Otis is too fat!

[Shahster]

Morning everyone!

My fatty cone-headed Otis is 83 pounds, and it shows. I can't seem to find a grain free, chicken free, diet kibble. So I was wondering...if I just buy a grain free, chicken free kibble, and add vegetables (what kind can they eat anyway??) to it, do you think that'll help him out? My vet recommended Royal Canin low-calorie OR Diet Science, but I'm a little skeptical since she said that Royal Canin is great food for dogs.

 

[bluesteelapd]

Theres a great link on here somewhere that rates dog food ... check it out, its a great source of information.
Mona could stand to loose a few pounds and I know others on this site have suggested cutting back on her dog food and giving her green beans.
That might be an idea for you. Otis will be svelte before you know it!

 

[2BullyMama]

Fromm Pork and Peas or Beef Frittat are both grain and chicken free. Banks is allergic so they are my choices too and she does well on them.

Also, use some green beans as filler to get him to lose some lbs. Banks at one point was 73 and out vet said get her down to 60 and stay there ... so she gets 1 cup of food 2x a day.... when she needs to slim down, I give her 3/4 kibble with a 1/4 cup of green beans. Works like a charm
[MENTION=8581]Shahster[/MENTION]

 

[Valentine215]

Petunes is weighing in at 68 pounds and the vet told me she needed to get down to 55 or 50 pounds. REALLY? SO, I have been giving her Earthborn Holistics Meadowfeast and adding greenbeans to fill her up. You might try that with Otis. I know others here have much more experience so hopefully you will hear from them.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

 

[Shahster]

I will definitely be adding some green beans to his food now.

I actually just got back from the pet store and the owner recommended "First Mate Pacific Ocean Fish Formula" and said that all his bulldog customers with allergies use it often. So...if it works I'll continue otherwise I'll switch to FROMM.

Thanks everyone!!

 

[Davidh]

You can use the food he is on now if you want, just give him less of it. Sometimes people will add grean beans with their meal the help the feel full. Just reduce his food by a 1/4 cup and see how it goes. I was feeding Buddy about a cup to 1 1/4 cup twice a day and he gained too much weight so now I feed him just a little less than a cup twice a day.

 

[LoveMyBully82]

Jackson was 80lbs about a year ago and has since lost 10lbs and is at the weight the vet said he needs to be. We feed him about 3/4 cup of kibble (Fromm) twice a day and add a little warm canned food with it. He has kept the weight off and looks great.

 

[Lauren31287]

Natures Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Lamb is what we feed Winston.....Grain Free, Chicken Free, & Diet!! He seems to do pretty well on it! Good luck! They also have it in duck & turkey flavors!

 

[Shahster]

Natures Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Lamb is what we feed Winston.....Grain Free, Chicken Free, & Diet!! He seems to do pretty well on it! Good luck! They also have it in duck & turkey flavors!

Ohhhh!!!! Thank you so much!

 

[Alice Kable]

Ruggles eats the Nature's Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Turkey and does well on it also!

 

[christyjulene]

Found this great list

The following are 11 safe, good vegetables for dogs, with suggested cooked preparations and portion sizes for treats.

