Is your dog overweight? There are programs galore to help you lose weight. But where are the programs to help dogs lose weight? If you are looking for help and looking for a weight loss program for dogs you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading!

“56% of dogs in the U.S. are overweight or obese, and that excess weight is tied to an astonishing array of health problems.”

Just like humans, our dogs can have excess weight creep up on them until before you know it, you have an overweight dog. Being aware is the key. Keeping on top of fluctuations is also important.

Any weight loss program for dogs will tell you that helping your Chihuahua or small dog to lose weight comes down to two things, food and exercise. It is very easy to overestimate what they should weigh and how much you should feed them each day. But, suppose you are unable to exercise your dog due to your illness or limitations. Is there then no hope? The answer is NO, because YES! Your Chihuahua can still lose weight.

Don’t Rely On The “Serving Size” On The Bag of Dog Food.

The “portion size” on your dog’s bag or can of food is just a guideline. It is based on the average active adult dog for all stages of life. Knowing the correct amount to feed your Chihuahua depends on whether they are spayed or neutered, how active they are, their age, and whether there are any health issues as well as medications they are taking, and other factors.

Measure or Weigh?

If you are trying to help your Chihuahua to lose weight don’t feed them kibble. Why? Because it is impossible to get an exact amount of calories every time. If you add or take away just one nugget it changes the calorie intake dramatically. In the process of manufacturing each little nugget may not be the same size with the exact same amount of calories per nugget either. The best way — really the only way — is to weigh their food with a kitchen scale. You can do that with a fresh food diet or with canned dog food.

But, it’s not impossible if you are not inclined to cook dog food, purchase a fresh dog food delivery service there is still help. It can be done by feeding them kibble, it’s just more difficult. 

How to Calculate Calories For Your Individual Dog

Taking these factors into account, you can calculate your Chihuahua’s ideal caloric daily intake. Take your dog’s weight in kilograms, multiply by 30, and add 70.

To do it in pounds, take your Chi’s weight in pounds, divide by 2.2, multiply this by 30, and add 70. Then you can factor in a metabolic energy requirement (MER) depending on the things mentioned above, whether they are spayed or neutered, their health, etc.

Typical MER factors:

• • Weight loss–1.0 x RER

• • Neutered/ Spayed Adult–1.6 x RER

• • Intact Adult–1.8. x RER
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  • You can find a MER multiplier table and other calculations HERE

Phew! That’s way too complicated for me. If your dog is overweight it doesn’t have to be that complicated! Don’t worry, there is an easier way, just keep reading.

Quality Food Is Also A Key Factor

Besides all those considerations, helping your overweight dog to lose and then maintain a healthy weight is a process. Feeding fresh food that is nutritionally balanced is also very important. The right balance of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats is one of the most important parts of maintaining their health as well as their weight.

Trying to cook your own food at home can be very dangerous. Unless the recipe has the right balance of nutrition it can actually do the opposite of your goal. It can undermine their health. They may not be getting all the nutrients they need in the right balance. You may not see it in the short term, but it could gradually harm their health.

Get Specific With The Amount Of Food You Feed Your Chihuahua

Here is where most pawrents get it wrong. You and I may determine whether or not we are eating too much not by calories, but in other ways. (Can I zip my pants? Then I’m good). But you can’t do that when helping your Chihuahua to lose weight. You need to be specific and be honest about how much you are feeding your Chihuahua.

Oh, I know those big black, (or brown or blue) puppy eyes and how they can manipulate you into feeding them more treats or some food from your plate (never a good idea). Many Chihuahua pawrents that I have spoken to tell me, “I hardly feed him/her anything!” “They are picky and will only eat my food”. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that love equals food or rather that food equals love.

Tiny pieces of chicken, fruits, and vegetables make good treats occasionally

Just Say No and Show Them How Much You Love Them!

It is loving to make sure they are at their ideal weight and that they are eating healthy foods. They can still have treats, just factor them into their daily intake of food. The most important thing you can do when it comes to feeding your overweight Chihuahua is to determine a concrete benchmark for how much to feed them every day. You can do the calculations to determine the calories needed every day…. or there is an easier way — Keep reading ..

Weight loss and maintaining their ideal weight is an ongoing thing. As your Chihuahua becomes more active, you have to re-calculate how much to feed him each day. As your Chihuahua gets older, you need to re-calculate how much to feed him each day as well as the nutrients he or she needs to stay healthy.

What Is The Right Way To Help Your Chihuahua Lose Weight?

So what is a Chihuahua pawrent to do? In order to help your Chihuahua to lose the needed weight and then to maintain it, there are two ways.

• • Purchase a dog food delivery service where the recipes are either overseen or actually created by a veterinariary nutritionist and portioned for your Chihuahua’s ideal weight

• • Hire a canine nutrtion specialist

When looking for a dog food delivery service, look for one whose recipes are created by a veterinary nutritionist or a team of canine nutritionists. They must also personalize their recipe to your Chihuahua’s specific needs and the correct portion to help them to lose weight and to then adjust the amount as is needed. There is only one home delivery service that does that; NomNom calculates approximately what your dog’s ideal weight should be and delivers their food in individual 1 serving packages.