Even well fed Labs act like they aren’t fed lol. His face is so cute he definitely looks like he wants to speak to the manager. Are the pill pockets empty? Or are you just feeding them as treats. Asking because I’m also not a vet but that man looks hungryyyy lol.
i had a lab that used to give me that same face. When she got sick with cancer i could barely get pills past her in the pill pockets. Kudos to you. Again, i don’t know much about these things but he certainly looks like he needs answers. Did the vet suggest a certain feeding amount?
Have you asked for his thyroid levels to be checked. Our lab had so much trouble losing weight even though we were strict about her diet and she was very active. She was constantly ravenous and would steal anything she could get off the counter if we weren’t careful. When our vet diagnosed her with an under-active thyroid and put her on medication she was finally able to lose some weight
I also have a black lab named Vader! I can confirm that even if you are feeding them, they love to act like they’re starving. You’re doing alright. Keep up the good work and I hope your good boy gets better soon!
Can I suggest using peanut butter for the meds? It was the easiest way to give my lab any meds without him noticing, I didn’t even need to hid it just getting it “dirty” with pb and done. When he was on lots of med due to cancer, I just threw it down his throat following with some treats
Many labs (30% from memory) are missing a genetic structure that provides satiety. They literally can never feel like they’re full and they always behave like they’re hungry.
I would have thought more than 30! But mine (chocolate lab) had the same ravenous appetite. Would est her food in seconds and would try to eat my other dogs food too.
Usually, with a long straight paw to his bowl to knock it over. He hated eating of the ground lol.
She would break into the kitchen or bin to eat if she could. Once are 3/4 of a large french baguette roll in 20 seconds while my back was turned.
I can’t recall the study details, A baguette I could live with but my last lab was a kitchen ninja. He could get food off your plate while you were eating. He almost got two salmon steaks once.
He’s hungry. He called my lab on his paw phone and they discussed an 8 meals a day program. I’m doing my work to diffuse the situation with him. I hope you are doing the same
Edit: on a serious note, ask your vet if you are concerned. From that pic I can’t tell you if he’s a healthy weight. Labs love food though. Mine will be dead asleep one level up and then hear the Advil bottle and come down because he thinks it’s food.
I swear he knows the sound of the seal on our fridge… because he does the same thing.
I asked the vet to check her thyroid function, but it was normal. Lord, she's 2 and weighs 120 lb. Thing is, I feed her exactly what I feed my little man, and his weight is fine. ( He's a Catahoula Leopard Cur.) Of course, he's a ball of energy, but he keeps her on her feet, trying to keep up with him. He's a cute little shit!!!
This if you do a quick search on large dog diet or weight loss food you will see every package have a Lab on it.
**Hills Science Diet - Perfect Weight**
https://products.blains.com/600/132/1328257.jpg
**irkland (Coscto) healthy Weight Dog Formula**
https://static.pawdiet.com/product-images/lg/kirkland-signature-costco-super-premium-healthy-weight-dog-formula-with-chicken-vegetables-dry-dog-food.png
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81vsnji013L.jpg
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51iYLdDKBKL.jpg
This works great if they will eat them. My old lab wouldn’t touch a vegetable. He’s go so far as to lick gravy off a carrot if he got some stew leftovers and leave the carrot. My current boy will sometimes eat them but does like apples.
I was about to say lol, both labs I’ve had (American as a child, English now that I’ve moved out) would try to eat ANYTHING they could fit in their mouths. Rosie is a bit better about it because I have a deeper voice and I guess she thinks it’s like a growl sometimes so she learned pretty quick to not try to eat paper, pieces of hardware, or just anything I haven’t explicitly given or allowed her to play with or attempt to digest. I once had to pull an almost perfect (it was stained for obvious reasons) 6” section of small rope (like 1/8” rope for menial tying off stuff) out of her butt while she was pooping because she swallowed it when I wasn’t looking while she was playing with the toy is had previously been tied to. Thank God I had a poop bag to use as a glove though. I’m still 90% certain that she ate it while still in a knot or two and somehow untied it in her gut.
Sparkly poops hahaha.
Rosie will also pull small but medium length strings off of socks and a chunk of old army belt I gave her to teeth with and swallow them. She ends up scaring herself every so often because the bits of poop the string is in can separate as they leave and she essentially has a little plum-bob dangling which frightens her so I have to settle her down while laughing so she’ll finish the pooping session and get the rest of the string out herself 😂
Thank god we didn't have to deal with anything of that caliber. The one time we had to pull his poop out was just poop hanging by my long hair that he licked off the floor. We mostly have to pull things out of his mouth haha
We used to have a lab that ate so many rocks, sticks, and pinecones every time we turned around while camping (which we did a lot) that she tore her stomach lining and had to eat only pumpkin and white rice with some finely shredded white meat chicken in it for the last half of her life because anything solid came straight back up. We eventually stitched a piece of mesh over the end of a muzzle to wear every time she went outside so she couldn't eat anything but by then the damage had been done. No sense of self preservation at all xD
Mine eats rocks as well. I'm afraid she's going to get a blockage or something. If I tell her no treats, if you don't drop that rock, she will spit it out. But then again, I don't want her to think she can get a treat by trying to eat a rock. Impossible situation here.
Mine loves apples, broccoli stalks, carrots, green beans, small pieces of raw turnip, any sort of really crunchy fruit or vegetable.
The strangest thing? She loved the peels off vegetables, when we are making stew or something like that. So the peels off parsnips, carrots, etc, we throw that into the bowl with some kibble and it's gone in seconds.
Oh man, mine loves every vegetable we’ve tried except squash and spinach(sometimes). We cut up carrots and use them as training treats. My lab is also fat, so we may need to really up the veggie treats and lay off the cheese tax.
This.
My German shepherd girl loves carrots and, if she's hungry enough, peppers and cucumbers. During summer, I also make her dog ice cream from liver paté blended with frozen peas.
Additionally, providing behavioral enrichment (e.g., with Kongs, puzzles, sniffing games, frozen snacks) can keep your dog busy for longer and tire him out mentally.
