obese corgi

[pookabeansjd]

I have a 4 yr old, Ellie. We adopted her from her breeder about 9mo ago after her first owners returned her. Ellie is basically a good dog (she has issues with children that we were not alerted to), but she has some health issues. She is 43 lbs, and is extremely short. Her legs are practically non-existant (even if she was not fat). We tried exercizing her, but she collapsed on a walk (and i have been to scared to try that again). I do play with her in the house so that she does get some running. She is on a diet, and gets almost no treats, but she loses no weight. Any ideas.
Besides these issues, she is otherwise a happy dog.

[The Chipmunk's Mom]

Welcome to our board. We are glad that you are here. There is alot of people here that are more knowledgable then I am. First of all, have you had her checked over by a vet to see if she has a thyroid problem. That will cause a dog to add weight. Also, how far did you walk her before she collapsed. I would try walking her just very short distances maybe more frequently during the day depending on the heat right now. Also, try giving her green beans, fresh fruit for treats. How much are you feeding her daily?

[ColColt]

I would try a reduced fat/calorie content food for starters and cut back a bit on the amount. When I was looking last week for Innova, I noticed they also had it in a reduced fat formula which is in essence the same ingreditents but less calories. Other brands/manufactureres probably have the same set up.

Ditto what Bonnie said.

http://www.innovapet.com/products/default.asp?id=1411

[CorgiMum]

First, welcome to you and Ellie, I'm glad that you have joined us here. We would love to see pictures of your girl.

What does your Vet say about her weight? Could it be a medical problem?

My 2 Pems, Montrose is almost 13 and Dylan almost 10 both need to keep their weight in check. This is a regular issue for corgis.

Some of the ways that I have found help is to feed them fruits such as apples, bananas & pears, these I feed fresh or dehydrate for them. And veg, green beans & carrots as snacks. They also eat a fiber diet food. Pure canned (not spiced for pies) pumpkin can replace some of the dry kibble in their meals as well.

But of course please check with your Vet before making any changes to Ellie's meals.

My girl has always been a couch potato as well, and not big on playing fetch for exercise, and more of a sniffer on outings rather than race, so I know what you mean.

I'm sure others will have more ideas for you, hope your Vet can shed some light on this for you, and please keep us posted.

One more thing that I thought of, I keep a plastic measuring cup in the kibble bin to make sure I am feeding the proper amount, it's so easy to over feed without it.

[MissGambler's+Mojo'sMommy]

I just looked at your profile, what a beautiful girl!!! Such a happy smile. I have mine treadmill trained, and I also know that as far as walking goes, if they are not used to it, and it sounds like your dog is not used to exercise, then you really need to break them in slowly. Especially in the heat, you could cause a lot of stress to an overweight dog. Consider a treadmill, you can have that indoors diring these summer months. And WELCOME!!!!

[pookabeansjd]

I'll have to take her to check the thyroid. I didnt think of that.
When we got Ellie from her breeder, she was on Science diet r/d, when the bags were finished, we switched her to w/d. She was on this for awhile, but the entire time that she was on science diet she was pooping a lot, and it was very soft and extremely messy. For over the last 2 months we have had her on Dick van Patons reduced calorie food. She likes it and she is going much better. She gets about .5 cup for the whole day with a spoonful of pedigree canned meat per feeding. (we feed her 2x a day) For a snack, she likes carrots and apples. She gets a few pieces around the lunch hour when I give them as a snack to our 7mo Mastiff pup.
our vet just said to exercise her. he actually joked and said to put a skateboard under her.
The collapsing incident happened in January. We walked her less than a half mile. She was normally sluggish on walks, partly because she was not leash trained when we got her. But at the end of the walk, about 3 houses from our door she fell over, completely limp. I carried her home and she rested on the floor and slowly drank some water.
Thank you for the advice.

[mtoy]

Oh, she's such a sweetie! After ruling out a medical problem, maybe consider swimming for exercise? I know it can be difficult to find a place to do it and the dog may not like water, but just in case you could do it easily it's excellent for situtations where walking is hard for the dog.

I also agree on the measuring cup. I have a 10 yr old who gains weight easily. My husband feeds her in the morning and he was always to put enough food in the bowl to cover the bottom. I bought a new bowl that was a bit larger, and no matter how many times I told him to "not quite cover the bottom", he still made it look like the old bowl. The dog started getting fat! So put an old measuring cup in the bag of kibble with a line showing how much to feed. I put the line a bit lower than it should be as DH always gives her a little too much.

[pookabeansjd]

I have a quarter cup scoop in her bag. I estimate on the canned meat, because i'm scooping out of a larger can (to feed Marley, our Mastiff).

