Your Volpino Italiano is a little too big, its weight is a little too high… Be careful! The consequences can be serious (cardiovascular diseases, shortness of breath, increased dysplasia, articulation problems…).
If you want to keep your Volpino Italiano healthy, you will have to make him lose weight.
In this article, find out how to make your Volpino Italiano lose weight, what are the right methods to make your Volpino Italiano lighter?
You will see that, just like humans, there are 2 ways to lose weight: by increasing physical activity and by eating an appropriate diet. This is what we will see in more detail below.
How to make your Volpino Italiano lose weight
How to make a Volpino Italiano lose weight – Calculate the weight to lose
To determine the ideal weight of your Volpino Italiano, you can either ask its veterinarian or you can find out on internet according to its race, size and age.
As soon as you have the information, you will need to do a simple subtraction to know the weight to lose:
Starting weight – ideal weight = weight to lose
Slim down a Volpino Italiano – Increase its physical activity
Whatever his level of daily activity, it is up to you to adapt the increase in physical exercise to what you can do and what your Volpino Italiano can do.
It’s up to you to choose between:
- fast walking,
- slow walking: 30 minutes, 1 hour or more,
- run following you by foot, by bike,
- swimming in a lake,
- ball games, frisbee, ball,
- agility sessions….
How to get a Volpino Italiano thinner – Modifying his nutrition
If you want your Volpino Italiano to lose weight, you must combine the increase in energy expenditure through increased physical exercise with a decrease in the caloric value of your Volpino Italiano’s diet.
The reduction in caloric intake should not be done by simply reducing the quantity of food given daily. In this case, you would risk to starve your dog, or even to not cover his nutritional needs enough….
The reduction in the caloric intake must be made through an adequate, balanced and, above all, less caloric diet.
Homemade food is to be avoided because it is difficult to measure the fat, protein, carbohydrate content, fibre intake, etc.
You will need to feed your Volpino Italiano regularly and stably with croquettes specially adapted for Volpino Italiano overweight. This way, your Volpino Italiano will receive a quality diet, in sufficient quantity and with a reduced calorie intake.
Of course, the croquettes will have to be chosen from among the premium quality ranges of the “veterinary” brands. See our article: Best croquettes for Volpino Italiano.
Indeed, these foods contain high quality nutrients with a good protein content and are adapted to each Volpino Italiano according to its size, race, age and sometimes even its level of activity. During the diet period, he should be given only 80% of the recommended daily amount on the croquettes package.
Important: It is necessary to stop completely the sweets and other delicacies if you used to give them to him… It will be advisable to reserve for your Volpino Italiano on the quantity planned daily some croquettes which you can give him in guide of reward if you are in period of training.
Caution: To ensure that your Volpino Italiano does not have digestive problems or intestinal disorders, when you change its diet, you should do so gradually by gradually introducing the new food and reducing the amount of the old one.
Make your Volpino Italiano lose weight – For how long?
Weight loss for a Volpino Italiano is a long process that usually lasts for several months. So you have to be patient and weigh your Volpino Italiano every month to monitor your weight loss.
Of course, when the ideal weight is reached, it will be necessary to give it only 100% of the recommended daily amount on the pack of croquettes. But, I advise you to continue with the same croquettes. Indeed, it will stabilize its weight by keeping a good diet and well continue regular physical exercises. So your Volpino Italiano will not take back the pounds or the kilos so hard lost …
Helping your Volpino Italiano lose weight – Which food for fat dogs?
Either you get direct advice from your veterinarian, or you choose among the Internet brands recommended by veterinarians: Hills, Purina Proplan or Eukanuba.
Here is my recommendation of croquettes well adapted, tolerated and effective to slim down your Volpino Italiano:
Hill’s Prescription Diet Metabolic + Mobility Weight and Joint Care
This diet is well proportioned with a good level of protein and antioxidants but especially with a very low caloric content.
Users’ opinions
The majority of testimonies confirm that this diet food is effective for overweight their Volpino Italiano, that weight loss is gradual.
Others say that they are appetizing foods and that their Volpino Italiano love them and tolerate them very well.
Finally, many comments stipulate that the price on Amazon is much more interesting than in a veterinary clinic.
I also noted on the internet that these veterinary kibbles can be suitable for all Volpino Italiano for which it is necessary to monitor the weight….
