My dog needs to lose 5 lbs, and I should too
The most enjoyable way to go on a weight loss mission with your pup
When my dog, Junee, had her annual wellness exam, I wasn’t totally surprised when the veterinarian said she wanted her to lose a few pounds. I knew she’d creeped past that weight where I could easily “feel the ribs.”
My crossbreed is mixed (I’m guessing) with Hounds and Dachshunds. According to the American Kennel Club, a Dachshund’s maximum weight should be 32 lbs, and Black and Tan Coonhounds are somewhere between 65 to 110 pounds. While all the crossbreed apps point to my dog as a Coonhound, there’s no denying her face has a Dachshund breed somewhere in the bloodline. Somewhere over the past year, she stopped growing taller and started growing wider — not quite fat, but a lil’ thick in the middle.
Although my vet’s original suggestion was to cut her food supply down one-fourth of a cup, I already knew that wouldn’t do me any good. She rarely eats half of her breakfast food, but she demolishes her dinner. So she’s not even eating her full bowls to begin with. (She will never leave a jerky treat within sight for more than five seconds though.)
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My vet looked at me apologetically and said, “You may need to walk her a little longer. I know that’s harder to ask someone to do. Twenty minutes when you’re already working can be a lot. But if it’s not the food, then it’s more exercise.”
I nodded. I knew exactly how to get myself prepared to walk longer while still being productive as a full-time freelancer. Here are the five things I’m doing.