Help Your Pet Avoid The Winter Weight Gain

Helping your pet avoid winter weight gain As humans, we are no stranger to the battle of the bulge that often takes place between the months of October and April. Depending on where you downright deterrent from spending much time outdoors. The sun isn’t out as much, the days seem short, and l it can just be much harder to work up the motivation to be as active as we are in the spring and summer months. Add this to all the winter holidays that often live, the cold weather can be a revolve around food, and it is no surprise that many of us tend to loosen up our belts a notch or two in the winter. But, did you know that the same seasonal weight gain that affects you can often affect your pet as well? In the spring and summer, your dog may be used to getting a nice long walk or two. In the winter, though, that can easily become a quick jaunt around your block, or merely being let out in the backyard to run around a few times a day. This isn’t just owner error – many animals hate the cold weather as much as we do, and you may notice them being reluctant or even refusing to go outside. But this doesn’t mean that they don’t need the exercise they’re used to. You may notice your pet packing on some extra pounds from the lack of activity. So what can you do? Well, as with most things, prevention is key. It is much easier to try and keep your pet from putting on an unnecessary amount of weight than to try to help them get it off later. If your pet is normally relatively active and is in good health, try to create an exercise plan for them in the winter months. Yes it may seem a little silly to be designing a workout plan for your pet – but think of it as if you were their personal trainer. Some of the activities you might include are playing an indoor game of fetch, taking multiple shorter walks instead of one long one, enrolling your dog into some type of doggy exercise/play class (yes they do exist), or just getting down on the floor and play around with your pet as often as possible. Pet exercise works the same way it does for humans- anything that gets them up and moving helps them to burn calories and fight off cold weather weight gain. You may even find that your extra effort on your pet’s behalf helps you to keep some weight off as well! Now, of course, prevention is not the only answer. If your pet is already over weight, there are also things you can do to help them get down to a healthy size. We would still recommend making and sticking to an exercise plan, but you can also tweak their diet. Eliminate treats, especially any table scraps you might be sneaking them from time to time. If you think you might need to reduce their portions, it is recommended that you take your buddy into see a veterinarian before you do so. While weight gain in the winter is common, it is always best to rule out any underlying issues which might have caused your pet to gain weight before you drastically reduce their diet. We always want to take the best care of our pets as possible, and sometimes that can mean a little tough love. If you have tried at-home methods of increasing exercise and changing diet and still are worried about your pet’s weight, never hesitate to come in and ask one of our well-trained “pet professionals” for tips or advice on how you can help your pet. They can recommend a reduced calorie brand food, a fun toy to get your pet up and moving, or other creative options to help fend off seasonal pet weight gain. Remember, if you have serious concerns, we would always encourage you to take your pet into your veterinarian’s office. They can help you gauge if pet’s weight is truly an issue, talk to you about a weight loss plan for your pet, and even show you how to check for certain signs that your pet is becoming overweight or obese. If you need a recommendation for a great veterinarian, give us a call. We would love to point you in the right direction! A healthy pet is a happy pet, and we appreciate your efforts to keep your pets strong and thriving through the winter months!