Need help with 4 overweight Yorkies

[dawn27]

I have 4 yorkies... who are all way too big in my opionion! 9. 13, 14 and 16 lbs. All of them but one is above standards in size. So I do expect them to eat a litte more than our standard female but even she is too fat.

I am concerned for all of them and the affect on their health form overeating. Mostly with Quincy who we had nueterd about four months ago at age 8. Up until than be was our stud and since the surgery he has gained about 5bls. If I had known that that would have happend I would not have had it done. He's too heavy and it is not good on his little body to be so big !!

I've had them all on a diet for the past two and a half months, with very little results... not sure what I can do other than limit their intake or possibaly switch to a diet meal.

I feed them 1/2 c twice a day. No madder how much he beg for more !!But I'm afraid that they may be getting their fill of doggy poo from out in the yard, which three of my girl do on a regular bases.

So what else can I be doing to get my babies to a resonable weight!!

[Maximo]

What food are you feeding? A full cup is a lot of food, especially for the ones on the lower end of the scale.

How much exercise do they get? Exercise is key.

Edit to add: I've heard positive things about Wellness Core Reduced Calorie food.

[Ellie May]

They should probably all be on a coprophagia deterrent from the vet (less likely to have calories like pineapple).

It's all about the kcals - how much they get and how much they burn. A cup of kibble a day is going to be way too much for most Yorkies. If they are too big for their frames and reducing food intake while increasing exercise doesn't work, then they'll need a veterinary diet for this. The vet should tell you how much to feed because each one is going to require something different. There is a formula that can be used that takes energy level into consideration. I don't have it in front of me though. For an altered pup, it is probably very roughly about 30 cal/lb/day. Less on a diet...

[lil fu fu girl]

I am a firm believer in exercising. Do they get walked everyday? Exercise is a big player in metabolism.

[jacquelinebabco]

I have the same problem with 3 of mine. I put one on wellness healthy weight and she is loosing some weight. The rest I have cut their food amount in half. I am feeding wellness small breed and give them each 1/4 cup twice a day. No treats and when it stops snowing will be back taking them for walks.

[LDMomma]

What is their body condition like? Just because they are over standard doesn't necessarily mean they are overweight.

You should be able to easily feel their ribs but not see them.
Here's a link:
Dog Body Condition Score Chart

Generally, you can either reduce food or increase exercise. Or, both. One easy place to start is to stop giving treats. The calories add up especially on such small doggies. We use Zuke's (all natural, made in USA). They are only 2 calories per treat.

As far as the poop eating, what are you feeding and how often? Poop eating is generally behavioral (lack of exercise) or due to a deficiency in the diet.

It's hard to tell by the 1/2 cup if that is too much food. In general, the higher quality the food, the less you have to feed. My yorkie mix is 13 pounds. I feed her 1/8 cup Honest Kitchen twice per day. She gets a minimum of 45 dedicated running time (local dog park).

[dawn27]

Two out of the three I can feel their ribs the other two no chance. I can feel fat roles!

They get very little exercise during the winter only during a 5-10 minutes potty break 8-10 time a day in the dog run. The food I feed is Pedigree and they receive treats only after grooming once a month. I'm hopeful that the pounds will start to shed once Spring comes and they are outside longer periods of time. If not I feel my only choice will be to change to a diet meal.

Will that be a good choice for all of them? (ages: 8, 6, 4 and almost 2)

[dawn27]

Originally Posted by LDMomma

What is their body condition like? Just because they are over standard doesn't necessarily mean they are overweight.

You should be able to easily feel their ribs but not see them.
Here's a link:
Dog Body Condition Score Chart

Generally, you can either reduce food or increase exercise. Or, both. One easy place to start is to stop giving treats. The calories add up especially on such small doggies. We use Zuke's (all natural, made in USA). They are only 2 calories per treat.

As far as the poop eating, what are you feeding and how often? Poop eating is generally behavioral (lack of exercise) or due to a deficiency in the diet.

It's hard to tell by the 1/2 cup if that is too much food. In general, the higher quality the food, the less you have to feed. My yorkie mix is 13 pounds. I feed her 1/8 cup Honest Kitchen twice per day. She gets a minimum of 45 dedicated running time (local dog park).

Yes, according to the chart 3 out of the 4 are overweight ! No doubt.. thanks for the link.

[diannenet]

Toby used to be overweight (11 lbs.) and it caused his luxating patella to flare up. I was told if I didn't get his weight under control he would need surgery for his LP ($2,000). Over a 3-4 month period I had him on Natural Balance (Pedigree is not a very high quality food) Weight Management food. He got 1/4 cup twice a day and the only treats he gets are frozen green beans (thawed.) He is back down to 8 lbs. and has lots of energy and his LP no longer bothers him. Now that his weight is under control, I've switched him to Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Chicken. He still gets almost 1/4 cup twice a day and he no longer acts as if he's starving to death. He looks healthy and I can feel his ribs but not see them.

You can get their weight down. It just takes time. Toby also acted as if he was starving to death all the time but I was persistent and only gave him a special treat (Zuke's) once a week after his bath.

Good luck and you might want to consider switching to a higher quality dog food.

[LDMomma]

Originally Posted by dawn27

Two out of the three I can feel their ribs the other two no chance. I can feel fat roles!

They get very little exercise during the winter only during a 5-10 minutes potty break 8-10 time a day in the dog run. The food I feed is Pedigree and they receive treats only after grooming once a month. I'm hopeful that the pounds will start to shed once Spring comes and they are outside longer periods of time. If not I feel my only choice will be to change to a diet meal.

Will that be a good choice for all of them? (ages: 8, 6, 4 and almost 2)

You don't need a diet food but I would suggest something higher quality.

If you have a Petco nearby they have Wellness Small Breed and Wellness Core that would be good choices. They also have Halo which seems like a pretty good food. I believe their store is set up so that the higher quality foods/treats are on the wood floor.

If you have a local small pet store then your options increase considerably or if you're willing to order offline.

[Maximo]

^^Green beans are a great way to reduce the amount of kibble and still keep the munchkins happy. Many people here have had success using green beans as a supplement, including Nancy1999.

I also recommend a food change. A food higher in protein and lower in corn and fillers like Pedigree would probably boost their metabolism. Wellness Core reduced calorie

ETA: Playing fetch inside is a great way to get them running.