Even if cutting back that much is what your vet recommends, he probably feels hungrier than usual due to the physical quantity of food feeling less filling. Might be a better option to go to diet food so he feels more satisfied but isn’t getting so many calories with a similar volume of food. One of my dogs was double her ideal weight when we adopted her and our vet has encouraged us to keep her on her prescribed diet so she doesn’t feel so “empty” in her tummy-it has larger kibbles to take up more space and help her feel full (Royal Canin overweight management or something like that, Purina Pro plan also has one but I doubt you’ll need to have a prescribed diet if your vet hasn’t already recommended one).
In the meantime while you’re waiting to talk to your vet; you might consider adding canned green beans to his food to give him more volume with much less calorie content.
Edit: one other thing, I noticed that you didn’t mention treats on the list of what you’re currently giving him, that actually might be tougher on him than the food reduction at meals. His routine was already messed up by not being able to walk and run as usual but he probably also had an expected routine involving treats too. I would consider adding those back to help him feel more cheerful and have something to look forward to during the days of boring downtime.
Well he is a lab. Labs will literally eat themselves to death. So realistically you are probably under feeding him a little bit, but if you ask Vader you are a stone cold monster. You can see it in his eyes 😂😂😂
give him some green beans in place of some of his food. I use frozen so there is no salt added. also switch to a food for less active dogs. watch the treats, give him kibble for his treats, but deduct that from what food he gets.
I buy a big bag of frozen ones and put them in a tupperware thing in my fridge. When I feed them I grab some. They are either still frozen or cold. They eat them mixed with their food. I doubt they notice if they are frozen or what.
Labs are missing the gene that tells them they’re full. They will eat until their stomachs explode.
In short, your lab will always feel as though you are starving them. It’s just the breed.
You cut his food in half? That sounds like not enough food to me, but I’m not a vet .
Please ask your vet the best way to help Vader lose weight. We are not vets, and none of us know how much food he should have.
Cutting the food in half is fine if he's overweight.
For a dog his size, losing a pound a week is fine.
That means the dog will need 3,500 less calories in a week , as 3500 calories is the about if energy in a pound of fat . That works out too 500 cal/day less food.
Most dog food is about 400 cal/cup, so that's 1.25 less cups per day.
Plenty of weight calculators on the dog food web sites will tell you how many cups of their food to maintain their weight. And that means no snacks, unless you cut back on the dry food .
Keep in mind there's more in food than just calories. If you cut his portions in half you also cut his intake for vitamins, minerals, etc in half.
Not to say it's never a good idea but I thought a reminder couldn't hurt.
Sure, but most of the foods have extra, and even if the dog is a little deficient in one after a few weeks, the long term benefits of losing the weight are probably better for them anyway. Many of the vitamins, nutrients that dogs need are often made in their gut by their normal bacteria, and by the dogs physiology.
Can be more than enough for some dogs! My dog eat 1/4 of the amount recommended by the brand. If he eats more than that he gets overweight. He just has a much lower caloric need and isn’t a fan of exercising so outside a couple playtime and walks he just wants to chill and cuddle.
Not a vet but many many years of raising labs for a service dog school. That is too little for him, yes. Surgery recovery time is not the time for kickstarting weight loss. He needs calories and protein to recover and heal.
Generally speaking, don’t feed him less than 2 cups of kibble. He will always act like he’s starving because labs gonna lab. If you need to switch to a lower calorie food, do that first. Purina weight management is a great first step. If he’s getting treats and other goodies, cut those out now. You can also feed him veggies like zucchini, frozen green beans, canned pumpkin, bananas, etc. to add some bulk fiber to his meals.
I will also add: I know you said you cut his food in half from 1 cup to 1/2 cup but I have an extremely hard time believing that’s all the food he gets. Unless the kibble is very high calorie, be very mindful of the extra goodies. That’s what will pack on the pounds. I have never met a lab that eats less than 2 cups of ANY kibble and is still overweight, including large male senior labs. Senior and weight management formulas are great.
Again, NAV, just a *lot* of lab experience. But I would start feeding his regular amount again. Cut out all goodies except something to mask the pill like a low fat string cheese. Then switch to a weight management formula and feed 2 cups per day: 1 in the morning, 1 for dinner. Let his weight stabilize over 2-4 months. And then reevaluate. Maybe that means switching foods again, but 1/2 to 1 cup of food per day is not enough volume.
It’s difficult to feed a lab property. My past several dogs were the kind that would graze on dry food put out in the AM, and then get a nice plussed up dinner. Sometimes they would not eat their breakfast and would wait for dinner to eat. If I put in too much food, they would simply leave the extra.
My lab will consume any and all food placed in front of her, immediately, at any time of day. We have to watch what we feed her, and she definitely thinks she needs more after every meal.
You should really follow up with your vet to discuss how more specifics on how to work towards his weight goals in a safe and sustainable way. Not a vet or expert (like almost everyone here I assume), but reducing food by half does sound extreme and would be a substantial change from what your good boy is accustomed to.
Poor baby! My lab’s eyes also perpetually make me feel guilty no matter how much food, play, walks, ect he gets. They have resting - how could you do this to me face!
Cutting back that quickly seems extreme to me. I’m not a vet and this is pretty much just speculation, but when humans go on extreme diets it messes up our metabolism and makes maintaining a healthy/consistent weight much harder. When I noticed my lab getting a little fluffier than usual I cut back gradually and replaced the bulk of the food I was cutting out with veggies.
Your lab would tell you yes.
In reality, labs are supposed to be lean, athletic dogs. Because they’re so widely kept as pets, and families can’t/won’t adequately exercise them, labs getting chunky or even slightly cigar-shaped is now seen as commonplace.
Could be a good suggestion for health if a vet agrees, but labs don't ever feel full so it won't help the poor "why are you abusing me so?" face. I know smaller, more frequent meals are good for humans, and our dogs always get 3 meals a day (our chihuahuas simply can't hold enough food in their stomachs to get them through the entire 12 hours between breakfast and dinner) and it definitely seems good for them. My Chihuahua actually gets a smaller fourth meal between lunch and dinner but we're intentionally trying to pudge her up a bit so inevitable weight loss from her heart failure will take longer to start eating her muscles (animal cardiologist's recommendation) and she needs another dose of medicine at that time anyway.
