Green Bean Diet

[RoughCollies]

Is your dog overweight? A dog has a waist that should be visible. Their waist is just about where the front of the back legs hit the body, so follow that front leg line up to your dog's back. If you don't know where your dog's waist is (or should be), ask your Vet to show you the next time you go in. If there's no indentation at the waist, then your dog definitely has a weight problem. Being overweight affects your dog's life span, so it's important to keep an eye on their weight.
Your dog should be in good health with no special health problems to be put on this diet. If you have any questions about this, please contact your Vet.
I've used this diet many times over the years for our girls, and it has always worked for us! The green beans are fewer calories than the dog food, and your dog has the usual volume of food in his stomach.
You can substitute green beans for up to 1/2 of your dog's food on a daily basis. In other words, if your dog normally gets a cup of food in the morning and a cup of food in the evening, you can give them 1/2 cup of dog food and 1/2 cup of green beans for the morning feed and do the same thing in the evening. If your dog only has a slight weight problem, 3/4 cup of dog food and 1/4 cup of green beans for each feed should work. Use your judgment. If your dog isn't losing weight on 25% green beans, then you might want to increase the amount.
The diet will take a while to work. I have had one of our dogs lose 5 pounds right away and then lose the rest gradually, but most of the time it is a gradual weight loss. Green beans are good for your dog, so it isn't going to hurt them to be eating green beans for a while.
Using fresh green beans would be ideal, but it may not be practical. The next best kind is frozen green beans. I know Costco carries 5 pound bags of frozen green bags for around $2.50 each (August 1998). Nutritionally these are almost as good as fresh. Kelly, my husband, pops the green beans in the microwave just long enough to thaw them, and all three of our girls just love them! In fact, Sasha would eat them every single meal for the rest of her life if we'd let her!
The worst kind to use is canned green beans. If you're stuck and that's your only source, buy the canned green beans with no salt added. Be sure and give your dog(s) the liquid, too, because in canned goods the nutrition also goes into the liquid.
Other vegetables will work, too, but they will probably not be as economical to use as green beans are. Carrots are the best I can think of. Peas and corn are way too high in sugar. Corn doesn't even digest in a dog's digestive system.
Watch your dog's weight and keep him or her as healthy as they can be!
For calorie and nutritional information on other vegetables, please see "Nutritional Information On Vegetables.

[RoughCollies]

Somehow, that doesn't sound very healthy!!!

[rutylr]

I have used it.I had a girl who I could not get the weight off.
She got a cup of food and a can of green beans, twice a day.It worked.But there is then the gass issue with this,but if you own Rottweilers you should be use to it.
Donna

[Moo]

I've heard of a pumpkin diet, but not green beans...

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

If you want gas, go on the cabbage soup diet. Anyone heard of it?

[RoughCollies]

I am getting desperate with Charlie. He is gaining weight like crazy and his thyroid looks normal. His food is only 6% fat and I might try this. It just doesn't seem nutritionally adequate, though!

[Moo]

People don't know how to get their dogs to lose weight without all the side effects —begging, that sad-eyed look that says "I'm hungry", etc. Try the pumpkin diet. Reduce your dog's regular food by 33% and replace it with a 67% volume of canned pumpkin (not the kind with sugar and spices, ready-made for pies). For example, if you are currently feeding your dog 3 cups of food, you would instead feed him 2 cups of food and a whole cup of canned pumpkin. Dogs love the pumpkin—it has the texture of canned dog food, it provides vitamins and roughage, it makes them feel full (so they don't forage in the yard for leftovers), and they lose weight!

http://www.caninesports.com/fatdogs.html

[RoughCollies]

hmm... thanks moo! I'll check it out some more!

[Ladida]

I also have a friend that has a lab, and you know how labs can get fat on almost nothing. Their vet suggested to feed him vegetables so he felt full, but was not really eating a lot of digestable food. His new favorite food is tomatoes!

[rutylr]

I use the pumkin on dogs with loose stools.
Donna