There's one in every family: the weakest link.
That's my Dad in my house.
He's the one the dogs go to at dinner time because they know they'll get a little something-something from the table.
And sure, table scraps are ok once in a while, but when the dog is on a balanced diet you don't have to go crazy.
I mean, I came home from a business trip once (I seem to remember I was returning from a BlogPaws), and I went to pick up Lulu from their house, and there he was, standing in the kitchen doorway, absent-mindedly feeding Lulu Cheetos.
"But she likes them!" he responded to my cries of protest.
Oy.
And I get it -- you have to have willpower to be a beagle parent.
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Hi, I like breakfast. Can I have breakfast too, Mom? |
Beagle eyes are big and sad and the damn dogs use those powers for all kinds of evil. Hard to resist. You just want to make them happy. And in a society where we celebrate food, it's easy to dole out a few extra treats, isn't it?
But you are actually doing more harm than good. If you're not careful, before you know it, you could have an overweight dog or an overweight cat.
Even I was shocked when a pet fitness expert told me Lulu could stand to lose a couple pounds. WHAT?! But I'm so good at controlling the urge to give her treats!
But maybe not as good as I could be.
According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, in the US, 53 percent of dogs and 55 percent of cats are now overweight or obese.
Even if you think your pet is perfectly fine, it might be time to get a second opinion.
Food is NOT love.
At least, not the treats and the extra food and the human table scraps... and DEFINITELY not the Cheetos.
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Image Courtesy of Hills. |
PetMD.com has an article with five ways to help your pet lose weight:
- Look at pet food labels
- Decrease treats and table scraps
- Increase exercise
- Monitor your pet’s weight
- Talk to your vet
And if your vet suggests using a weight loss formula food, and you trust your vet, listen to them.
Hill's Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution is a weight loss diet for dogs and cats. They have a complete line of food (canned, dry and treats) that so far has proven to help overweight dogs and cats lose weight safely.
Hill's wants to help people get their dogs on the right track -- that love for your pet should not be defined by how much food you give them, but how well you help them maintain good health, and that includes a healthy weight. So they are offering to help you pay for that vet visit to talk about a weight loss plan for your dog or cat.
If you fill out the following form, you can sign up for a $25 rebate, good toward a wellness visit with your vet. Then you can ask all the questions you might have about your pet's weight and whether they should go on a diet.
Here's the form to sign up for that rebate.
In addition, if you do need a special diet food, Hill's will give you a $25 rebate toward Hill's
Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution. So that's $25 towards the vet visit, plus $25 towards the food. Not bad. And, you can share it with your friends and family. Go ahead, spread the word!
In the meantime, think about these things when you want to show your pet love.
Even the most food-hungry hound will want your attention over a treat. That's what our pets really want.
Spend time with them. Go on walks, throw the ball around, or just sit with them and pet them and talk to them. Did you know that petting a dog can release endorphins -- both in your pet's brain and in your own. It makes you both feel good. Especially if you scratch behind the ears. Dogs have lots of nerves in their ears and scratching behind them makes them feel really good. It makes them very, very happy.
Lulu is so happy when she gets to ride in the car. Maybe that's what we'll do next time, instead of an extra treat.
This post is sponsored by Hill’s. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Hill’s Prescription Diet Metabolic Food, but Life With Beagle only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.