Lazy Dog: "Fat Boy" aka Pepper

[iam2shi]

Okay, Pepper is like 20 lbs. overweight. He's an aussie, supposed to be hard working and active. Not my Pepper! The vet suggested a high fiber diet and exercise, but he's still not loosing any weight. We just had an incident a couple of months ago with pancreasitis and he HAS to loose the weight. I take him to the dog park and he just sniffs around walking all the way. I try to play fetch, run around with him, and I even walk him. When we play fetch, he doesn't always bring it back, he'll just take the stick or ball and go lay down. If I run with him he gets tired/looses intrest in like 10 mins. Then there's walking, we'll go out for about a half hour to an hour and he gets tired and wants to lay down or is stopping frequently. Does anyone have ideas to get him motivated?
Thanks-Kristina

[Moo]

How old is Pepper?

The laziness is due to the weight as well as visa versa. At least at the dog park, he walks around. I would start off by increasing walking time. Walk with him for extra time each day... As many 30 minute walks as you can fit in to a day. If he gets treats, make sure they are healthy, like carrot pieces.

Excercise, training, it's all in finding the right motivation. Obviously, food isn't the answer this time around. Does he have a special toy? Does he like to tug? Does he have interest in other dogs?

It will be a long, hard process, and it doesn't happen over night, but good luck

[Becky]

Have you had any blood work done? It might be a thyroid problem

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

I completely agree with Becky. Sounds like some blood work, maybe urinalysis (a general physical) sounds in order. I hate to say this but we had a couch potato Poodle. Sat around, wouldn't play with toys, etc. Tests were all negative.

Well, we got a new puppy and that puppy runs our Poodle, Bogey, ragged. He's lost about 5 lbs and that's a lot for a 16 pound dog. Once he got the weight off, he's just naturally more energetic. Of course, the puppy runs us ragged, too.

First off though, get the blood work done.

[saluki-sue]

is there a swimming pool you could use everyday or so? I found when my old boy was very over weight we used a friends pool, he got wornout less fast and stayed cool. he didn't like it much at first but as the summer got more hot he started to look forward to it. pluse being weightless in the water made him less sore.


Good luck with your chubby pup

Sue

[KellyJean]

Moo's correct, that weight is determintal to exercise. They've done many studies that people who are overweight find it harder to exercise because of the energy involved in moving that much mass around. Ask me, I shold know.

So, when I go out to work out with a skinny person, I'll get tired of running, and sweat buckets long before my skinny friend will. After ten minutes of running, espically if I'm not used to running, I will be hardly able to continue walking, I'll be so exhausted.

So, how do I work up to runs? Start with long walks. I don't know why, but I'm got the stamina to walk all day long. I'm the one who comes home from a day at Disney and is ready to keep going. Once I'm walking for a week or so, I can jump into short runs (ie 1-2 blocks) and then walk for a short time (1-2 blocks) and then run, and then walk, and so on. As I feel that I can run more, I do run more, and walk just to recover my breath.

When I'm forced to get out there and run a mile, without a prep of a month or so, I cannot do it. It is impossible. Your dog is the same way. You might be in excellent shape, but if your dog is not, then you're forcing him to run, and it won't work, because he's not physically able to handle that much work immediatly.

We have an aussie at the farm, and he's a lazy bug most of the time. However, he does get inspired by chasing things, typically the other 4 dogs he spends time with. We've got another who is lazy as well. He's affection driven, so he'll run to be with people for petting. He's also chase driven. Doesn't matter if it's the 4-wheeler or the horse... he'll chase it.

So, my advice to you is to start smaller, work up to 10 minute runs by putting shorter runs into your walks, and find some playmates for him.

Kelly

[Dax]

In addition to exercise, did you vet recommend a new food? Dax lost quite a bit of weight on Science Diet R/D. It is super expensive but she did manage to loss all the weight she needed. Once she lost about 10lbs her energy levels went up a lot and she was able to run and play. Then you can switch to a lite food to maintain the weight.

Swimming is excellent low impact exercise as is good old walking. You can break it up too so it's 1/2 hour at a time. It's the total daily amount of exercise that will help.

Don't forget - no treats. I was amazed at how many treats I was giving without even knowing it.

[iam2shi]

Pepper has his regular play dates, but he just gets sooo tired! He loves to swim but I'm always afraid he'll go and get swept away or lost! I like to take him to the river but he likes to go scouting and I'm constantly chasing him down. The vet did not recomend any food, just a high fiber diet. He has his companion Hayley who is really active. If she's playing he'll run over to her to drag her around by her collar, hump her (they're both fixed), or steal her toy away and go lay down. I don't really give them any treats because he is so overweight. They eat twice daily 1 &1/2 cups, so it's not like he's eating when ever he wants. Ugh! So frustrated!

[GretaJack]

I urge a blood panel also. Just to be sure. Just to rule out any medical issue. And then try to find something that motivates him. There honestly has to be something. Keep doing what you are doing because it sounds great, and even though you might not think it is quality exercise for him, it is better than nothing. Are there any toys that peak his interest? Squeak? Kong? Bones? Balls? I am sure you think you have tried it all, but something new is almost alway interesting to a dog. My Greta does not play with dog toys. She must thing she is too good for them or something. But get out a basketabll and she goes crazy. It is her favorite thing. I had a westie growing up that didn't like squeaky toys and wasn't much of a ball player, but took a liking to one on my stuffed animals (that didn't squeak) and claimed it as his. Try different things. Try exercising him at different times of the day. Don't make a habit of everything, keep changing it so that it is always new to him. Keep his mind interested, if not his body. 20 lbs is a LOT to be over weight. When I got Tanner he was about 7-8 lbs overweight and he is a lab. Aussies are alot lighter breed than labs.

Be patient. Weight loss on a dog goes very very slow. I would say a half a pound to a pound a month would be great considering from what I could consider your dog's condition to be. And ask your vet about a prescription food for him. If he is really that overweight, I would definitely put him on Science Diet R/D for the time being.