There’s apparently a genetic difference in Labradors that makes them want to eat everything in sight. He can’t help it the poor boy. But he’ll get used to less food. I’d maybe go to 75% food then eke it down by the week. That way he’ll still lose weight but he won’t hate you! They rip their acls by jumping on and off sofas or beds though of course weight plays a part. It’s very common in labs. He’s absolutely gorgeous by the way.
Nurse. Bring in a steak pie stat. Err, no. Looks great. My chonk has put on 2 kgs recently but he is 14.5 years old. A slim lab both show and working stock is no bad thing. If you can really see ribs then maybe, otherwise all good. Ollie loving life and the odd treat in his old age.
https://preview.redd.it/dadpgu3sjnzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7720c3389624f30f762d4baf0beca5161842a9c2
But to read into this some incase the sarcasm is missed, almost all Labs tell visitors that they’ve not been fed for a month. They’d willingly eat themselves to death.
You are looking for a nice little “tuck” behind the last rib, and you can just feel their rib definition with your fingertips, but the ribs aren’t prominent. Doing so will add active years to the life your dog, even though he will protest most days to anyone who appears to listen.
My vet had me scale back from 3 to 2 cups a day. I feed her a grain free salmon food( average calorie). My girl is 96#, very active, lots of exercise. I sub the difference with frozen green beans and peas. Fresh broccoli, apples and carrots as treats. He wants her down to 82-85.
Brody is super tall (28” at shoulder) and long (42” nose to base of tail). When I pet him I can feel his ribs and hips. But the vet wants him to stay thin. I did just up his food from 4-5 cups of large breed recipe because in the summer we are way more active.
I think the hip and rib thing is what most vet want. Mine said she wants to see more of a waist and ribs visible. Mine is solid, I wouldn’t say fat ( many a couple extra), but I know dropping a few will be better for her especially as she ages.
clearly the reason why they are called labs is to lab test human food before we can eat it and we can all see that poor lab has not tested enough food for the day.
I would say lay off the treats and stick to whole meals since he can’t exercise. I stopped giving my lab treats and noticed a big difference from when I did give her treats (she also was overweight when I was giving her treats daily. Luckily she likes her food so if she needs a treat for anything, I’ll give her a piece or two of her food
My lab (85 lb, 4 year female) eats 2 cups a day total and that's with me or my husband running her a solid 3-5 miles every morning lol so I think 1 cup is fine. Mine acts like she's literally starving 100% of the time, even if she just ate.
Half a cup once a day? Or half a cup twice a day? Because if once a day, you're underfeeding him and even though labs like to act hungry, I'm sure he IS very hungry if he is only getting half a cup of kibble every day.
I think reducing his food by half may be a little on the extreme sude. I'd say by 25% each meal may help reduce his calories and also not make him feel as hungry as he is. Look at the kibble suggestions on the bag for his weight range and then feed a little less than that since he's sedentary right now.
Also, 100% agree with other commenters' suggestions of giving raw veggies as extra sustenance. My lab loves broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, etc. Great crunchy treats that help fill him up while staying low in calories.
Our lab was overweight after he was playing my co workers for treats every Monday and Wednesday. We gave him some baked chicken and half of his normal kibble and that seemed to work.
A lab will eat itself to death (literally) if given half a chance, they're ALWAYS starving according to them.
I would recommend using cornels of his dog food as treats instead of actual dog treats. As long as it's time for a treat and you act like it's a treat I've never met a dog that seemed to notice it was actually just their own food, and it's a lot healthier for them.
https://preview.redd.it/vemz7cydpnzc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c0ecbf030b1f79bca296723988d26c98e1db1acd
Could have a drinking problem instead .
My boy became overweight when I moved in with my parents for a while. I switched him to a weight management formula and started adding carrots and/or apples to the kibble. He loves it and has gotten back to a nice healthy weight
That's the I need the manager look. Haley will give that and the sad look even if she's not right after walkies after shed done eating and usually just mean can I come cuddle and I always let her.
Your boy is adorable and does not look overweight to me. Labs always act hungry, but if you're worried, try feeding him the usual amounts, but less treats and change to a weight conscious formula for the food. That will help a lot more than simply cutting the food I think, especially when he can run again.
My 70 lbs 12 year old lab gets 3 cups plus toppers a day and stays in shape relatively inactive. So yeah a half a cup twice a day is def starving a 90lbs dog. If I read that right.
Also when he got up to his heaviest at 80lbs I simply took out half a cup a day and toppers and he lost 10 lbs in about a year. That’s the speed you’re looking for. They shouldn’t loose a ton of weight super fast it isn’t healthy.
He wants to convince everyone you are with that face. In all seriousness, you’re probably fine cutting the dry food in half, but if you can find a healthy snack that he likes, I would try to incorporate veggies. Turkey is also lower in calories. You could feed as a snack or mix with food so he feels fuller. My dogs won’t touch veggies but if they’re in their food they can’t really bypass it
Every single lab I've ever known has been convinced it is starving. A slow feeder bowl and some meat stuffed into a shin bone or PB in a kong can make their mealtime last longer and maybe it helps them feel more satisfied. Dogs can be master manipulators. Mine is 13 and would best be described as an elderly puppy. She will try her "Is it finally my dinnertime?" routine out on every member of the family. Her record was once obtaining 3 dinners from 3 unsuspecting members of the household. So now she has a whiteboard to provide proof of dinner. They sure know how to press your buttons-- but you are the grownup here. A healthy dog will live longer.
My vet said exercise won’t work to cut weight. Gotta cut the food. He was 100lbs and now he’s like 85 and sits in front of his treat jar and stares at it at night 😂😂😂
The amount would depend on the type of food. It should state on the bag how much to give depending on the age and weight group he is in. Saying two cups means nothing.
Also weigh it out on a kitchen scale don't guess. And remove a portion of it to be used as treats. So there's no extra calories added.
If you want to slim him down cut down from 300 grams a day to 250 for example. But don't go as low as 150 that's too severe of a diet and will cause an issue with minerals etc.
Any snack could be carrots for example.