I would love to try swimming, but i'm afraid of her over exerting, or not being able to paddle because her legs are so short. Also, the town I live in is not very dog friendly, so it is hard to find places to go. What kind of places do you take yours to swim?

[The Chipmunk's Mom]

The canned dog food may be part of the problem. I have finally got my overweight Jasmine to have a slight waistline by cutting the canned out completely when feeding her. It is amazing how many calories is in the canned dog food. Hope this helps.

[LaRositaMonita]

I agree completly with the advice everyone else is giving. There are couple of very good rescue people who will also chime in with even more advice soon, I'm sure.

A question for everyone, in general: was it right for the breeder to place this dog, with so many health issues, in a new home before the breeder him/herself rehabilitated her? That seems a little odd. Either way, she is SO lucky to have a caring, loving owner now to help her get back in shape!

[sutulu]

pookabeansjd:

Tucker is a great swimmer in spite fo the short legs.

I started him swimming w/o a life jacket because I live on a lake and in case he ever falls off the dock, etc. When he is playing with friends in the lake I make him wear a life jacket because he tires a lot less. The jacket provides the boyancy he needs. It's a hoot to watch those little legs go.

His buddy Charlie (Terrier/Irish wolfhound mix) was over yesterday and they were swimming for a new toy. Charlie, not the bravest dog, was so enamoured by the new floating octypuss, he actually jumped off the dock after it. We have been trying to get the dogs to "dock dive" with no success. This toy octypuss was clearly the trick for Charlie! If only I could find something that Tucker loved as much!

Lulu is still not thrilled with swimming. She wears a life jacket but will swim maybe a few feet into water that is deep but then back to where she can touch bottom. So I am not pushing her, praising her no end when she actually swims, but letting her work at her own pace to get more comfortable with the water.

Oh, all right I'll admit that yestrday when Charlie was jumping off the dock, I tossed Tucker in a few times too!

It's only a few inches to the water off the end of the dock so Charlie's Mom would throw the toy, I'd drop Tuck in the water by the handle on his life jacket, then she'd let Charlie loose to dive in. The two would swim to the octypuss and back to shore.

I think I may try tossing a hot dog off the end of the dock to see if that would get Tucker jumping on his own. A toy just doesn't do it!

Susan

[MissGambler's+Mojo'sMommy]

So funny, food is the problem yet the motivator, lol. :LAUGH:

[Jespah]

Welcome to you and Ellie. You have a difficult problem to deal with as obviously Ellie is just too heavy to get her going on exercise - also with the hot NY summers you'll need to be careful.

We were talking about feeding amounts on another thread recently. 2 things, I have a tri Pem who was 45 pounds last summer and is now 34. I only changed his kibble and kept everything else the same. His kibble is salmon based - I suggest a fish based food - they are excellent as they are a bit higher in protein and they feel fuller on less. Secondly - are you feeding Ellie the amount you want her to weigh? If the bad says a 25 pound dog should eat X amount - then that's what you should be feeding her. And think of yourself training for a marathon - her exercise needs to start in very small distances and slowly increase. The weight won't suddenly fall off, but like us should slowly come off if you follow these guidelines.

Good luck and we look forward to hearing about her progress. Her weight loss will affect her personality - she will feel better and be more playful.

[ZdogZ]

Welcome! Please keep us updated on Ellie. You have gotten a lot of good advice here. I wish you lots of luck.

[corgimom]

Hello to you and Ellie,:SMILE:

I agree with getting her a thorough check up with the vet prior to doing anything. You say you are only feeding her 1/2 cup reduced fat dry kibble per day with a bit of canned and some veggies and she is not losing weight. That seems a bit odd, because that is not a lot of food, so maybe it is a thyroid issue. When was the last time she had any blood work done, and has her heart been checked? Did you vet just say to exercise her without checking her thyroid?

[Fluffypants]

Welcome to you and Ellie. I agree with what others have said here. I think that replacing her canned food with a TBSP of canned pumpkin will help a lot. It would keep the same volume of food, but with much less calories and fat. Good luck and keep us posted on her progress!

ETA: And definitely check with your vet about the possible thyroid problem, or other health concern.

[pookabeansjd]

I'll definately look at her records from when we last took her to the vet and see what was done (I did not take her that time). I'm sure before we adopted her that she had a fulll workup done. (although her breeder did not alert us to many things that we have had to discover as we go on...that's for another time) If she has not had the work done recently I'll take her in and keep you posted.

