I have a mixed Chocolate Lab/Vizsla that is 1.6 years old. She is very heavy (94 pounds) and is in need of surgery but vet wants her to lose some weight. We checked her thyroid and the levels are right where they are supposed to be. I switched her food from Taste of the Wild Sierra Mountain (3/4 cups twice a day) to Dr. Tim's Metabolic Weight Management (vet approved this food) 1 cup twice a day. She does not get training treats and what treats she does get are organic cooked fresh green beans. We go for walks daily where I walk 2.5 miles she runs the entire time up hill, down hill, back and forth so I would imagine that she has to at least double my walks. I use a pedometer so I know the distance and her food is measured with a measuring cup. The only two things that she gets besides the green beans is 4 cranberry chews (for UTIs) and one Purina dental stick a day. She has lost 3 pounds since her last vet visit since switching foods but I was wondering if anyone else has weight problems with their labs and how do they work through this.
Hi @Roberta Welcome to the forum. Weight management is a common problem for owners of Labs. You have a choice of 1. Reducing the intake of kilojoules (the treat beans count too. I don't know but suspect the ches have sugar in them.) 2. Increase the amount of exercise (the body soon adopts to a specified distance. You would need to increase the distance to increase output). 3. Or some combination of 1 and 2. I have a Lab who takes pears from the tree in our back garden. Are you sure she is not similarly adding to her intake? I don't know the time frame. You say she has lost 3lbs. But over what period? If it's a week, then just maintain your new regime.