1. Asparagus
   • Preparation: Remove the fibrous ends from the asparagus spears and wash them thoroughly. Toss them with olive oil and grill 30 to 60 seconds on all sides.​
   • Dog treat portion size: Cut into bite size pieces. Feed one to two pieces.​
   • Benefits: Great source of Vitamin K. Good source of Vitamins A, B1, B2, C and E, folate, iron copper, fiber, manganese and potassium.​
2. Broccoli florets
   • Preparation: Cut broccoli into small florets and wash thoroughly. Place in a steamer and follow the directions. Using a stove, put florets in an open vegetable steamer in a pot with boiling water and cover. Steam for about 6 to 8 minutes until crisp yet tender and bright green. You can also microwave them by putting 2 cups of broccoli florets in a microwave-safe container along with an inch of water for about 5 minutes.
   • Dog treat portion size: One or two bite size florets
   • Benefits: Great source of Vitamins C and K. Good source of Vitamin A, folate, manganese and fiber.
3. Brussels sprouts
   • Preparation: Choose Brussels sprouts that are green, feel firm and don’t smell too strong. Wash thoroughly and cut off the stems, leaving enough stem that the leaves are still intact. Some chefs advise cutting a little X to in the stem to help the core to cook. You can then microwave the sprouts with water for up to 8 minutes, steam them for 5 minutes or boil the sprouts for up to 10 minutes – a little less for more crunchiness.
   • Dog treat portion size: 1/2 to 2 sprouts, depending upon the dog’s size
   • Benefits: Great source of vitamins K and C. Good source of manganese, folate, fiber, potassium and vitamins A, B1 and B6.
4. Carrots
   • Preparation: Remove ends and thoroughly wash. Cut into bite size treats and cook in a pot of boiling water for about 10 minutes or steam for two to six minutes until tender.
   • Dog treat portion size: One or two bite size pieces
   • Benefits: Great source of vitamin A. Good source of vitamins K and C, fiber and potassium.
5. Cauliflower
   • Preparation: Wash thoroughly. To grill the cauliflower, leave a little stalk intact. Marinate the cauliflower for 30 minutes in olive oil and then grill for 5 to 6 minutes on each side until crisp yet tender.
   • Dog treat portion size: 1 to 2 florets, depending on the dog’s size
   • Benefits: Great source of vitamin C. Good source of vitamins K and B6, folate and choline.
6. Cucumbers
   • Preparation: Wash thoroughly, peel, cut in half and remove seeds. Cut into bite size pieces. Place pieces into pot with boiling water for about 5 minutes. Empty pot into strainer. If the cucumbers are a bit bland, you can add dog-safe seasoning. (No salt)
   • Dog treat portion size: 1 to 2 bite size pieces
   • Benefits: Good source of vitamin K.
7. Edamame
   • Preparation: Edamame is conveniently available as a frozen vegetable in your local food store. Steam these boiled green soy beans according to the directions on the bag.
   • Dog treat portion size: One to five unsalted, out-of-shell beans. Note: Always watch your dog eat small food items as he could choke on them in his excitement to gobble them down.
   • Benefits: Great source of protein, iron, fiber, vitamin K, Omega-3 fats, phosphorus, vitamin B2, potassium, copper and magnesium.
8. Green beans
   • Preparation: Wash thoroughly and cut off ends. Use a covered pot to cook green beans in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Serve when cool. You can also cook green beans, brown rice and chicken in chicken broth to serve dogs with an upset tummy.
   • Dog treat portion size: 1 to 2 bite size pieces
   • Benefits: Good source of vitamins C, K and A, manganese and fiber.
9. Peas
   • Preparation: Fresh peas are usually available as snow, sugar snap or English peas. English peas must be shelled. Snow and sugar snap peas’ shells are edible. You can grill sugar snap and snow peas for about 3 minutes on each side, first lightly coating with olive oil if you prefer. For English peas, you need to shell them first. Cook the peas (minus their pods) in boiling water only two to four minutes until they turn bright green. Drain in a colander.
   • Dog treat portion size: One or two Sugar snap or snow peas. For English, 1 or 2 tablespoons – depending on the dog’s size
   • Benefits: Great source of vitamin K, and C. Good source of manganese, fiber, folate, phosphorus, protein, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, potassium and vitamins B1, A, B6, B3 and B2.
10. Sweet potatoes
    • Preparation: Sweet potatoes make a great chew if you dehydrate them. Cut them lengthwise, 1/4-inch thick. Just follow the vegetable dehydration instructions included your dehydrator. You can also feed your dog mashed sweet potatoes. To prepare, peel and wash potatoes. Cut into quarters. Put into boiling water in a large pot and simmer for about 20 minutes. Test potatoes with a fork. When they are fully tender, remove from pot, place in a heat-resistant container and mash with a potato masher.
    • Dog treat portion size: Half or one dehydrated chew, depending on size of dog. Mix 1 to 2 tablespoons of mashed sweet potato in dog’s dry dog food.
    • Benefits: Great source of vitamin A. Good source of vitamins C, B6 and B5, manganese, potassium and fiber.
11. Potatoes
    • Preparation: Wash thoroughly, and slice into narrow wedges. Don’t peel the potato. Coat with a little olive oil and place on cookie sheet. Roast in oven (425 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least 20 minutes on each side. Roast longer if your dog likes them crispier.
    • Dog treat portion size: 1 or 2 wedges, depending on dog’s size
    • Benefits: Good source of vitamins C and B6, potassium, manganese and fiber. Remember, too, that there are some vegetables you should not feed to your dog. Never offer your dog onions or fresh garlic. Talk to your veterinarian if you have questions or concerns regarding vegetables and your dog’s diet.