Ellie does enjoy pumpkins, so i'll try phasing that in instead of the pedigree. Her kibble, isnt fish based, but that is because the last fish based one we used caused her to go messy even after she was using the food for awhile, But I believe the protein and fat percentages are comparable to Science Diet.

I would love to take her swimming for exercise. The parks in my town are not dong friendly, so i'll check it out online. I dont think it would be good to have her in the ocean or the long island sound at any time. That would be too much exertion, I think, at least for now.

Ellie was last at the vet to have part of her paw cauterized. Whenever she walked she would develop a bloody toe, and no one could figure it out. The vet, after running several tests, cauterized it, and fortunately she has had no problems with that since.

Thank you everyone for your advice. I appreciate it.

[love2corgis]

Hello and welcome.Like you I have an overweight corgi girl called Cindy who in the last 8 weeks has been swimming in a hydrotherapy pool for dogs.She is now a very fit little girl and we can now see her waist appearing.
Check it out here

http://www.cool2bcorgi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=209&highlight=cindy+swimming

[taflar]

I have a 4 yr old, Ellie. We adopted her from her breeder about 9mo ago after her first owners returned her. Ellie is basically a good dog (she has issues with children that we were not alerted to), but she has some health issues. She is 43 lbs, and is extremely short. Her legs are practically non-existant (even if she was not fat). We tried exercizing her, but she collapsed on a walk (and i have been to scared to try that again). I do play with her in the house so that she does get some running. She is on a diet, and gets almost no treats, but she loses no weight. Any ideas.
Besides these issues, she is otherwise a happy dog.

Ok, I have a bit of experience with this. I have taken two Pembrokes into rescue (at different times) and they came to me weighing 47 1/2 lbs and 47 lbs.

Wiggles the first one was about 10 years old at the time and rather grumpy. Didn't want to go for walks or anything like that. He'd been getting a huge bowl of food each day and allowed to free feed. (Owner said she didn't know how much to give him so she just filled the bowl).

Well, when he got here I cut his food to one cup per day. No green beans, no pumpkin, just one cup of food per day. Now for the first three days he didn't eat at all, and well, I didn't worry about that since obvously he wasn't going to starve himself to death. And once he started eating he hasn't missed a meal since.

I didn't increase his exercise, just ask him to walk up and down a flight of 13 stairs to go out side. That was enough for him, since it was multiple times a day.

It took awhile, I don't remember how long, but less than a year. 6 to 8 mos. I think, but he lost the weight. Like 25 lbs. And surprise! He is much happier and active.

The second one Harley, was more active to begin with and a younger dog, but I used the same metod with him. And same results.

I didn't put them on a diet food, they ate Innova adult food.

So my advice is to just cut her food intake for now. You can add green beans or pumpkin if you want but it's not necessary.

I'd give her a little time before I started asking her to go for walks. For now, just see if you can get her to walk around the yard. Or put her days ration of food in a "buster cube" or similar ball that she has to push around to get to. Not a lot of exercise but some. Or take some of her food outside and bribe her to walk a bit to get it.

When she loses some of the weight then you can add in walks. I'll bet she'll be more willing once she loses some of the weight.

And I'm betting it's not a thyroid problem. I'm betting she just got too much food at her former home.

Peggy

[corgimom]

And I'm betting it's not a thyroid problem. I'm betting she just got too much food at her former home.Peggy

Peggy, how much more would you advise her to cut back on the food as she said she is currently, and has been(for the past two months) giving Ellie only 1/2 cup a day total with one tsp of canned food at each meal; along with a few pieces of some apples and carrots. She said she adopted the dog 9 months ago.

I am just curious as to how much more you would reduce her intake by as it doesn't sound like she is getting a great deal to begin with. Seems like she should be losing a bit of weight already if she is truly only getting that amount of food.

[taflar]

Peggy, how much more would you advise her to cut back on the food as she said she is currently, and has been(for the past two months) giving Ellie only 1/2 cup a day total with one tsp of canned food at each meal; along with a few pieces of some apples and carrots. She said she adopted the dog 9 months ago.

I am just curious as to how much more you would reduce her intake by as it doesn't sound like she is getting a great deal to begin with. Seems like she should be losing a bit of weight already if she is truly only getting that amount of food.

How long has she been feeding that amount? And is she getting any other treats? Is there a cat in the house? Is she getting any cat food? What about the neighbors or kids, does anyone else feed her?

Peggy

[corgimom]

How long has she been feeding that amount? And is she getting any other treats? Is there a cat in the house? Is she getting any cat food? What about the neighbors or kids, does anyone else feed her?

