Samson has to lose 4kg - HELP!

dccheets · Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 1:09 pm Post subject: Samson has to lose 4kg - HELP!

Samson is 3 years old and is currently 41kg, I can happily say most of it is muscle and not fat, but the vets have said he needs to lose min 4kg. He doesn't over eat (I am very careful with his intake), he goes for two walks a day for about 30 mins at a time and goes running twice a week for about an hour at a time.

Over the past month Samson has only lost 0.1kg, I know this is a start but is there any tips out there on how I can speed it up. Rolling Eyes

AlfiesMum · Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 1:18 pm Post subject:

I was advised a year ago to get Alfie to lose a few KGS and the biggest thing that helped him was swimming, i would take tennis balls and throw them as far into the lakes as i knew he would swim and make him swim several times twice a day. It did help that Alfie loves swimming though. I also encouraged him to dig in the sand over the heath which he loves too and would get him running about instead of just plodding along next to me sniffing.

Obviously cutting down on all treats and his meals and giving lots of fruit and veg also helps.

Sounds like you're on the right track though if he's beginning to lose it Very Happy

Good luck!!!!

labfun28 · Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 1:18 pm Post subject:

Sorry I can't really help but I'm sure there will be plenty of people along to help you out. I hope he loses what he needs to.

I'll sent hime some <<<<<<shrinking vibes>>>>>>> I hope they work.

Alison and Holly

dccheets · Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 6:16 pm Post subject:

thank you alfies mum for the swimming tips - Samson loves paddling and playing in water, so I will get him to the nearest lake asap. I can not get over how much Alfie and Samson look a like!! Will let you know how we get on. Very Happy

jackiestone · Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 6:24 pm Post subject:

Poor Samson

Archie had to lose weight,we measured out his food exactly and increased his exercise to 2 hours a day,which made me very tired but Archie was loving it and lost 4 kg in a month.Vet says he looks brilliant and he is a happier dog

good luck

jackie and archie

nat888 · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 11:29 pm Post subject:

Well after several years of low fat diets and a loy of excercise Strider was still 45Kgs. the vets put him on a new drug called Slentrol. So far he has lost 2 kgs in a month which is good, and with little side effects unless you count the fact that he's acting like an insane pup again lol.

_joanne_ · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 7:49 am Post subject:

When I got Coogie she weighed 44 kgs Shocked

and needed to lose about a 1/4 of her weight. She was so obese and unfit.

Her weight was not continuing to go up after I got her and it stayed static so the the vet advised me that as she needed to lose a 1/4 of her weight, I had to reduce her food intake by that much, and she wasn't getting that much to begin with Sad

I felt awful feeding her such a measly amount and had to be very hard to ignore the look in her eyes. She had lots of fruit and veg, her walks gradually increased the fitter she got, she went in the sea nearly every day.

Coogie eventually was hovering between 32-33 kgs and she was a totally different girl Very Happy

This photo isn't very clear but shows just how big she was

This is a bit clearer, sorry about the flash but it is a photo of a photo. You can see she doesn't look the happiest of dogs Sad

This is Coogie after her weight loss Very Happy

Look at that smile Very Happy

Sadly that is one of my last photos of Coogie, as she went to the bridge shortly after Sad

But I know she had a much more active life with me in the few years I had her than she had ever had before.

I know sometimes vets do say "oh that Lab needs to lose some weight" etc and sometimes it isn't the case.

All I would say is that it is very easy for any dogs weight to get out of hand with the feeding guides on food, the treats that are now sold and people taking their dogs out on regular off lead exercise rather than walking the dog which exercises them much more. I am not saying any of this is the case with Samson Very Happy

I learnt with Coogie how to keep the weight down and it has been a godsend with Keira with her hip and elbow dysplacia as she has to be at the lowest weight she can be.

My girls have Kongs with frozen chunks of carrots and cucumber in them and they love it Sad

Work out a regular regime for Samson with your walks and swimming and alter his diet a small bit and you will soon have those few kgs off Very Happy

Good luck