Remember, too, that there are some vegetables you should not feed to your dog.

• Avocado
• Bread Dough
• Chocolate
• Ethanol
• Grapes
• Raisins
• Hops
• Macadamia Nuts
• Onions & Garlic
• Xylitol

 

[Shahster]

Found this great list

The following are 11 safe, good vegetables for dogs, with suggested cooked preparations and portion sizes for treats.

1. Asparagus
   • Preparation: Remove the fibrous ends from the asparagus spears and wash them thoroughly. Toss them with olive oil and grill 30 to 60 seconds on all sides.​
   • Dog treat portion size: Cut into bite size pieces. Feed one to two pieces.​
   • Benefits: Great source of Vitamin K. Good source of Vitamins A, B1, B2, C and E, folate, iron copper, fiber, manganese and potassium.​
2. Broccoli florets
   • Preparation: Cut broccoli into small florets and wash thoroughly. Place in a steamer and follow the directions. Using a stove, put florets in an open vegetable steamer in a pot with boiling water and cover. Steam for about 6 to 8 minutes until crisp yet tender and bright green. You can also microwave them by putting 2 cups of broccoli florets in a microwave-safe container along with an inch of water for about 5 minutes.
   • Dog treat portion size: One or two bite size florets
   • Benefits: Great source of Vitamins C and K. Good source of Vitamin A, folate, manganese and fiber.
3. Brussels sprouts
   • Preparation: Choose Brussels sprouts that are green, feel firm and don’t smell too strong. Wash thoroughly and cut off the stems, leaving enough stem that the leaves are still intact. Some chefs advise cutting a little X to in the stem to help the core to cook. You can then microwave the sprouts with water for up to 8 minutes, steam them for 5 minutes or boil the sprouts for up to 10 minutes – a little less for more crunchiness.
   • Dog treat portion size: 1/2 to 2 sprouts, depending upon the dog’s size
   • Benefits: Great source of vitamins K and C. Good source of manganese, folate, fiber, potassium and vitamins A, B1 and B6.
4. Carrots
   • Preparation: Remove ends and thoroughly wash. Cut into bite size treats and cook in a pot of boiling water for about 10 minutes or steam for two to six minutes until tender.
   • Dog treat portion size: One or two bite size pieces
   • Benefits: Great source of vitamin A. Good source of vitamins K and C, fiber and potassium.
5. Cauliflower
   • Preparation: Wash thoroughly. To grill the cauliflower, leave a little stalk intact. Marinate the cauliflower for 30 minutes in olive oil and then grill for 5 to 6 minutes on each side until crisp yet tender.
   • Dog treat portion size: 1 to 2 florets, depending on the dog’s size
   • Benefits: Great source of vitamin C. Good source of vitamins K and B6, folate and choline.
6. Cucumbers
   • Preparation: Wash thoroughly, peel, cut in half and remove seeds. Cut into bite size pieces. Place pieces into pot with boiling water for about 5 minutes. Empty pot into strainer. If the cucumbers are a bit bland, you can add dog-safe seasoning. (No salt)
   • Dog treat portion size: 1 to 2 bite size pieces
   • Benefits: Good source of vitamin K.
7. Edamame
   • Preparation: Edamame is conveniently available as a frozen vegetable in your local food store. Steam these boiled green soy beans according to the directions on the bag.
   • Dog treat portion size: One to five unsalted, out-of-shell beans. Note: Always watch your dog eat small food items as he could choke on them in his excitement to gobble them down.
   • Benefits: Great source of protein, iron, fiber, vitamin K, Omega-3 fats, phosphorus, vitamin B2, potassium, copper and magnesium.
8. Green beans
   • Preparation: Wash thoroughly and cut off ends. Use a covered pot to cook green beans in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Serve when cool. You can also cook green beans, brown rice and chicken in chicken broth to serve dogs with an upset tummy.
   • Dog treat portion size: 1 to 2 bite size pieces
   • Benefits: Good source of vitamins C, K and A, manganese and fiber.
9. Peas
   • Preparation: Fresh peas are usually available as snow, sugar snap or English peas. English peas must be shelled. Snow and sugar snap peas’ shells are edible. You can grill sugar snap and snow peas for about 3 minutes on each side, first lightly coating with olive oil if you prefer. For English peas, you need to shell them first. Cook the peas (minus their pods) in boiling water only two to four minutes until they turn bright green. Drain in a colander.
   • Dog treat portion size: One or two Sugar snap or snow peas. For English, 1 or 2 tablespoons – depending on the dog’s size
   • Benefits: Great source of vitamin K, and C. Good source of manganese, fiber, folate, phosphorus, protein, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, potassium and vitamins B1, A, B6, B3 and B2.
10. Sweet potatoes
    • Preparation: Sweet potatoes make a great chew if you dehydrate them. Cut them lengthwise, 1/4-inch thick. Just follow the vegetable dehydration instructions included your dehydrator. You can also feed your dog mashed sweet potatoes. To prepare, peel and wash potatoes. Cut into quarters. Put into boiling water in a large pot and simmer for about 20 minutes. Test potatoes with a fork. When they are fully tender, remove from pot, place in a heat-resistant container and mash with a potato masher.
    • Dog treat portion size: Half or one dehydrated chew, depending on size of dog. Mix 1 to 2 tablespoons of mashed sweet potato in dog’s dry dog food.
    • Benefits: Great source of vitamin A. Good source of vitamins C, B6 and B5, manganese, potassium and fiber.
11. Potatoes
    • Preparation: Wash thoroughly, and slice into narrow wedges. Don’t peel the potato. Coat with a little olive oil and place on cookie sheet. Roast in oven (425 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least 20 minutes on each side. Roast longer if your dog likes them crispier.
    • Dog treat portion size: 1 or 2 wedges, depending on dog’s size
    • Benefits: Good source of vitamins C and B6, potassium, manganese and fiber. Remember, too, that there are some vegetables you should not feed to your dog. Never offer your dog onions or fresh garlic. Talk to your veterinarian if you have questions or concerns regarding vegetables and your dog’s diet.

