant and eats all the food before others can taste it.
- Give your dog a regular visit to the vet.
Any medical condition can hinder the appetite of your dog. Let your vet evaluate the overall well-being of your fur baby. Hints to know that you need to bring him to the vet are less appetite, always thirsty, do not have the strength, frequent pooping, vomiting, or peculiar change of body structure.
Serious conditions that may be related to the symptoms above are pancreatic enzymes, diabetes, liver illness, kidney malfunction, cancer and inflammatory bowel ailment.
- Educate yourself
Educate yourself on how to feed your dog. Give importance to a number of calories that you give to your dog. Familiarize yourself with your dog’s actual weight versus the breed’s perfect weight.
Sometimes, you might think that your dog is under weight. However, upon checking on its ideal weight, you will find out otherwise. This will also make you realize to stop comparing your dog to other breeds.
- Check the food portions you give to your dog against the ideal amount.
In the food packaging, you will see that there are instructions on how to feed your dog. It is stated there the right proportion of food ideal for your dog’s weight and age. Adjust your feeding portions to the right amount.
However, remember that when your dog is hyperactive, it consumes more calories than how much he takes in. If this is your dog’s case, then increasing his feeding portions is a great help.
- Change Your Dog’s Diet
Align your dog’s diet to meet his needs. Give him food that is rich in vitamin B and other vitamins. Here are some tips to give you an idea on how to do it.
- Cook beef, chicken breasts or liver and feed it to your dog for an average of three times a week. This will serve as a snack or a treat on top of his regular meals.
- Give your dog raw eggs, adding an egg three times a week to their dog food. Eggs are rich in B12, folate, selenium and other vitamins.
- Add all these food gradually so it won’t hurt their tummy.
- Change your dog food. Current dog food may not meet the needs of your dog. Switch to a high energy dog food gradually. Giving your dog high energy food will prevent them from thinning and will encourage your dog’s gaining weight.
There are many good brands available in the market. Make sure to search for good reviews for good selection.
- Provide food variation once in a while. You may switch from giving your dog wet food to dry food. Or you can do it the other way around. Eating the same food every day could be boring too. Introducing to them something new may give them the interest to eat.
Just keep in mind that dry food is healthier than wet food. You may want to lessen the wet food intakes. So another better idea is to make your own dog food recipe. Just make sure that your vet approves it before feeding.
Making your own dog recipe is an assurance that you are making food that would raise interest to your dog’s appetite. Besides, it would be packed with the right vitamins that he needs not to mention that it is tasty. Go for it!
- Regular vitamin and energy supplements for your dog.
Your vet will give you the proper vitamins and energy supplement that are good for your dogs. If it is easier for you, a regular shot is available too. Consult your vet for other options.
Sometimes, we dog owners love our fur babies so much that we tend to fret to slight changes our dog makes. Mostly, it will end up to be something that does not need to be worried about.
That attitude though will keep our dogs healthy and safe. Dogs are family. So let’s treat them as one. Now you know how to fatten up your dog. Let’s go on with it!
Related: Choose the best dog food to gain weight right here!