Hi! I have a pitbull lab mix who is 6 and about 80 pounds. I'm worried she is overweight. I have a 14 month old who is constantly feeding her table food. How much food should I be giving her per day
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It's good that you are concerned about her getting overweight, because she does appear to be somewhat chunky. In order to get started with a weight loss plan it's good to score her current body condition. Below is a link that will help you do this. Riley is likely around a BCS of 7/9, but I would have to physically examine her to be sure.
https://www.wsava.org/sites/default/files/Body%20condition%20score%20chart%20dogs.pdf
After that, you can use the healthy weight calculator at the following link: https://www.petcoach.co/healthy-weight-calculator/
There are some products in the pet store that are actually formulated for weight loss and these would be the best ones to feed. I know Hills, Purina and Royal Canin all have good products, but don't know of any other.
The best thing to check on the bag is the AAFCO statement, which is just below the guaranteed analysis. This will tell if the food has actually demonstrated what it claims. I've included a link to an article below that explains all of this. Make sure you feed the food according to the bag's instructions and try to cut out all treats and table scraps. I understand that this may be impossible with young children, so in this case you should account for the table scraps by feeding even less food than is recommended.
https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-to-look-for-when-choosing-your-pet-s-food/
The hardest thing for pet owners is that they feel like they are starving their dog. Trust me, you are not starving them, despite how bad they may make you feel. If your dog likes any vegetables like celery, carrots or green beans, then these are great, low calorie options to give as treats that can make you and your dog feel a bit better about the diet.
In the end, know that a skinnier dog will be healthier and live longer, so it's well worth it.
I hope that helps and you are able to get a good plan going for Riley. I've given one more link to an article with additional information below.
https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-ways-to-help-your-dog-lose-weight/
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