I adopted 8 year old Dixon last July. I swore I would help this chunky dog lose weight and be healthy! Well, after trying him on several different high end dog foods and getting only 1/4 cup morning and night, Dixon has GAINED weight and is now 18lbs. I think he has a secret stash of Twinkies…
lisamims
Get a full body ultrasound. I had a corgi like that, and he had a huge adrenal tumour. (Which can be surgically removed, if the dog is young enough.) The vet said my poor dog had probably had the tumour half of his life, when I finally had to put him down, because of complications
Nadine
Maybe thyroid disease.
abudoggie
Look up dog food calculators on the internet – there are several styles. One should make sense to you. It’ll tell you how many calories your dog needs for his activity level and how much of your particular brand of food he needs each day.
Something like this one: http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-feeding-tips/dog-food-calculator/
Spinderella
And not enough exercise. High end dog food is VERY calorie dense…think filet mignon with a delicious cheesecake for dessert. Not a lot of food, necessarily…but plenty of calories in it.
Jane Sherman St Laurent
Twice a day walks should do the trick, and you might just reap some health benefits too!
Diane
I use healthy weight (think diet) dog foods for my min pin, and the only treats she gets are frozen green beans which she loves.
Erin
Sounds like time to hit the pavement and have a blood panel run.
Jen M.
Fat and happy dog!!
Nephrolepis
One cool way to get motivated for a little more exercise is to use one of the dog rescue walking apps that are out now (I use ResQWalk). It lets me pick a charity that is signed up with them, and I can walk my dogs and contribute the miles towards a donation from a donor pool. Check it out!
ellie
cool thing the resqwalk, great idea
Ivana Jiménez (@andshegoesdown)
The only dog food my dog loses weight on without getting weak (his hair gets beautiful, actually!) is Royal Canin’s Obesity line. Even if he’s not actually obese. Does wonders!
lalydialydia
More walkies.
linette
My 19 lb pug only gets 1/2 cup total of kibble a day. Look at the caloric count. I am betting that is too much food for a min pin.
Mimi
I have four Chihuahuas, one is a Jack Russell Chihuahua mix. The 4.5 pound Chi and the 11 pound JRT/CHI mix get the same amount of food. The smaller dog is as hyper as a mosquito. It has taken me a few months to figure out what each dog needs. They are all fit and healthy. I never go by the guidelines on the bag. Good luck, he’s a handsome fella!
Mimi
…or, he’s ordering pizza during the day when no one’s home…
Wendy
I had several year of trying to get weight off of my dog and many thyroid tests. Turns out she had Cushings.
jeff
Hypo Thyroidism. That was what our McNab had. solixine does the trick and it’s cheap!
Deborah King
We have min pins. They are such chow hounds. We only feed in the morning. A few healthy treats during the day. They are trim but would prefer to “fluffy. “
faith
My dog had a thyroid issue. He gets a med twice a day and now he’s super fit.
Me
All these comments…jeesh! He sounds fat and happy!!! Which is HAPPY in dog speak!
Sweetpea
I hope he does not have Cushing’s Disease. It’s a very serious disease, and causes weight gain and an inability to lose weight. If he does have this disease, he probably feels terrible. 🙁
Henryetta
My husband had a miniature pinscher who also had a weight problem. She had plenty of energy but was always hungry and thirsty. No one thought to test her for any disorder. She was very happy but died when she was just 5 years old. If you want to keep her around a few more years, I’d have her checked by a vet. These dogs can be prone to illness that affects their appetite and weight.