August 04, 2022Pet-Nutrition

How to Make Your Dog Gain Weight?

The majority of advice on maintaining dogs at a healthy weight is written with the goal to prevent your dog from becoming overweight or obese. While this is important, what if your dog is underweight? Feeding a dog more can help them gain weight, but how do you do it safely and efficiently? If your dog needs to gain weight, keep reading for advice on how to do it safely and effectively.

Choose A Calorie-Dense Meal

Choose a high-calorie, high-protein diet. To just maintain their weight, dogs require extra calories. This type of food will help a dog that is just moderately active or inactive gain some much-needed weight.

Small Meals Should Be Given Throughout The Day

This will allow your dog to ingest more calories by allowing him to eat throughout the day. While free-feeding is not suggested since it might lead to weight gain, it is OK to free-feed your dog in this case because that is our purpose.

More Physical Activity

Most people associate exercise with weight loss, but remember that the purpose of your dog’s weight increase should be to add muscle! Regular exercise is the most effective strategy for your dog to maintain a healthy weight. Your dog should be strong and muscular in no time if you combine a high protein and fat diet with it!

Try Benny’s Bowl Fresh Food

Fresh meals may appeal to your dog more than dry kibble since they have a greater scent. Your dog may be a picky eater who doesn’t like dry food. If that’s the case, you might want to consider this option.

There are a few reasons why your dog may not be gaining weight as quickly as it should. Here are a few of the ones to check out:

Perhaps They Are Picky Eaters

Some puppies are simply picky eaters, which makes maintaining a healthy weight more challenging. If this is the case, you might try using dog food toppers to urge them to eat more than normal. Toppers for dog food have the extra benefit of providing nutrition that their regular diet may not provide, which might affect their weight.

They Might Be Ill

Your dog’s weight loss or appetite loss may be a sign or side effect of a variety of illnesses. If their weight loss is abrupt, especially if it is accompanied by other symptoms such as vomiting or a fever, you should take them to the vet right once. While not every illness that causes dogs to lose weight is life-threatening, it is preferable to get them treatment as soon as possible to tackle their condition.

Stress Can Be A Factor

When dogs, like people, are stressed, they tend to lose weight. If this is the case, you’ll need to figure out why your dog isn’t gaining weight and how to help them manage their stress. A schedule change, too much interaction, or anything they see or hear outdoors, such as construction noise or an increase in the presence of other animals, can all cause your dog to get stressed. Your veterinarian or a dog trainer can assist you in determining the source of their stress and assisting you in resolving the problem.

It May Be Age-Related

Weight loss in older dogs is more common than it should be. It’s sometimes difficult for them to chew their food owing to factors like tooth decay or oral discomfort, which makes it difficult for them to eat enough food to maintain a healthy weight. Fresh food for senior dogs can make it easier for them to eat and gain weight while still ensuring that they get the nourishment they require to be healthy and happy.

After your dog has reached a healthy weight, you may continue to give the high-protein dog food for weight gain as long as your dog is active and receives enough exercise. Monitor your dog’s weight regularly, and consult your veterinarian if the weight loss continues.