This post is sponsored by Hill’s. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Hill’s® Science Diet® Perfect Weight 10 Week Turnaround, but Emily Reviews only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.
When I adopted my two pugs, it was easy to see that they were overweight. This lead me to do research on dog weight loss and overweight pets. I could think of one or two others dogs who I knew that were overweight. Did you know that More than 50% of pets are overweight? Learning that statistic made me realize that it’s likely that half of the pets I know were overweight even though I thought only a few were. Many people with overweight pets don’t realize their pets are too heavy. I decided to work on Creating a healthy dog routine to help my dogs lose weight and just get healthier overall.
5 Steps For A Healthy Dog Routine 
1. Measure your dogs food. My dogs previous owner left food out for them all the time and they were eating too much, so step #1 involved researching how much food my dogs should be eating each day and serving them each the correct amount of food each day. This will vary depending on your dogs size and what food you use so be sure to do your research to see if you’re giving your dog(s) the right amount.
2. Limit treats. Of course, measuring out the right amount of food won’t help if your dog is also getting treats or table scraps. This treat translator tool shows how table scraps of various foods compare to human snack portions – it’s pretty eye opening!
3. Get exercise every day. Here in Michigan we experience all four seasons in full force. Pugs aren’t good at tolerating hot temperatures as a result of their short noses and small air passages. We have to commit to going for walks early in the morning or late in the evening during warm weather. I find after dinner walks relaxing so we make them into a family event when we can. Sometimes it’s simply too hot and humid (or too bitter cold) to go for long walks with the pugs, so we still try to get them active inside. We are lucky to have an extra bedroom in our house and my dogs love to play fetch and chase so we play rough inside for several minutes to get their heart rates up when the weather makes it risky to keep the dogs out for a while.
4. Socialize, play and chew. I used to think the idea of a dog being depressed was kinda silly and made up until I saw my mother in law’s dog get depressed after her other dog passed away. She used to follow humans around and was always eager to go for a walk or a car ride. Then suddenly after the other dog passed away, she quit getting up to follow people around, and had to be bribed to even get up and go outside to go to the bathroom. She really seemed to be depressed and lost her energy as a result. We had to make a real effort to give her extra attention and get her excited with new toys and love so that she would socialize with people and get in some play time. It really seemed to help her get her energy back and eventually she went back to her normal self. For my dogs, having toys or other safe items to chew on really helps with their anxiety which in my opinion contributes to their overall health as well.
5. See the vet regularly. Just like humans, dogs need to have regular check ups to increase the odds of any big health problems being caught early for better treatment.
This combination of steps has worked wonders for my dogs, but it might not be enough for all overweight pets. If you’ve implemented a healthy dog routine and are still struggling with dog weight loss then it might be time to try a dog food for weight loss. Hill’s® Science Diet® Perfect Weight is designed specifically for overweight pets and 70% of cats and dogs who tried the formula experienced weight loss within a 10 week period. They even have a Perfect Weight Toy & Small Breed formula that is specific for smaller pets. Having even just two or three extra pounds on a toy breed can increase the odds of developing other health problems. Hills Perfect Weight cat and dog weight loss foods are available for purchase online at Pet360.com.
Win it! A 10 week supply of Hill’s® Science Diet® Perfect Weight cat or dog food so your pet can take the 10 week challenge. There will be two cat and two dog winners.
Is your dog at their perfect weight? How do you keep a healthy routine for your pets?
Hi there! I am Emily Evert, the owner of Emily Reviews. I am 28 and live in a small town in Michigan with my boyfriend Ryan and our two pugs. I have a large family and I adore my nieces and nephews. I love reading memoirs, and learning about child development and psychology. I love watching The Game of Thrones, Teen Mom, Sister Wives and Veep. I like listening to Jason Isbell, John Prine, and other alt-country or Americana music. I created Emily Reviews as a creative outlet to share my life and the products that I love with others.
This post currently has 28 responses.
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Sherril McGann
My cats need to eat diet cat food because they are not very active.
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Amy Orvin
I learned that by asking my vet, I can learn how the right Hill’s® Prescription Diet® pet food can help reduce body fat by 20% in 3 months in cats. I could really use that information because I have a cat that weighs 22 lbs.
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Sue Hull
I learned that dogs need weight control foods and that Hillside makes baked snacks that are good for them. My 3 grandfurbabies are overweight so Im definitely going to tell her to go on Hillside website. Thank you for the chance 🙂
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Sus
They have a weight check tool.
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Stacey b
I learned that Hills also makes several varieties of cat foods.
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Geekjello
I learned how to gauge my pets’ body score. Very interesting!
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Jeanine
They have tools for determining the proper weight for your dog- pretty good to know!
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Crystal Rose
They have a whole list of exercises you can do with your pet.
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Emily Endrizzi
I learned that Hill’s offers a huge selection of weight loss and weight management foods for both dogs and cats.
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We have a one year old rat terrier named Mickey who is overweight. We would love to try this food for him to see if it helps him lose some of his extra weight. He is about 19 pounds now.
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Jessica Cox
I have a long haired chihuahua that in an inside dog that has became overweight after being neutered
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I learned that one lb to a dog is an extra 31 to human
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mickeyfan
Learned what I already knew….our dog is way too heavy. Now if someone could just make daddy cut out the treats.
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6 y.o Aussie that my daughter refers to as a “stuffed sausage”. She needs to lose weight. My husband still gives her treats. She is on the farm, but had surgery on her leg ligaments a year ago. Moderately active.
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Leela
Take your dog for a walk on a leash. Throughout the walk, mix in some intervals of jogging, running or high stepping to help increase your heart rate and burn calories for both you and your dog.
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Peggy Johnson
I would like this for my beagle Callie…she has been on a diet for about 3 years and needs to lose some more weight to be healthy
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Margot C
I read that a one pound weight gain for a dog the size of my Chihuahua would be equivalent to a 31 plus weight gain for me.
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Melissa Mazzur
I learned how important proper weight is
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joe gersch
I learned there is a Dry Dog Food Calorie Comparison
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Raine
I learned that they have a printable list of important questions to ask your vet. I think everyone should get this and use it. My mom’s cat was diagnosed with diabetes last year and passed from complications -he was very obese. Their dog is battling a weight issue niw too- it’s a serious issue that I’m very happy Hills is so caring about!
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Susan Smith
They have tools for determining the proper weight for your dog
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Michelle C
I learned that dividing the daily allowance into several meals allows for the most efficient weight loss.
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Lisa V.
I learned how to tell the signs if your dog is overweight.
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laurie murley
I learned that they can help you check and see if your dog is overweight with the signs and tips
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Lisa Davis
There is a weight check tool.
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Tina Reynolds
I learned the ways to check and see if your dog is overweight and the health concerns it can cause
I had 3 cats and found that when we lost one, the remaining cat bonded strongly with our Independent Manx who then did not need us as much. Interesting. They also already eat Hill’s so cat food is best for me.