Peggy

In her second post she said she has been feeding that amount for 2 months now(to help her lose weight), but she said she has not lost any - and she said she was only getting a few apples and carrots -

[taflar]

In her second post she said she has been feeding that amount for 2 months now(to help her lose weight), but she said she has not lost any - and she said she was only getting a few apples and carrots -

Some dogs like some people loose slowly. Two months might not be enough time.

Ok, if she's not losing then try a diet food for a short time. It's not a great food but Fit and Trim does work. I've also had success using Nature's Recipe Vegetarian as a diet food. Same amount she's feeding now.

Peggy

[MVons]

I was so lucky with a dog that responded so quick to food change. When Pepper gained weight 2 pounds to be 27 pounds, I reduced her food from 1/3 and 1/2 cup twice a day to 2/3 cup twice a day. She lost the 2 pounds in one week. She was a senior and less active, thus needed less food.

Merrie

[corgimom]

Some dogs like some people loose slowly. Two months might not be enough time.

Ok, if she's not losing then try a diet food for a short time. It's not a great food but Fit and Trim does work. I've also had success using Nature's Recipe Vegetarian as a diet food. Same amount she's feeding now.

Peggy


Peggy, she said she has been feeding a reduced calorie food for 2 months now.

Ellies mom, I am curious, you said she is 43 pounds now - was she that weight when you adopted her 9 months ago, or was she heavier and she has actually lost a bit while living with you, and how much were you feeding her prior to putting her on these new regimine 2 months ago?

[pookabeansjd]

She's been on diet foods for about a year, she started on Science Diet, but we switched her to dick van pattons reduced calorie. She get about 1/2 cup kibble and about 2 spoonfuls of canned meat a day. For treats she gets apples and carrots (around lunch when we feed them to our Mastiff).

[corgimom]

She's been on diet foods for about a year, she started on Science Diet, but we switched her to dick van pattons reduced calorie. She get about 1/2 cup kibble and about 2 spoonfuls of canned meat a day. For treats she gets apples and carrots (around lunch when we feed them to our Mastiff).


Oh, okay, I saw you mention Science Diet and just thought Science Hills "regular" - I know the RD and WD have a bit more fiber, right? Anyway, do you know what the calorie per cup is for the Natural Balance reduced calorie?

[corgimom]

Okay, I looked it up and it is 352 calories per cup, 16.5% protein, 6% fat and 5% fiber. - so Ellie is getting about 176 calories of dry kibble a day, right?

[pookabeansjd]

Ellie was at max 47 lbs (when she was returned to her breeder), she dropped to 39 when we first got her (september)and all the way down to 36 in october before developing foot problems and then the incident when walking in january.

She is generally a happy pooch, i would just like to make sure she does not have problems.

Off the bat i dont know the calorie per cup for the Natural Balance. I'll check it out.

[taflar]

Ok, I'm going to quote from several posts the owner of Ellie has made:

When we got Ellie from her breeder, she was on Science diet r/d, when the bags were finished, we switched her to w/d. She was on this for awhile, but the entire time that she was on science diet she was pooping a lot, and it was very soft and extremely messy. For over the last 2 months we have had her on Dick van Patons reduced calorie food. She likes it and she is going much better. She gets about .5 cup for the whole day with a spoonful of pedigree canned meat per feeding. (we feed her 2x a day) For a snack, she likes carrots and apples. She gets a few pieces around the lunch hour when I give them as a snack to our 7mo Mastiff pup.

Is her poop firmer on the Dick Van Paton's? What is the protein and fat compared to the SD RD?

She should have been losing weght on the RD. (Stands for reducing diet.) And the w/d is for maintence. AFTER the weight is lost. If she hadn't lost the weight you wanted her to lose then she should have stayed on the r/d.

Carrots are good for snacks.

There are other weight loss foods too. Maybe a different one would be better since she's not losing weight.

She's been on diet foods for about a year, she started on Science Diet, but we switched her to dick van pattons reduced calorie. She get about 1/2 cup kibble and about 2 spoonfuls of canned meat a day. For treats she gets apples and carrots (around lunch when we feed them to our Mastiff).

If she's been on a weight loss food for a year and not losing you should have talked to the breeder for one, and your vet.

How is her coat? Is it dry or brittle or thin? A poor coat is also a good indication of a thyroid problem. If she's got a good coat but too heavy then possibly not thyroid. (Could be but less likely.)

Is she any more active then when you first tried to walk her? Does she drink a lot? (Diabetis maybe?)

After rereading her posts, I agree that she should see her vet and rule out a medical problem. Testing for thyroid is a blood draw and you can take a drop of that and test for diabeates too.

If she doesn't have a medical problem then she needs a different food.

