Buffy has to lose a few pounds

[hheldorfer]

Buffy went for her annual physical this week.  The vet said she needs to lose 5 pounds.  (Buffy disagrees, of course.)  I'm sure Ziggy to stand to lose some weight too, so we're cutting down the kibble for both dogs, in addition to reducing treats and (mostly) eliminating table scraps.  (We're suckers; we know.)  Both dogs have already caught on to the food reduction scheme and aren't very happy about it.  I want to give them something that will help fill them up and seem like a treat, but with few calories - maybe veggies cooked in low-fat chicken broth or something like that.  Whatever it is, I have to be able to prepare it in advance and freeze portions for future use.  I know we have a few folks on the forum who home-cook for their dogs and know what can and can't be successfully frozen.  If you have any ideas, please share!

[kjwarnold]

Raw carrots, apples or green beans are popular at our house.  Packy will eat the green beans raw but Kirby prefers his cooked.  You can just buy a can of cooked green beans but make sure there's nothing in them.  Both of my dogs love raw carrots and apples.

 

[Sam I Am]

Canned veggies tend to have salt and other additives. I home cook and use frozen organic mixed veggies (carrots, yellow/green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, frozen berries etc. ) but no corn. Those are always handy, stay fresh and all you have to do is run under hot water for a few minutes. I purée mine for easier digestion and nutrients because it's part of Rosie's daily diet, but as treats I wouldn't bother. Sweet potatoes are also a treat. Low cal, high fiber .

[remltr]

Buffy, you just need to start chasing younger boys, ones that will give you a workout. The old farts just aren't enough of a challenge for you.

For treats I myself, love raw carrots, which Dad gives me anytime I want. I absolutely love frozen green beans which dad gives a big handful of every night before I go to bed.

Then of course there is the lean squirrel and rabbit kabobs that I cook up myself in the middle of the night when Dad is sound asleep. But don't tell him.

Your friend Sassy.

[Hillscreek]

I'm a younger boy Buffy. Chase me and stay slim. Actually since you are a cairn girl you are born adorable whatever you weigh - Angus PS Can recommend organic vole caught and killed by me. Fresh and raw is the best !

There's no controlling that Angus sometimes! 

He is such a greedy boy he always acts like he's not full - licking and polishing the empty bowl. I'm pretty sure he'd eat till he burst and weighed a ton so I am immune to his pleas for more. I try to limit treats to a Charlie Bear as a reward for something special. Don't always succeed as he loves anything cooked or uncooked except onions, and celery and rhubarb. He sits so quiet and nice sitting by me when I'm in the kitchen and of course stuff does fall on the floor occasionally.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Hillscreek

[hheldorfer]

3 hours ago, remltr said:

Buffy, you just need to start chasing younger boys, ones that will give you a workout. The old farts just aren't enough of a challenge for you.

For treats I myself, love raw carrots, which Dad gives me anytime I want. I absolutely love frozen green beans which dad gives a big handful of every night before I go to bed.

Then of course there is the lean squirrel and rabbit kabobs that I cook up myself in the middle of the night when Dad is sound asleep. But don't tell him.

Your friend Sassy.

Sassy, I'd be happy to chase the younger boys but there aren't any around here!  Send some, will ya?

Also, please give me your recipe for squirrel and rabbit kabobs.  Sounds great!  All I need to do is find a good hiding spot where my snoopy busybody brother won't find the meat.

My mum and dad even told Bob the Mailman that I'm on a diet, so now I only get half a treat from him instead of a full one!  This is so, so wrong . . . 

[hheldorfer]

4 hours ago, Terrier lover said:

I home cook and use frozen organic mixed veggies (carrots, yellow/green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, frozen berries etc. ) but no corn. Those are always handy, stay fresh and all you have to do is run under hot water for a few minutes. 

So do you just buy the frozen mixed veggies from the store or do you cook and freeze them yourself?  

[Sam I Am]

I go to Costco and buy their organic veggies and also some that aren't . I also buy organic blackberries also there. Frozen veggies are blanched anyway before flash freezing them so I don't cook them more. 

I can hear some people going...oh good grief. But the reason I buy organic foods and grass fed bison to feed Rosie is because Scotties have a higher rate of cancer than many other breeds. Especially bladder cancer and the research from Purdie University has been doing research and finding out that the less pesticides and more healthy green , orange and yellow veggies that are mixed into their daily diet, the better chance that they have of staying healthy. So true for us uprights also. And no doubt for other dogs too.

[Lynn in TN]

I buy the frozen veggies and fruits too, broccoli, cauliflower,carrots, blueberries, raspberries. I also buy cabbage and steam it, then I freeze it, Kelly and Prissy love it. My girls love fresh fruits and veggies as well.

[sanford]

4 hours ago, Terrier lover said:

I can hear some people going...oh good grief.

Don't give any thought to what others may think! We owe it to our trusting little companions to do what we think is best for them. In a perfect world we'd all eat organic!. More power to you!

i envy you that you can feed veggies at all, as a good way to lower the calorie count.  Ruffy won't go near a vegetable and I've tried every kind. (He's the canine version of a "meat & potatoes guy"). But based on what I just read above, I'll try cooking some veggies in broth. I think my little carnivore might prefer beef, rather than chicken broth, but sceptic that I am, I'm not holding out hope! ? We shall see...

