Dogs are not all that different from us. There are dogs that are overweight but most people don’t realize that dogs can be underweight too. Weight problems can cause serious health conditions just as much as obesity can, which is why it is important to know how to fatten up a dog and understand how to do it in a healthy, safe manner.
Also Read this article if your dog suddenly can’t walk properly.
Reasons Why You Might Want To Fatten Your Dog?
There are numerous different reason why a dog might need to put on some weight. If you are an animal lover, one of the saddest things you can see is the skinny, malnourished dog. It’s quite a common sight for animal rescue shelters to pick up dogs from the streets that are so malnourished that they have their bones or ribs showing through their skin. Some dogs obviously have problems finding food on the streets or in the wild and now that they have found themselves a new, safe home, their new owners will want to try to help them get to a healthier weight.
Parasites and problems with digestion can also severely affect the weight of your dog. If you think that your dog is getting skinny, don’t force feed him. The best thing you can do is to take him to the vet for a check-up. Your vet will be able to tell you what should you do in order to fatten your dog and bring his condition back to normal.
What You Should Know Before Trying To Fatten Up Your Dog
There are various recipes online for fattening your dog, but keep in mind that most of those recipes are written for medium to large sized breeds.
If you have a small dog, you need to break those meals in smaller portions. Also, if your dog is severely malnourished, make sure that you feed him small meals and feed him often.
If you let him eat massive amounts of food while malnourished, it could lead to serious problems. Again, the best thing you can do is to contact or visit your vet and see what they have to say.
How To Fatten Up A Dog Quickly?
One of the most popular dog-fattening recipes which you can find online is for satin balls. You can make this raw protein-bomb by mixing oats, hamburger meat, cereal, egg and couple of other stuff. I know that this must sound awful to you but don’t worry, your dog will love it. I guarantee you that.
Different Stages of Life
You probably already know that adult dogs eat more than puppies, that active dogs eat more than inactive dogs, spayed or neutered dogs will require less food, and so on, and so on. So, let’s break this down.
Puppy
Since puppies can still get milk from their mother, it is important to dose them meals according to their own weight. In other words, their meals should be in proportion to their body mass.
Young Dog
Young dogs will require more food because they are still growing. They will need more food than puppies because they need that energy for growth.
Adult Dog
Adult dogs should not eat too much. You need to know how much your dog is being active throughout the day. If you have a working dog, he will require much more food than a dog who lies on the floor all day.
Monitoring Your Dog’s Weight
Helping your dog get to a healthy, stable weight is only half the battle won. It’s certainly not the end of the challenge! It is just as essential that you monitor your dog’s weight and health and continually help him to maintain his new healthy weight in the coming years.
Remember to complement your dog’s diet with vitamins for better health. Your dog would have likely suffered extremely negative health for years in its state of malnourishment which means supplements are even more important.
When it comes to raw dog food, definitely try not to skim on cheap brands. Go for high quality dog food with quality ingredients instead. Aim for brands that use real meat as the main ingredient. Your dog also needs a lot of good quality protein and fat so don’t take any shortcuts and choose foods that use fillers such as corn or any other byproducts. Give your dog the healthiest, highest quality food you can find. He will need it!
Another point to note is that you can try to feed your dog puppy food. Pet owners might not realize this but often, puppy food is usually formulated with more nutrients and high quality ingredients to help pups grow healthily.
Conclusion
If you are a dog owner, then you understand how much their diet and weight problems can become complicated. It is a slow road to recovery, but if you have patience for your little friend, then I’m sure that you too will succeed! How to fatten up a dog? I hope you found your answer!