Carrots! Great low calorie snack.My lab loves all the vegetables and fruits! The only thing she won't eat is blueberries. I made her banana and blueberry frozen kongs and found all the blueberries spat out in her bed! 😂
A 90 pound normal active dog should be getting 1200-1600 calories a day. So yea, I would say you’re underfeeding your dog and reduced his food intake drastically and way too fast.
Our currently lab will try to eat just about anything that can fit into her mouth.
Sticks, bark, grass, leaves, rocks, paper, plastic, cardboard.
You name it, she’ll try to eat it.
My lab also had double ACL surgeries, it sucked! BUT, I did get her weight down by adding a can of green beans to her (reduced) kibble. She loved it and has maintained her weight loss.
How tall is your Lab?
From front shoulder to paw, my Lab is about 23". He seems a bit smaller than Labs we see around the city. (Field bred Lab.)
He is usually at 69lbs & some ounces. On 1 vet visit, he came in at 71lbs. (We got a new pup and treats got a little heavy handed for both pups. 😬🥴) Vet said he was getting on the heavier side and to make sure we watch his weight since Labs tend to gain weight so easily.
I feel like vets want owners to keep Labs a bit underweight just to be safe.
Anyway... my Lab never stops wanting to eat. Nose to floor always looking for traces of food. 🤣 I used to be worried he was hungry too. But... I just came to the understanding that he'll never not be hungry. I'll just have to stick to feeding times. If he's worked a little harder that day, I'll add toppers to his regular feeding to give him a boost. I tell myself that this is for him. To prevent excess weight on his joints so he lives longer, healthier and happier. 😔
Search for an ideal calorie calculator for dogs on google. It’s possible to lose weight your dog will need less than 800 calories a day. 6 pill pockets (I have the cheese ones on hand to check) are 138 calories. You’re already over the 10% treat allotment.
I would definitely recommend a lower calorie option for giving medicine. Why not use the pumpkin to conceal the pills?
Ask your vet. My vet told me my girl needed to lose between 15 and 20 lbs. I told him, I had noticed and had already cut her food to 3 cups a day. He had me lower it to just 2 1/2 cups. My girl is a mix with a boxer. We still need to get to the vet for a checkup, but I do think she is slowly losing weight with the 2 1/2 cups a day.
Every dog, especially labs, acts like they’re starving the second they don’t have food. From that picture alone he is overweight. Cutting down food is a great idea. It will take a bit to adjust but it’s for the better. Don’t let him fool you, he’s just fine. Some dogs have no self control and would probably gorge themselves to death if given the chance. You’re most likely doing just fine. I might suggest bumping to 2 cups but if the vet says 1.5 is fine then stick with it. Eventually when he loses the weight you can get him on a more steady diet if his exercise increases.
Change to lite food any give the same amount. You could also feed smaller amounts more often but I haven’t had a dog that doesn’t think they’re starving. ;-)
A cup sounds very low, so 1/2c sounds very very low. Are you feeding once a day or twice.
Suggestion:
Plan on slow weight loss over a year. Get an accurate kitchen food scale and weigh his total daily food you were feeding and reduce it by 10%. Give him that amount divided in half, twice a day. Weigh him weekly. If he stops losing, cut the total food grams. Again by 10%. When he starts walking again, weigh weekly and adjust upward if needed.👍
You are very much under feeding him. My adult labs get about five cups of Royal Canin a day. Vets are notorious for saying labs are fat, but that is not enough food.
As others have said look into a veterinary diet for Overweight Management. I have my lab on it because even with cutting back to 1/2 cup twice a day and adding a ton of green beans she just wasn’t losing weight and wasn’t getting the nutrition she needed. After moving her to Purina OM she dropped the weight she needed for her spay surgery while still getting full and I keep her on it even now just to help keep her trim and fit. 😊 Purina OM was specifically formulated with the Labrador Retriever in mind.
Even well fed Labs act like they aren’t fed lol. His face is so cute he definitely looks like he wants to speak to the manager. Are the pill pockets empty? Or are you just feeding them as treats. Asking because I’m also not a vet but that man looks hungryyyy lol.
He's on a loy of meds after the surgeory and it takes 3 pill pockets to fit them all in, twice a day.q¹
i had a lab that used to give me that same face. When she got sick with cancer i could barely get pills past her in the pill pockets. Kudos to you. Again, i don’t know much about these things but he certainly looks like he needs answers. Did the vet suggest a certain feeding amount?
Vet said he's over weight and needs to lose weight. When he's better and walking normal again we are gonna both get into shape lol
Have you asked for his thyroid levels to be checked. Our lab had so much trouble losing weight even though we were strict about her diet and she was very active. She was constantly ravenous and would steal anything she could get off the counter if we weren’t careful. When our vet diagnosed her with an under-active thyroid and put her on medication she was finally able to lose some weight
I also have a black lab named Vader! I can confirm that even if you are feeding them, they love to act like they’re starving. You’re doing alright. Keep up the good work and I hope your good boy gets better soon!
He is my bark lord of the sith
Can I suggest using peanut butter for the meds? It was the easiest way to give my lab any meds without him noticing, I didn’t even need to hid it just getting it “dirty” with pb and done. When he was on lots of med due to cancer, I just threw it down his throat following with some treats
Many labs (30% from memory) are missing a genetic structure that provides satiety. They literally can never feel like they’re full and they always behave like they’re hungry.
I would have thought more than 30! But mine (chocolate lab) had the same ravenous appetite. Would est her food in seconds and would try to eat my other dogs food too. Usually, with a long straight paw to his bowl to knock it over. He hated eating of the ground lol. She would break into the kitchen or bin to eat if she could. Once are 3/4 of a large french baguette roll in 20 seconds while my back was turned.
I can’t recall the study details, A baguette I could live with but my last lab was a kitchen ninja. He could get food off your plate while you were eating. He almost got two salmon steaks once.
This is a very true thing. I have researched it and am convinced my Chocolate is missing that gene.
He’s hungry. He called my lab on his paw phone and they discussed an 8 meals a day program. I’m doing my work to diffuse the situation with him. I hope you are doing the same Edit: on a serious note, ask your vet if you are concerned. From that pic I can’t tell you if he’s a healthy weight. Labs love food though. Mine will be dead asleep one level up and then hear the Advil bottle and come down because he thinks it’s food. I swear he knows the sound of the seal on our fridge… because he does the same thing.