Is she getting any of the puppy's food by any chance? Sneaking/stealing it?

Peggy

[pookabeansjd]

Sounds about right. She gets a little more because of the canned meat, and the apples and carrots. (today she didnt want the carrot, so just her meals)

[corgimom]

Okay, so she was last at the vet when her pad was fixed? Was that in the fall? and from what I understand that was taken care of and then she collapsed after that on a walk in January? Did you ever ask your vet about why she may have collapsed and if so, was he concerned about that at all?

[corgimom]

The Science Hill RD has 220 calories a cup, The Science Hill WD has about 240 calories a cup and the Natural Balance reduced calories has 352 calories a cup

[glencorgi]

Okay, having read this thread from the beginning and having dropped 30 lbs off one rescue foster, I think I can speak with a little authority here. :WINK: <IMO> and experience the weight should be coming off. So why isn't it? I agree a vet visit and check up is in order to be checked to have thyroid and diabetes ruled out. Other questions, that have already been asked but I'll ask again, do you have cats? Is she possibly getting into their food or the puppy's food dish? You mentioned children, they aren't possibly slipping her food are they are she's not managing to help herself to a sandwich or burger left behind within her reach? Hubby's not spoiling her by sharing midnight ice cream is he? :CUTE: IF none of that is going on, then odds are looking more towards a medical reason.

Peggy's method is basically the same as mine, cut back and feed less. How much less? Well at one stretch in Emma's dieting days she was getting 1/4 cup of kibble TOTAL a day, with a little creativity thrown in. Emma got salads - lettuce, tomato, broccoli slaw and her kibble was like the croutons. We went through bags and bags and cans and cans of green beans, and mixed vegetable blends, salad blends, broccoli slaw, and thank goodness it was summer and there were fresh veggies about. So she got a lot of stuff that was good for her, with few calories. She came into rescue at 56 lbs and it took over a year, but she was 26 lbs when she went to her forever home. (I wouldn't have adopted her out until she was hitting the mid-30's as far as weight goes. That would have been a manageable weight for a new owner to work with and continue her weight loss regime and not in such a drastic manner as I had done earlier.) The only "diet" food I used with her was one of the Nutro Max weight reduction canned formulas - the small cans (5.5 oz) which I cut in quarters or even eighths. She got this on "salad days" and not daily. Her kibble was Wellness Super5 mix. With Emma, I referred often to the Corgi-L archives and Reba the Svelte's weight loss regime and got great advice from another mentor. Snacks/treats were baby carrots and other raw veggies and Old Mother Hubbard Couch Potato biscuits.

Initially Emma couldn't exercise (nor did she have any desire to exert energy in that fashion). She would run across the room to chase down food, so she got many meals served that way. We also used a treat dispensing ball filled with her kibble as a meal. As weight came off, the more energy she gained which made exercise come easier.

What was it that happened to Ellie's foot? It sounded as if she was doing well until that problem and had a set back. Another thing with weight loss in the amount she's facing, you'll have slow loss, more drastic loss, plateaus and then losing again. A steady rate is best.

Debbie

[LuvMyFluffy]

Gizmo started packing on the weight at the one year mark, so I started feeding him Iam's Weight Control dry food. He gets one cup a day. It has been good also for my other dogs, since one has put on too much weight. I like how nice his coat is. Oh yes, there's a corgi on the front of the bag. :LAUGH:
Here is a link to their site, which also shows a corgi.
http://us.iams.com/iams/en_US/jsp/IAMS_Page.jsp?pageID=PL&productID=8

[sutulu]

Ellie's Mom: I live just east of Albany. I see you are in New York... are you anywhere near Albany? If so, I'd be happy to have you bring Ellie out to the lake to swim.

It is very hard to put down Tucker's dish with a shy 1/2 cup of kibble and put down Lulu's (puppy) dish with a cup of kibble. I feel terrible. Tucker acts like he is starving to death.

But if I start to give him more, I can see him gain weight. Lulu is finally starting to carry some weight so now that she is 13 months, I may start cutting back a bit.

I have a friend in Obedience class with a wonderful Corgi. He is pretty overweight. She has never shared and I wouldn't ask but I'm guessing he weighs in around 35 lbs. When he runs he truly labors.

I know she is sensative to it and is trying to take some weight off him but we all know the problem is her husband. The dog loves to go in the truck with her husband and when he stops for a donut, the dog gets one too. If he stops for a hot dog, the dog gets one too.

My Vet is very adamant about Tucker's weight. She suggested cutting him back to 1/4 or 1/3 cup a day. I put 1/3 cup in his dish and it looks like nothing. So I am trying to keep him happy with a shy 1/2 cup and lots of Fetch, walks, running, and now that the weather is nice, swimming.