Remember, too, that there are some vegetables you should not feed to your dog.

• Avocado
• Bread Dough
• Chocolate
• Ethanol
• Grapes
• Raisins
• Hops
• Macadamia Nuts
• Onions & Garlic
• Xylitol

YOU'RE AWESOME!!!!!! Thank you so much!

 

[JeannieCO]

Fromm foods has just come out with a new flavor - Grain-Free Pork & Peas Recipe. I just ordered a bag for my girl Emma. My boys are on Fromm Beef Fritattta. Emma does ok on the Beef Fritatta but I think she'll do better on the new Pork. Personally from what I hear I'd stay away from Royal Canine and Science Diet. Vets are notorious for pushing these brands. They have their place for dogs but it's not one of the better foods for Bulldogs.

Here's a link to EBN's dog food ratings. I've learned so much about dog food in the last two years, it's not all created equal or even close. Dog Food Ratings

to EBN too.

 

[kazzy220]

I've started to home cook and so the veggies and fruit I've been using are all of the following:-

peas
carrots
green beans
kidney beans
black beans
fresh spinach
cauliflower
broccoli
blueberries
strawberries
fresh banana
apple


Not all at once but a combination of those ..... you can also look at the vegas stew to see if that would work for you to add to the kibble. It had great results for [MENTION=572]Libra926[/MENTION]

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

FAT .....

Is such a strong word... PLUMP....that's much better....