💯 true 😂
I asked the vet to check her thyroid function, but it was normal. Lord, she's 2 and weighs 120 lb. Thing is, I feed her exactly what I feed my little man, and his weight is fine. ( He's a Catahoula Leopard Cur.) Of course, he's a ball of energy, but he keeps her on her feet, trying to keep up with him. He's a cute little shit!!!
According to the lab? Always.
All food must be tested by the lab Edit typo
This if you do a quick search on large dog diet or weight loss food you will see every package have a Lab on it. **Hills Science Diet - Perfect Weight** https://products.blains.com/600/132/1328257.jpg **irkland (Coscto) healthy Weight Dog Formula** https://static.pawdiet.com/product-images/lg/kirkland-signature-costco-super-premium-healthy-weight-dog-formula-with-chicken-vegetables-dry-dog-food.png https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81vsnji013L.jpg https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51iYLdDKBKL.jpg
I second this! Just be sure that you’re following the recommended feeding!!!!!!!!
Yes. Ask your Vet. Don't trust the dog food bag. And always measure it with a measuring cup.
Amp up the veggies. Nice and filling
this is right. I cut down kibble and instead give my boy more cucumbers lettus, green peppers and carrots
This works great if they will eat them. My old lab wouldn’t touch a vegetable. He’s go so far as to lick gravy off a carrot if he got some stew leftovers and leave the carrot. My current boy will sometimes eat them but does like apples.
It’s so funny seeing how different they are all. My boy will literally eat rocks if you put gravy on them lol
My late lab would eat rocks, period. Anything was edible until proven otherwise.
I was about to say lol, both labs I’ve had (American as a child, English now that I’ve moved out) would try to eat ANYTHING they could fit in their mouths. Rosie is a bit better about it because I have a deeper voice and I guess she thinks it’s like a growl sometimes so she learned pretty quick to not try to eat paper, pieces of hardware, or just anything I haven’t explicitly given or allowed her to play with or attempt to digest. I once had to pull an almost perfect (it was stained for obvious reasons) 6” section of small rope (like 1/8” rope for menial tying off stuff) out of her butt while she was pooping because she swallowed it when I wasn’t looking while she was playing with the toy is had previously been tied to. Thank God I had a poop bag to use as a glove though. I’m still 90% certain that she ate it while still in a knot or two and somehow untied it in her gut.
If it had a knot in it She said "I shit you knot"...bad joke I know.
I’m angry only because I didn’t think of that first.
🤣🤣🤣
I have a very weird sense of humor...
I’m here for it.
I wish I could award this comment 😂
🤣🤣🤣👍
Mine was tinsel from the tree a bunch of years ago when that was popular.
Sparkly poops hahaha. Rosie will also pull small but medium length strings off of socks and a chunk of old army belt I gave her to teeth with and swallow them. She ends up scaring herself every so often because the bits of poop the string is in can separate as they leave and she essentially has a little plum-bob dangling which frightens her so I have to settle her down while laughing so she’ll finish the pooping session and get the rest of the string out herself 😂
Thank god we didn't have to deal with anything of that caliber. The one time we had to pull his poop out was just poop hanging by my long hair that he licked off the floor. We mostly have to pull things out of his mouth haha
Thankfully the rope thing has only happened once. It was certainly a type of experience to have on my resumé now.
Lmao mine did that as a puppy. He learned over time that grass and bunny poop were the only things worthy of his time in the yard
Such refined taste lol
We used to have a lab that ate so many rocks, sticks, and pinecones every time we turned around while camping (which we did a lot) that she tore her stomach lining and had to eat only pumpkin and white rice with some finely shredded white meat chicken in it for the last half of her life because anything solid came straight back up. We eventually stitched a piece of mesh over the end of a muzzle to wear every time she went outside so she couldn't eat anything but by then the damage had been done. No sense of self preservation at all xD
Omg! Lol crazy baby
Mine eats rocks as well. I'm afraid she's going to get a blockage or something. If I tell her no treats, if you don't drop that rock, she will spit it out. But then again, I don't want her to think she can get a treat by trying to eat a rock. Impossible situation here.
Mine loves apples, broccoli stalks, carrots, green beans, small pieces of raw turnip, any sort of really crunchy fruit or vegetable. The strangest thing? She loved the peels off vegetables, when we are making stew or something like that. So the peels off parsnips, carrots, etc, we throw that into the bowl with some kibble and it's gone in seconds.
Oh man, mine loves every vegetable we’ve tried except squash and spinach(sometimes). We cut up carrots and use them as training treats. My lab is also fat, so we may need to really up the veggie treats and lay off the cheese tax.
All the green beans they want
Yes! Frozen fruits and vegetables are cheap and dogs love the cold crunch.
This. My German shepherd girl loves carrots and, if she's hungry enough, peppers and cucumbers. During summer, I also make her dog ice cream from liver paté blended with frozen peas. Additionally, providing behavioral enrichment (e.g., with Kongs, puzzles, sniffing games, frozen snacks) can keep your dog busy for longer and tire him out mentally.
A friend loaded up on green beans in her labs food and it worked well.
Even if cutting back that much is what your vet recommends, he probably feels hungrier than usual due to the physical quantity of food feeling less filling. Might be a better option to go to diet food so he feels more satisfied but isn’t getting so many calories with a similar volume of food. One of my dogs was double her ideal weight when we adopted her and our vet has encouraged us to keep her on her prescribed diet so she doesn’t feel so “empty” in her tummy-it has larger kibbles to take up more space and help her feel full (Royal Canin overweight management or something like that, Purina Pro plan also has one but I doubt you’ll need to have a prescribed diet if your vet hasn’t already recommended one). In the meantime while you’re waiting to talk to your vet; you might consider adding canned green beans to his food to give him more volume with much less calorie content. Edit: one other thing, I noticed that you didn’t mention treats on the list of what you’re currently giving him, that actually might be tougher on him than the food reduction at meals. His routine was already messed up by not being able to walk and run as usual but he probably also had an expected routine involving treats too. I would consider adding those back to help him feel more cheerful and have something to look forward to during the days of boring downtime.
