I am seeing far too many Chihuahuas out there who are
being slowly killed by their loving owners! Go, look at your little darling
right now with an objective eye and ask yourself, "is my baby overweight?" I
know how easy it is for this to happen because this photo shows I have been
guilty myself.
The Chihuahua breed is particularly susceptible to this
problem for several reasons. First, Chihuahuas are indoor pets and sometimes they
lead sedentary lives. (they do love their naps) But the biggest culprit by
far is their ability to lull their owners into a habit of babying them,
especially with food and snacks. This breed is a master at manipulation and
can train its' owner in no time to feed it all sorts of human snacks
and treats. I know you think it's cute when your cute little pets beg for
one of your potato chips, but trust me, you're putting a stake right through
their tiny hearts!
What is the correct weight for your Chihuahua? The
Chihuahua breed standard calls for them not to exceed 6 pounds. The "before"
photo above was taken in January 2000 when Gypsy was over 6 pounds and well
on her way to 7. Her more desirable weight is shown in the "after" view at
about 5 pounds, 8 ounces. Look closely at her "before" photo and you'll see the extra weight around her
chest and the rolls of fat settling around her hindquarters. I had to get
control of this situation or it would only get worse!
Why should you be concerned about what your Chihuahua
weighs? For the same reasons obesity is harmful to humans or other
animals...it will lead to coronary heart disease and shorten pets' lives!
How can you turn this situation around in
your
pet/pets? First of all, cut out all those snacks, especially any
human food. The
biggest cause of overweight Chihuahuas is being fed food designed for human
consumption. It's a dog! Feed it food formulated for dogs.
Read pet food labels. Look for dog food brands which offer the
lowest possible fat content. Gypsy eats diet canned food prescribed by her
veterinarian under the brand name Hill's Prescription Diet Canine R/D®.
(R/D stands for "reduced diet") It has a lower fat content than any
OTC commercial food and she eats it with gusto. She has been on this
prescription diet for over four years and
is in excellent health. If it's impractical for you to buy prescription
food, at least use commercial food with the lowest possible fat content.
Your local pet shop employees can guide you in which brands are top quality
with proper nutrition and low fat content.
Measure the amounts you are feeding and feed on a regular
schedule. Now, honestly, think about how much you're feeding your pet/pets per
day, including snacks, and you'll probably come to the same
conclusion we did. No wonder it's overweight! We now use a 1/4 cup measuring
utensil to be accurate and feed Gypsy 3 times a day. Occasionally she gets a
couple of little pieces of dry chow added for "crunch", but that's
all.
Yes, your pet may pout a few days and it may not eat at
first, but trust me, it's not going to starve! It will take some time
to get your pet back in shape depending on the severity of the abuse. (and
it is abuse)
Last of all,
weigh your pet. Veterinarians use a
digital baby scale, but you can simply weigh yourself, then pick up your
Chihuahua and weigh together and you'll figure it out. Weigh it periodically
even after it gets back down to its' proper weight just to keep the
situation under control.
I have probably stepped on a few tiny toes by posting
this article, but my heart breaks every time I visit a web page displaying a
helpless overweight Chihuahua. I know their owners love them or they wouldn't
have a website! Please take an honest look at your Chihuahua today and ask
yourself...am I killing my pet?