Lulu gets all her exercise chasing trucks and cars the length of the property. Ughhhhh! And yes, I am trying to break that. The devil!

[pookabeansjd]

No, I'm on East Long Island :(

Fortunately we dont have any cats, and the children issue i have learned from having her outside and observing her behavior when we have children at our house. (i am a little concerned if i have my own one day. her first owner had 3 kids and I am afraid that they might have tormented her or something.) She can't get to the Mastiff's dish... its 16in off the ground for him to reach it without developing bloat.

I'm really strict about being the only one to feed her now to make sure that she gets only what I want her to have. oddly, she is very picky about fruits and veggies. I've tried broccoli with her, she doesnt like it, the carrots and green beans must be room temp, and you must hold apple pieces while she eats them. (my prima donna lol) The only one I dont have a problem with is pumpkin, and I need to pick some up while I am out today.

I will take her to the vet to have the thyroid checked. She does not drink abnormal amounts of water, so i dont think it is diabetes, but i wont rule it out. We found a nifty new vet in Speonk for the Mastiff (you cant take them to regular vets because they have such huge bodies), so I think i will try him.

I was checking online for hydrotherapy pools around the island, but i was not having much luck last night. (There are some in the city, but that is 2hrs by train, and i am not bold enough to try driving in the city yet)

ellie typically runs for food, so I make a small game out of it, (her chasing me, and me chasing her), and then she eats. As soon as we would take her on a walk outside she will put on the brakes after walking 2-3 houses, and you practically have to drag her even to get her home.

i appreciate everyone's advice. I'm gonna get working to get her weight down and keep you all posted.

[glencorgi]

PS: NEVER feed what is recommended on the dog food bag - that is just a good rule of thumb. Via donations, I happen to have some of the Dick Van Patton's food you are feeding and the recommendations on it are for 1 to 2 cups. That might work for my adolescents, but not for an obese one.

As for feeling guilty about the amount in a dish, switch to a smaller dish. With Emma I used smaller dishes than for the regular gang and her food bowl would look like it was running over.

The canned pumpkin - make sure it is plain pumpkin, not the pie filling. :WINK:

Swimming as exercise, swam a puppy in my bathtub last night. She's been doing splits (the Claude Van Damme kind and I'm not pleased about it) and to strengthen her rear she paddled around the bath tub. Unless you have an extremely large tub, not practical for an adult corgi. Try a kiddie wading pool. The resistance from the water as she walks around will be good exercise. You can also toss kibble in there for her to go after.

Debbie

[MissGambler's+Mojo'sMommy]

MAJOR PROBLEM HERE I THINK: I give Miss Gambler pumpkin, she has a sensitive tummy, the can is Libby's 100% pumpkin, and I just looked at it, and there is a photo of a pie on it. Have I been feeding her something bad??????? I never knew that there was a difference, I thought canned pumpkin was canned pumpkin. PLEASE ADVISE.

[glencorgi]

MAJOR PROBLEM HERE I THINK: I give Miss Gambler pumpkin, she has a sensitive tummy, the can is Libby's 100% pumpkin, and I just looked at it, and there is a photo of a pie on it. Have I been feeding her something bad???????

Settle down, no you haven't been feeding her anything bad. What you have is the plain pumpkin and that is what one wants to use. (The picture of the pumpkin pie is because you can make pumpkin pie out of it. :WINK:)

I never knew that there was a difference, I thought canned pumpkin was canned pumpkin. PLEASE ADVISE.

There are also pumpkin pie fillings. These already have all the spices added and you pour in a pie shell and just bake for "instant pumpkin pie" - those are the ones you don't want to use. 100% pure pumpkin regardless of brand is what to use.

Debbie

[MissGambler's+Mojo'sMommy]

I had no idea that you could buy the cans already spiced and flavored(I have only made fresh pumpkin pies or used the canned pumpkin and flavored it myself), now I know to look closer at the label, thanks for responding.

[pookabeansjd]

Yea the stuff that's the pre-spiced is bad. you have to just use the raw stuff. I dont remember the brand, but there is one kind that is really good. I found it on some mastiff feeding website.

[pookabeansjd]

Thanks for the idea for the kiddie pool. That would be a nice way for her to cool off with this hot weather (aside from sleeping on the tile floor all afternoon)

[MissGambler's+Mojo'sMommy]

I've never had trouble finding it in the grocery store(just didn't know that there were two kinds) but Libby's is always on the shelf, just regular 100% pumpkin.