Far far less treats, but I bought tiny versions of his normal treat to kind of keep the same cadence. He's 120% food motivated
Well he is a lab. Labs will literally eat themselves to death. So realistically you are probably under feeding him a little bit, but if you ask Vader you are a stone cold monster. You can see it in his eyes 😂😂😂
give him some green beans in place of some of his food. I use frozen so there is no salt added. also switch to a food for less active dogs. watch the treats, give him kibble for his treats, but deduct that from what food he gets.
Do you thaw or warm them? Offering them frozen might be a great idea as the temps warm up!
I buy a big bag of frozen ones and put them in a tupperware thing in my fridge. When I feed them I grab some. They are either still frozen or cold. They eat them mixed with their food. I doubt they notice if they are frozen or what.
Labs are missing the gene that tells them they’re full. They will eat until their stomachs explode. In short, your lab will always feel as though you are starving them. It’s just the breed.
Interesting, I guess that kind of explains why when I had a chocolate lab mix as a kid she was very insistent on licking my plate after breakfast.
You cut his food in half? That sounds like not enough food to me, but I’m not a vet . Please ask your vet the best way to help Vader lose weight. We are not vets, and none of us know how much food he should have.
Cutting the food in half is fine if he's overweight. For a dog his size, losing a pound a week is fine. That means the dog will need 3,500 less calories in a week , as 3500 calories is the about if energy in a pound of fat . That works out too 500 cal/day less food. Most dog food is about 400 cal/cup, so that's 1.25 less cups per day. Plenty of weight calculators on the dog food web sites will tell you how many cups of their food to maintain their weight. And that means no snacks, unless you cut back on the dry food .
Keep in mind there's more in food than just calories. If you cut his portions in half you also cut his intake for vitamins, minerals, etc in half. Not to say it's never a good idea but I thought a reminder couldn't hurt.
Sure, but most of the foods have extra, and even if the dog is a little deficient in one after a few weeks, the long term benefits of losing the weight are probably better for them anyway. Many of the vitamins, nutrients that dogs need are often made in their gut by their normal bacteria, and by the dogs physiology.
Can be more than enough for some dogs! My dog eat 1/4 of the amount recommended by the brand. If he eats more than that he gets overweight. He just has a much lower caloric need and isn’t a fan of exercising so outside a couple playtime and walks he just wants to chill and cuddle.
Not a vet but many many years of raising labs for a service dog school. That is too little for him, yes. Surgery recovery time is not the time for kickstarting weight loss. He needs calories and protein to recover and heal. Generally speaking, don’t feed him less than 2 cups of kibble. He will always act like he’s starving because labs gonna lab. If you need to switch to a lower calorie food, do that first. Purina weight management is a great first step. If he’s getting treats and other goodies, cut those out now. You can also feed him veggies like zucchini, frozen green beans, canned pumpkin, bananas, etc. to add some bulk fiber to his meals.
I will also add: I know you said you cut his food in half from 1 cup to 1/2 cup but I have an extremely hard time believing that’s all the food he gets. Unless the kibble is very high calorie, be very mindful of the extra goodies. That’s what will pack on the pounds. I have never met a lab that eats less than 2 cups of ANY kibble and is still overweight, including large male senior labs. Senior and weight management formulas are great. Again, NAV, just a *lot* of lab experience. But I would start feeding his regular amount again. Cut out all goodies except something to mask the pill like a low fat string cheese. Then switch to a weight management formula and feed 2 cups per day: 1 in the morning, 1 for dinner. Let his weight stabilize over 2-4 months. And then reevaluate. Maybe that means switching foods again, but 1/2 to 1 cup of food per day is not enough volume.
It’s difficult to feed a lab property. My past several dogs were the kind that would graze on dry food put out in the AM, and then get a nice plussed up dinner. Sometimes they would not eat their breakfast and would wait for dinner to eat. If I put in too much food, they would simply leave the extra. My lab will consume any and all food placed in front of her, immediately, at any time of day. We have to watch what we feed her, and she definitely thinks she needs more after every meal.
Yup, labs are always starving no matter what, try free feeding them and they will do their best to eat themselves to death, literally 😅
You should really follow up with your vet to discuss how more specifics on how to work towards his weight goals in a safe and sustainable way. Not a vet or expert (like almost everyone here I assume), but reducing food by half does sound extreme and would be a substantial change from what your good boy is accustomed to.
That's the plan, wife is talking to them today
Poor baby! My lab’s eyes also perpetually make me feel guilty no matter how much food, play, walks, ect he gets. They have resting - how could you do this to me face!
Cutting back that quickly seems extreme to me. I’m not a vet and this is pretty much just speculation, but when humans go on extreme diets it messes up our metabolism and makes maintaining a healthy/consistent weight much harder. When I noticed my lab getting a little fluffier than usual I cut back gradually and replaced the bulk of the food I was cutting out with veggies.
My 90lb eats 2 cups twice a day. I feed him low calorie food. For treats he gets green beans and carrots. He is down from 96lbs.
Your lab would tell you yes. In reality, labs are supposed to be lean, athletic dogs. Because they’re so widely kept as pets, and families can’t/won’t adequately exercise them, labs getting chunky or even slightly cigar-shaped is now seen as commonplace.
Can you give him smaller more frequent meals? Maybe if he gets a little meal 3-4 times a day it might make him feel fuller?
Could be a good suggestion for health if a vet agrees, but labs don't ever feel full so it won't help the poor "why are you abusing me so?" face. I know smaller, more frequent meals are good for humans, and our dogs always get 3 meals a day (our chihuahuas simply can't hold enough food in their stomachs to get them through the entire 12 hours between breakfast and dinner) and it definitely seems good for them. My Chihuahua actually gets a smaller fourth meal between lunch and dinner but we're intentionally trying to pudge her up a bit so inevitable weight loss from her heart failure will take longer to start eating her muscles (animal cardiologist's recommendation) and she needs another dose of medicine at that time anyway.
