7 Simple Strategies for Combating Overeating In Your Dog

Overeating and overfeeding dogs can be troublesome if it gets to be excessive. It can lead to serious health complications like diabetes and excessive weight gain.

In fact, in one instance pet owners overfed their dog to the point where he could not walk!

Keep reading to learn the right strategies, to help your pup strike a healthy balance between meals, treats, and snacks, and discover the secrets to keeping your pup full, happy, and well-fed without overeating.

Do dogs stop eating when they are full?

Some dogs will stop eating when they have had enough, however, others won’t. It is very specific to your dog’s appetite.

Most dogs can and will overeat, if the palatability of the food if something they enjoy, they will probably continue to eat no matter how much food is offered to them.

This is especially true when it comes to puppies as many times they do not seem to have an off switch when it comes to eating.

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How do I stop my dog from overeating?

1. Measure out your dog’s portions

If you notice that your dog is overeating start measuring out their food. This is one of the simplest ways to prevent your dog from overeating. You can use measuring a measuring cup or a bowl that includes a scale like this one to account for accuracy.

2. Discourage grazing

Don’t leave your dog’s food out throughout the day because they can easily overconsume calories this way. Instead, opt to feed your dog two or three times a day with a snack between feedings if they can afford it weight-wise.

3. Feed nutrient-rich diets and treats

Ensure that the foods and treats you feed your dog are high-quality, whole foods to ensure they are actually receiving all of the nutrients they need and not overeating to account for a lack of quality in the diet. Healthy snacks don’t have to be pre-made dog foods either, you can feed healthy foods like apples and carrots as well. To learn about more healthy alternatives read our article here.

4. Avoid feeding table scraps

While feeding a couple of pieces of unseasoned chicken in their meals should not cause an issue, feeding seasoned meals may seem harmless but it is actually adding to your dog’s overeating. They will begin to associate your meal time with a time to beg for people’s food. If they are fed too much table food and their food this can lead to overeating.

5. Incorporate chia seeds into their meals

Chia seeds are a healthy option to add to dog’s meals because they can help them to feel full. To read more about how to feed your dog chia seeds read our article here.

6. Use a schedule

Stick to a feeding schedule, if you have a large family use a chart to note when the dog was fed so no one doubles up on feedings! While this may make your fur baby happy to get double portions it won’t do much to help them not overeat.

7. Plan with your vet

Ask your vet for advice about how much you should feed your dog

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How much kibble should I feed my dog?

Unfortunately, there is no one size fits all answer as to how much pet parents should feed their dogs.

How much you feed your dog varies depending on the size of the dog, age, and activity level. Puppies will need to eat more often than seniors as they are growing and highly active dogs, like working cattle dogs, will need to have their food intake increased to account for the number of calories they burn off during activities.

The chart below based on Purina’s recommended feeding guidelines is a good place to start but you should always read the recommended feeding weights on the back of the food bag and go from there.

As these are recommended feeding amounts, you may have to increase or decrease the amount based on your individual dog.

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What are the consequences of overfeeding my dog?

• Weight gain
• Gastrointestinal Issues: vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, upset stomach
• Immobility
• Diabetes
• Lethargy/sluggishness

Reference

The Times