[ZdogZ]

I buy the Libby's pumpkin for the Z's. I have looked all over for a hard plastic swimming pool for the dogs. We leave Thursday for the lake and I will stop at Super Wal-Mart on the way and see if they have any pools.

[pookabeansjd]

Pet Smart has small hard kiddie pools. Libby's was the brand I couldn't think of. Thanks.

[MissGambler's+Mojo'sMommy]

Why was it on a Mastiff feeding site, does Libby's make one especially for dogs?

[pookabeansjd]

no, i just think that i was looking for snacks for the mastiff and it recommended the pumpkin for firming stools and as a tasty treat

[MissGambler's+Mojo'sMommy]

With all the dog owners who give it to their pets, they should make one, and in single serving cans. I throw away an awful lot of it.

[Dillydoodle]

it should stay just fine in the fridge for a week.. it used to take that long for me to use a can on Dillon.. however, now that i have Gus and Dillon, a can is used up in about 4-5 days... i just make sure to take it out of the can and put it into a well sealed tupperwear container to store it in the fridge.

Emilie

[ZdogZ]

We never throw it away here, either. It usually lasts 2-3 days here.

[corgimom]

With all the dog owners who give it to their pets, they should make one, and in single serving cans. I throw away an awful lot of it.

I haven't tried this myself, but what about putting it in an icecube tray and then just pop one out in the morning and add it to their food later in the day once it thaws out. Or once frozen, just pop them out and put the cubes in a freezer bag and take out as needed - wouldn't that work? - you can freeze pumpkin pies afterall. I don't feed pumpkin to Cody anymore as his stools are now fine on what he is eating; before, I wasn't using up a whole can with one dog and often it got moldy.

[CorgiMum]

That's a great idea Linda! Between my two they eat one can in less than a week so I know it is still fresh.

[mtoy]

I'm too lazy to fill an ice cube tray and then have to wash it out afterwards. I throw a sheet of wax paper on a pizza pan, make some plops of pumkin on the paper, throw it in the freezer, and once they're frozen I throw them in a zip lock bag. Make any size plops you need. Throw away the paper and you probably don't even have to wash the pizza pan.:WINK:

[corgimom]

I'm too lazy to fill an ice cube tray and then have to wash it out afterwards. I throw a sheet of wax paper on a pizza pan, make some plops of pumkin on the paper, throw it in the freezer, and once they're frozen I throw them in a zip lock bag. Make any size plops you need. Throw away the paper and you probably don't even have to wash the pizza pan.:WINK:

very good idea also

[CorgiMum]

Even better!:SMILE:

[MVons]

Walmart kiddie pool is $8 and be sure to check to make sure there aren't any holes as with something that cheap they are rough with the forklift. It is in the outdoor garden area. Yes, we got one last week, but we will wait until August for the puppy to be older and me to finish painting so the gazebo can go up over the pool.

What is the best treat to toss in the pool? Dry kibble seems like it would soften too quick. Is cheese okay. I assume hot dogs do great based on the picnic photos, but I wondered of items for the sliming waistline desired....carrots?

Regarding the walk ending after 2-3 houses. You may need to use a treat to entice the walk to go farther, then nothing to go home as they seem to be fine going back home, though slower. The power of food - there is an old man who has a distinct walk and has milk bones (our nickname the cookie man). Pepper was aged and very, very slow up a hill, but she spotted the cookie man 7 houses away and I had to jog to keep up with her!!!

Merrie

[ZdogZ]

Walmart kiddie pool is $8 - Merrie
Our Wal-Mart is sold out! I looked at K-Mart, Big Lots, and Home Depot one day. Hopefully I can find one Thursday. If not, I guess the Z's will have to go for a swim in the lake so I can post on FotoFriday this week!

[corgimom]

Our Wal-Mart is sold out! I looked at K-Mart, Big Lots, and Home Depot one day. Hopefully I can find one Thursday. If not, I guess the Z's will have to go for a swim in the lake so I can post on FotoFriday this week!


Do you have a "Toys R Us" by you? they have pools also.

[Jespah]

Walmart kiddie pool is $8 and be sure to check to make sure there aren't any holes as with something that cheap they are rough with the forklift. Merrie

When I bought one a couple of years ago - I bought two and put one in the other, that way I didn't worry if the dogs made a hole in it. Still cheap at $16!!

[Penutsma]

What is the best treat to toss in the pool? Dry kibble seems like it would soften too quick. Is cheese okay. I assume hot dogs do great based on the picnic photos, but I wondered of items for the sliming waistline desired....carrots?