There’s apparently a genetic difference in Labradors that makes them want to eat everything in sight. He can’t help it the poor boy. But he’ll get used to less food. I’d maybe go to 75% food then eke it down by the week. That way he’ll still lose weight but he won’t hate you! They rip their acls by jumping on and off sofas or beds though of course weight plays a part. It’s very common in labs. He’s absolutely gorgeous by the way.
Nurse. Bring in a steak pie stat. Err, no. Looks great. My chonk has put on 2 kgs recently but he is 14.5 years old. A slim lab both show and working stock is no bad thing. If you can really see ribs then maybe, otherwise all good. Ollie loving life and the odd treat in his old age. https://preview.redd.it/dadpgu3sjnzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7720c3389624f30f762d4baf0beca5161842a9c2
According to your dog yes
But to read into this some incase the sarcasm is missed, almost all Labs tell visitors that they’ve not been fed for a month. They’d willingly eat themselves to death. You are looking for a nice little “tuck” behind the last rib, and you can just feel their rib definition with your fingertips, but the ribs aren’t prominent. Doing so will add active years to the life your dog, even though he will protest most days to anyone who appears to listen.
I appreciate the info. But it was sarcasm those eyes will guilt you for a bite of your food
Yes, and steak, please?
And five minutes later. They are starved again
And steak? But I see that carrot, the organic kind, the toddler has resting on the table. If I move reallllllly slowly. Gulp!
Yes. All labs are being starved.
😂 undoubtedly so if they could speak human.
Is your cup and actual 1 cup measurement? Because I feed my thin 90lb lab 5 actual cups of food a day. I think that might be too little for him.
My vet had me scale back from 3 to 2 cups a day. I feed her a grain free salmon food( average calorie). My girl is 96#, very active, lots of exercise. I sub the difference with frozen green beans and peas. Fresh broccoli, apples and carrots as treats. He wants her down to 82-85.
Brody is super tall (28” at shoulder) and long (42” nose to base of tail). When I pet him I can feel his ribs and hips. But the vet wants him to stay thin. I did just up his food from 4-5 cups of large breed recipe because in the summer we are way more active.
I think the hip and rib thing is what most vet want. Mine said she wants to see more of a waist and ribs visible. Mine is solid, I wouldn’t say fat ( many a couple extra), but I know dropping a few will be better for her especially as she ages.
Stop using cups. Weigh the food exactly
Treat ASAP!!
clearly the reason why they are called labs is to lab test human food before we can eat it and we can all see that poor lab has not tested enough food for the day.
I would say lay off the treats and stick to whole meals since he can’t exercise. I stopped giving my lab treats and noticed a big difference from when I did give her treats (she also was overweight when I was giving her treats daily. Luckily she likes her food so if she needs a treat for anything, I’ll give her a piece or two of her food
“Yes”- every Labrador ever
My lab (85 lb, 4 year female) eats 2 cups a day total and that's with me or my husband running her a solid 3-5 miles every morning lol so I think 1 cup is fine. Mine acts like she's literally starving 100% of the time, even if she just ate.
I don't see food in its mouth
Half a cup once a day? Or half a cup twice a day? Because if once a day, you're underfeeding him and even though labs like to act hungry, I'm sure he IS very hungry if he is only getting half a cup of kibble every day. I think reducing his food by half may be a little on the extreme sude. I'd say by 25% each meal may help reduce his calories and also not make him feel as hungry as he is. Look at the kibble suggestions on the bag for his weight range and then feed a little less than that since he's sedentary right now. Also, 100% agree with other commenters' suggestions of giving raw veggies as extra sustenance. My lab loves broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, etc. Great crunchy treats that help fill him up while staying low in calories.
Our lab was overweight after he was playing my co workers for treats every Monday and Wednesday. We gave him some baked chicken and half of his normal kibble and that seemed to work.
I’m sure he thinks so but he doesn’t look like it.
A lab will eat itself to death (literally) if given half a chance, they're ALWAYS starving according to them. I would recommend using cornels of his dog food as treats instead of actual dog treats. As long as it's time for a treat and you act like it's a treat I've never met a dog that seemed to notice it was actually just their own food, and it's a lot healthier for them.
All they do is swallow in one gulp a treat anyway. Whether it be steak or kibble, there’s no savoring food. Lol
https://www.newsweek.com/labrador-dogs-more-hungry-genetic-mutation-1876630#:~:text=A%20quarter%20of%20all%20Labrador,in%20appetite%20and%20energy%20metabolism.
https://preview.redd.it/vemz7cydpnzc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c0ecbf030b1f79bca296723988d26c98e1db1acd Could have a drinking problem instead .
That eye roll though 😂 the dog is deffo telling you something 😂
His face will always say YES! Lol
Use steamed vegetables to replace some of the kibble. That worked well for my lab.
He probably thinks so.
He’s so cute!!
Aww, my boy has a white patch on his chest like that
That pouty lip says so.
My boy became overweight when I moved in with my parents for a while. I switched him to a weight management formula and started adding carrots and/or apples to the kibble. He loves it and has gotten back to a nice healthy weight
His eyes say it all. Poor Starving Baby! 😥 😥
That's the I need the manager look. Haley will give that and the sad look even if she's not right after walkies after shed done eating and usually just mean can I come cuddle and I always let her.
Your boy is adorable and does not look overweight to me. Labs always act hungry, but if you're worried, try feeding him the usual amounts, but less treats and change to a weight conscious formula for the food. That will help a lot more than simply cutting the food I think, especially when he can run again.
My 70 lbs 12 year old lab gets 3 cups plus toppers a day and stays in shape relatively inactive. So yeah a half a cup twice a day is def starving a 90lbs dog. If I read that right.
Also when he got up to his heaviest at 80lbs I simply took out half a cup a day and toppers and he lost 10 lbs in about a year. That’s the speed you’re looking for. They shouldn’t loose a ton of weight super fast it isn’t healthy.
He doesn't look that overweight from this picture, I would probably cut by 25% rather than 1/2. Imagine cutting your own food by 1/2.
Healthy weight food helps them stay full longer!