Edited February 27, 2016 by sanford

[_whits_]

I've managed to get Addie to lick ranch dressing off of broccoli, but seeing as she leaves the broccoli torn to shreds and uneaten all over my carpet, I'm not sure I can contribute much here. 

Appreciate all the suggestions though! I will look into trying some of these snacks. 

Buffy - good luck with the food deprivation. I'm sure it is TERRIBLE but think of the damage you'll be able to inflict once your newly svelte self can start rampaging through the neighborhood at super fast speeds. 

[Lupinegirl]

1 hour ago, sanford said:

Don't give any thought to what others may think! We owe it to our trusting little companions to do what we think is best for them. In a perfect world we'd all eat organic!. More power to you!

i envy you that you can feed veggies at all, as a good way to lower the calorie count.  Ruffy won't go near a vegetable and I've tried every kind. (He's the canine version of a "meat & potatoes guy"). But based on what I just read above, I'll try cooking some veggies in broth. I think my little carnivore might prefer beef, rather than chicken broth, but sceptic that I am, I'm not holding out hope! ? We shall see...

Nikki is a meat and potatoes guy too. I have been able to get him to eat green beans, peas, carrots, tiny pieces of broccoli, and squash cooked in soups and casseroles with rice or potatoes and meat. But chicken broth, rice, carrots and green beans on a plate for him is a big fat no. So are sweet potato treats.  He'll take anything pork or chicken though. Apple used to be okay but he turns his nose up at fruit now. He'd rather beg for ice cream and Utz potato chips or cheese curls.  Lays and other brands don't interest him.  Lol Turkey is okay if it's from a Thanksgiving dinner or a sandwich but turkey dog food is yucky. Duck was acceptable for a change but not his preferred protein thank you. No to salmon and lamb.  Beef is fine with him but he has passed up on my home-made broiled roast beef. Thanks for complimenting my cooking, Nikki... Lol. 

[Autumn & Lola]

Hi Buffy, Lola here.  I love lightly steamed green beans and raw baby carrots. Sometimes Mummy gives me a big carrot, which I like to chew on like a bone!  But sometimes I leave bits all over the floor, just because it's fun.

I wish I could sneak my breakfast to you and Ziggy because most times I am not bothered to eat it.  Mummy gets mad, "There are starving doggies all over the world!" 

 

[Dempsy's Mom]

Love reading all the posts.  Demps and Els won't touch a veggie either.  Wish they would. 

[hheldorfer]

So far, so good.  We have decreased the amount of kibble for each meal by roughly 2 tablespoons, adding the usual amount of cooked chicken and supplementing the "missing" two tablespoons with vegetables.  Yesterday I cooked fresh green beans in low-salt, fat-free chicken broth and the dogs LOVED it with their dinner.  I also bought some frozen veggies per Terrier Lover's suggestion.   A few pieces of watermelon at lunch time helped keep the peace.  Table scraps (other than fruit, veggies or a few bits of lean meat) have been eliminated.   We have also made an effort to go an extra block or two during walks - easier to do now that the weather is getting warmer.  

Now we just need to buy a scale.  (Yep, that's right - no scale in our house because I am fanatically opposed to them - but I'll have to break down and get one for the good of the pups. )

 

P.S.  It will be a cold day in hell before *I* step on the thing.

 

 

[Autumn & Lola]

16 minutes ago, hheldorfer said:

(Yep, that's right - no scale in our house because I am fanatically opposed to them

 

 

"I'm fanatically opposed to them."  I'm going to use that line next time they try to weigh me at the doctor's office.

Glad they are liking the veggies!  They'll be svelte in no time!

[bradl]

Get a baby-type scale and it will never be used against you.

 

[Sam I Am]

No doubt about it. If you feed kibble that has a large amount of carbs, even what some of the pet food producers call healthy carbs, ie, brown rice, pea meal etc, your dogs or for that matter us also, will gain weight. ( I must admit my downfall...love home made grainy bread) I actually fear the scale myself...I sometimes hold my breath thinking air has weight! 

 

Rosie has no carbs in her diet except for what is in the veggies (pumpkin, sweet potatoes, beans) . She gets a lot of food actually . About 1 1/4 cups of bison, 1/2 cup of veggies, and oil daily and is a svelt 18.4 pounds. Plus healthy treats. Her weight is perfect. She has a waist you can see, and a light covering of fat over her ribs. 

Edited February 29, 2016 by Terrier lover

[bradl]

I'm reminded of this old cigarette card we have.

We apply it by weighing their food daily. Making small adjustments up or down usually shows a result in about a week, two if the adjustment is really miniscule.

 

 

[Hillscreek]

Can't be bothered with all that weighing stuff. I'd go crazy. If Angus seems plump feed less, if skinny feed more. A lot seems to depend on the season and the amount of exercise he/we get. More exercise needs more food and v.v. With other healthy dogs I've had it's been the same. Amounts vary also with age too I think.

For myself - if belt tight, eat more fruit and less pie.  Never eat less chocolate.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Hillscreek