I tried the hotdogs (cut up) but they don't float. If she is resistant to putting her head in the water, that won't help. Hadn't thought of carrots and I have lots of those....that's next on the agenda! Not that Deliah needs to lose weight - far from it! She only weighs 20lbs! She is not on a restricted diet either. She is just tiny. Cheryl says she is the smallest corgi she has ever seen.

[CorgiMum]

What is the best treat to toss in the pool? Merrie

The are the main commerial treats that my dogs eat. They are only 3 calories each, and their favourite is the cheese. They float!
http://www.charleebear.com/

When we are on the road Montrose tends to not want to drink, so to encourage her, I toss a couple of these into her water bowl. (Smart dog eh?:WINK: )

I bought a doggie pool at Petsmart for $8.99CDN.

[pookabeansjd]

I think i'm gonna get a pool this weekend from petSmart. (gotta wait for the rain to stop).
Great idea to toss some treats in there. I imagine that green beans might float too...
Once I get ellie in there i'll post some pics.

[MissGambler's+Mojo'sMommy]

Toys-R-Us and Kids-R-Us should have pools, and grocery stores even sale them in their "summer area" with all the lawn furniture and grills. Home supply places, like Home Depot, with garden areas, also might have them. Think out of the box Kristi, they're out there. As for freezing the pumpkin, WONDERFUL idea, no more throwing it away. Thanks Linda and mtoy.

[ZdogZ]

MGM ~ I drove all over town looking for one. I think everyone was sold out. Guess that's what I get for waiting until the middle of June! We don't have a Toys-R-Us close by (about an hour away and I just don't have time to go there). My mom is looking for one today for me. Hopefully she'll find one. If not, then I'll look on our way to the lake tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed!

[Jespah]

Hey, how is Ellie doing? Did you get her a pool? Is she getting a little more active?

[pookabeansjd]

Actually she is doing well. I've reduced her kibble, and suprisingly she is not protesting that much about it. She is getting the pool next week. (I am going to DC this weekend so my plans to get her swimming had to be pushed back)


She and I actually went on a short walk 2 days ago! yay! We went about 3 houses, but that is a huge improvement. And she was actually excited to go. She runs down our driveway, but then has no idea what to do afterwards. So our walk was actually more like this:
ellie runs down the driveway,
then i make her keep walking
and she tries to go up everyone else's driveway to go "home"

I kept her outside walking for about 20 min at a time. So it's a definate start. I have hope. I have not had her out for the last few days because it's been near 90 with a heat index higher.

thank you for asking, and for your advice.
--jackie, ellie, and marley

[pookabeansjd]

oh, i posted pics of ellie and marley in the show off your dog section.

[Jespah]

That's good news Jackie - Ellie is at least interested in moving and by just adding a little more everyday, it won't be long before she is fit and slim!!

The photos are great by the way!

[Fluffypants]

Excellent progress Jackie!!! Keep up the good work!

The more fun outings you go on, the more she will want to do. The trick is to keep them short and fun so that it will always be a pleasant association in her mind.

You know what they say . . . Always leave 'em wanting more! :CUTE:

[Shelly]

When I adopted my older corgi from corgi rescue she was 8 years old. She's very petite for a corgi and was about 30 pounds (and like yours, you could barely see those little legs). She had belonged to senior citizens in an apartment and I doubt she'd been exercised much, though she was leash trained. So I put her on 2 cups of food a day and only natural treats like baby carrots, fruit, green beans, and 2-3 3/4 mile walks a day. It took one year but she went down to 21 pounds. She's 13 years old now and some days she puts on the brakes partway into her walk, but she's kept the weight off. If you give the dog vegetables instead of biscuits, and exercise, it will probably slim down (after getting a good health checkup of course). Best of luck. At 43 pounds, no wonder the poor thing gets tuckered out easily. Start out a short distance and slowly build up. Heck, I don't want to exercise either, but I do. The dog will get used to it as a daily routine.

[pookabeansjd]

I just wanted to update. I got Ellie her pool on the third. We filled it up and I put her in. She had no idea what to do for the first bit she was in there. She kept trying to climb out. But then we let the jrt and marley out there and she was jumping all around. we threw a ball into the pool, and the jrt jumped right in. Ellie of course then was protective and started running all around in circles in the pool (yay! exercise). She seemed to actually be enjoying it.

It was rainy yesterday so i couldn't get her in, but i'm hoping this weekend it clears up.
I also have a video of right before she wanted out. So i'll figure out where to post that.
Thank you all for the idea, i think it will help a lot!!

[Jespah]

Hooray for Ellie - sounds like she will get fit in no time at all now.

If you post for video on Photobucket, you can embed it here in a post, like you do with photos.