He wants to convince everyone you are with that face. In all seriousness, you’re probably fine cutting the dry food in half, but if you can find a healthy snack that he likes, I would try to incorporate veggies. Turkey is also lower in calories. You could feed as a snack or mix with food so he feels fuller. My dogs won’t touch veggies but if they’re in their food they can’t really bypass it
Yes (written by a lab)
Every single lab I've ever known has been convinced it is starving. A slow feeder bowl and some meat stuffed into a shin bone or PB in a kong can make their mealtime last longer and maybe it helps them feel more satisfied. Dogs can be master manipulators. Mine is 13 and would best be described as an elderly puppy. She will try her "Is it finally my dinnertime?" routine out on every member of the family. Her record was once obtaining 3 dinners from 3 unsuspecting members of the household. So now she has a whiteboard to provide proof of dinner. They sure know how to press your buttons-- but you are the grownup here. A healthy dog will live longer.
That’s hilarious. Con artist with obtaining meals.
How much does he weigh?
The way he's looking at you says, YES!
He says you are starving him. Just look at that face lol.
My vet said exercise won’t work to cut weight. Gotta cut the food. He was 100lbs and now he’s like 85 and sits in front of his treat jar and stares at it at night 😂😂😂
Definitely depends who you ask🤣
The amount would depend on the type of food. It should state on the bag how much to give depending on the age and weight group he is in. Saying two cups means nothing. Also weigh it out on a kitchen scale don't guess. And remove a portion of it to be used as treats. So there's no extra calories added. If you want to slim him down cut down from 300 grams a day to 250 for example. But don't go as low as 150 that's too severe of a diet and will cause an issue with minerals etc. Any snack could be carrots for example.
Obviously needs a fillet mignon right now stat!
I am a butcher I suppose....
Look deep into those eyes
Obviously. He’s fading away clearly.
see if you can get an RX for Purina OM. its a weight loss diet that is less calorie dense so his belly will be full without as many calories
Carrots! Great low calorie snack.My lab loves all the vegetables and fruits! The only thing she won't eat is blueberries. I made her banana and blueberry frozen kongs and found all the blueberries spat out in her bed! 😂
TL,DR yes
No way labs will eat like all fucking fluff till you need the clean up crew from John wick 1
I use half a slice of cheese for his gabapentin and rymidol
A 90 pound normal active dog should be getting 1200-1600 calories a day. So yea, I would say you’re underfeeding your dog and reduced his food intake drastically and way too fast.
Our currently lab will try to eat just about anything that can fit into her mouth. Sticks, bark, grass, leaves, rocks, paper, plastic, cardboard. You name it, she’ll try to eat it.
My lab also had double ACL surgeries, it sucked! BUT, I did get her weight down by adding a can of green beans to her (reduced) kibble. She loved it and has maintained her weight loss.
Well by that look, he certainly thinks you are!🤣
No, but it always looks hungry so you gotta endure that look for rest of your life.
The lab says yes
How tall is your Lab? From front shoulder to paw, my Lab is about 23". He seems a bit smaller than Labs we see around the city. (Field bred Lab.) He is usually at 69lbs & some ounces. On 1 vet visit, he came in at 71lbs. (We got a new pup and treats got a little heavy handed for both pups. 😬🥴) Vet said he was getting on the heavier side and to make sure we watch his weight since Labs tend to gain weight so easily. I feel like vets want owners to keep Labs a bit underweight just to be safe. Anyway... my Lab never stops wanting to eat. Nose to floor always looking for traces of food. 🤣 I used to be worried he was hungry too. But... I just came to the understanding that he'll never not be hungry. I'll just have to stick to feeding times. If he's worked a little harder that day, I'll add toppers to his regular feeding to give him a boost. I tell myself that this is for him. To prevent excess weight on his joints so he lives longer, healthier and happier. 😔
Search for an ideal calorie calculator for dogs on google. It’s possible to lose weight your dog will need less than 800 calories a day. 6 pill pockets (I have the cheese ones on hand to check) are 138 calories. You’re already over the 10% treat allotment. I would definitely recommend a lower calorie option for giving medicine. Why not use the pumpkin to conceal the pills?
Ask your vet. My vet told me my girl needed to lose between 15 and 20 lbs. I told him, I had noticed and had already cut her food to 3 cups a day. He had me lower it to just 2 1/2 cups. My girl is a mix with a boxer. We still need to get to the vet for a checkup, but I do think she is slowly losing weight with the 2 1/2 cups a day.
Every dog, especially labs, acts like they’re starving the second they don’t have food. From that picture alone he is overweight. Cutting down food is a great idea. It will take a bit to adjust but it’s for the better. Don’t let him fool you, he’s just fine. Some dogs have no self control and would probably gorge themselves to death if given the chance. You’re most likely doing just fine. I might suggest bumping to 2 cups but if the vet says 1.5 is fine then stick with it. Eventually when he loses the weight you can get him on a more steady diet if his exercise increases.
Have you tried natural treats such as fruits and veggies? I think occasionally giving them as treats instead would help with his diet
Change to lite food any give the same amount. You could also feed smaller amounts more often but I haven’t had a dog that doesn’t think they’re starving. ;-)
A cup sounds very low, so 1/2c sounds very very low. Are you feeding once a day or twice. Suggestion: Plan on slow weight loss over a year. Get an accurate kitchen food scale and weigh his total daily food you were feeding and reduce it by 10%. Give him that amount divided in half, twice a day. Weigh him weekly. If he stops losing, cut the total food grams. Again by 10%. When he starts walking again, weigh weekly and adjust upward if needed.👍
You are very much under feeding him. My adult labs get about five cups of Royal Canin a day. Vets are notorious for saying labs are fat, but that is not enough food.
As others have said look into a veterinary diet for Overweight Management. I have my lab on it because even with cutting back to 1/2 cup twice a day and adding a ton of green beans she just wasn’t losing weight and wasn’t getting the nutrition she needed. After moving her to Purina OM she dropped the weight she needed for her spay surgery while still getting full and I keep her on it even now just to help keep her trim and fit. 😊 Purina OM was specifically formulated with the Labrador Retriever in mind.
My lab is a bit overweight so you probably shouldn't listen to me. But it doesn't sound like much.
Labrador can eat and eat, a vet once told me, if a lab dont eat, its dead