Owing to the impeccable abilities of Golden Retriever is very popular and working together with humans in a different sector. But apart from their outstanding attributes, these dogs are at a higher risk of various health issues, and obesity is the most common one. And, if you have an obese Golden Retriever, you might be struggling for ideas to help your pal lose weight. Are you?
Golden Retriever is always hungry and loves eating. So, your pal is prone to obesity. But you can help your Golden Retriever lose weight by making a schedule of its activities, reducing its calorie intake, adding fiber and proteins in its diet, and breaking its meal into small portions. Besides this, exercising, using toys as a reward, giving qualitative food, and monitoring the health and weight of your pal can also help in weight loss.
Furthermore, everyone wants Golden Retriever in their family due to its friendly and playful attributes. But when these dogs start getting fat, they become lazy, inactive, and aggressive. Therefore, it is essential to manage the weight of your pal.
Therefore, I will be discussing the obesity of Golden Retrievers in this article. And as you read further, you come across some easy ideas that can help your Golden Retriever lose weight. So, let’s begin with the ideal weight of these breeds.
What Is The Ideal Weight For Your Golden Retriever?
Generally, Golden Retriever is a large dog breed. And its weight varies according to its age and gender. So, the ideal weight of an adult male Golden Retriever is 65-75 pounds. And that of female Golden Retriever is 55-65 pounds.
Moreover, the weight of these breeds fluctuates a lot in their growing phase. Thus, your pal’s weight should increase by 10% every week. But after reaching 18 months of age, it might stop gaining weight.
Further, your Golden Retriever can be obese just before the adolescence stage. But at maturity, it loses its puppy fat and weighs around 50 pounds.
Besides this, male dogs are taller and have larger body frames than females. But after the breeding or heat cycle, females tend to weigh more than males.
In addition, pregnant Golden Retriever weighs 50% more while senior dogs weigh 10-25% less than adult ones.
However, the ideal weight of a Golden Retriever according to age is as follows:
| Age | Weight Range for male Golden Retriever (pounds) | Weight Range for female Golden Retriever (pounds) |
| 7-8 weeks | 4-17 | 5-17 |
| 9-10 weeks | 8-22 | 10-22 |
| 11-12 weeks | 12-43 | 16-44 |
| 4-5 months | 25-57 | 25-61 |
| 6-7 months | 29-77 | 27-67 |
| 8 months | 49-85 | 40-70 |
| 9 months | 45-77 | 44-68 |
| 10-11 months | 50-77 | 52-80 |
| 1-2 years | 65-80 | 55-90 |
So, does your pal’s weight fall in this range? If no, this article will help you to help your Golden Retriever loose weight.
Golden Retriever And Its Struggle With Obesity
Since Golden Retriever has an irresistible urge for food, obesity is a usual problem for them. Moreover, as Golden Retrievers evolved into family dogs, they gained skills to please their owners like tugging, licking, hugging, cuddling, and pawing. Thus, their owners reluctantly fall for their persistent pleasing behavior and always give them more treats that make them obese.
Further, according to the 2012 clinical survey of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, their veterinary healthcare provider classified nearly 62.7% of Golden Retrievers as overweight or obese. Besides this, the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study conducted on 30,000 Golden Retrievers by Morris Animal Foundation also claimed that these breeds are at higher risk of obesity.
Moreover, the larger body frame and greater susceptibility to various health issues (like Cushing’s disease and canine diabetes) also make Golden Retriever more likely to become obese.
Cushing’s disease affects the adrenal glands of these dogs. And thus, it results in the overproduction of glucocorticoids and obesity.
In addition, due to unhealthy food habits, canine diabetes is common in these breeds. As a result, these dogs gain excess fat and become obese.
Besides this, Golden Retrievers are expensive and high-maintenance dog breeds. Thus, their offspring needs a lot of care. So, to prevent them from breeding, the owners neuter or spray them. But since obesity is the side effect of birth control, 50% of spayed or neutered dogs are more likely to get fat.
However, since obesity is so common, you might want to check whether your pal is obese or not. But do you know how to check weight your pal is obese or not?
Is Your Golden Retriever Obese?
Being a high-maintenance dog breed, Golden Retriever needs constant care and attention. Thus, even a slight ignorance can make your pal obese or ill. Besides this, due to the larger body frame, these dogs always look heavy.
Therefore, to know whether your pal is obese, or not follow these ideas:
Weight Your Golden Retriever
You must weigh your Golden Retriever every week and compare the result with the ideal weight of your pal. Further, make sure your pal weight is as per its age and falls within the range.
Moreover, a growing puppy might have a little higher weight, and it is natural. But if an adult Golden Retriever weighs more than the expected weight. Then, it might be obese.
Observe Your Golden Retriever From Different Sides
Look at your pal from top and side. Your pal must show slight curves and tucked-up areas from the side view. And similarly, the top view must show its waist behind the ribs with an hourglass body shape.
Further, the rectangular shape and presence of the tummy indicate that your Golden Retriever is fat.
Feel The Ribs
A healthy Golden Retriever has a single layer of fat above the ribs. So, if your pal is in good health, you can feel the ribs.
But if you need to put more pressure to reach your pal’s ribs, it might be because your pal is overweight. Besides this, in an obese dog, layers of fat cover their ribs. Thus, their ribs are difficult to find.
Do you think your Golden Retriever is obese?
When Can You Call Your Golden Retriever Obese?
Usually, all overweight Golden Retrievers aren’t obese. Thus, you should measure your pet’s fat content to know whether it is obese or not.
However, a guideline to know weight your pal is obese or not is:
- Too thin: 5% body fat
- Underweight: 5-15% body fat
- Ideal body weight: 16-25% body fat
- Overweight: 25-35% body fat
- Obese: 35% body fat
If you are sure your Golden Retriever is obese, you might want to help it to lose weight. Don’t you?
Thus, what should you do to help your pal lose weight?
12 Ways You Can Help Your Golden Retriever Lose Weight
A healthy Golden Retriever is very playful. Thus, it will be the best playing companion for your kids. Besides this, a pet in dog shape is happier and active. Hence, it makes the home lively.
But an obese pet is restless, ill, destructive, and lazy. Furthermore, it always demands food and has no interest in other activities. So, it is hard to handle and care for your pal.
Therefore, it is essential to manage your pal weight to promote a healthy lifespan. And, here are some ways to help Golden Retriever lose weight:
1. Make A Schedule And Stick To It
Scheduling all the activities of your Golden Retriever helps to manage its lifestyle. Besides this, it ensures an appropriate time for everything. So, you will make better use of the time.
Further, the schedule gives lesser leisure time for your pal to think about food and drool for it. More to this, a proper routine also includes diet, exercise, playing, and grooming. So, it ensures the fitness and good health of your pal.
2. Cut Down Calories From Your Golden Retriever’s Diet
Since the main reason for your pet’s obesity is food full of calories, you must minimize calories for its diet. Moreover, you may not realize it, but your Golden Retriever is getting lots 0f extra calories from the table scraps you feed.
Further, a calorie deficit diet makes your pal lose the extra fat present in its body. Thus, it becomes leaner. So, to help your pal lose its weight, the first step to follow is to deduct the amount of carbohydrate and calories from its diet.
3. Switch To Low Carb And High Protein Food
After reducing the calories and carbohydrates, your pal might be low in energy and tired. Therefore, to manage its energy level, you should feed your Golden Retriever with higher protein food.
As the food rich in protein gives the right energy and nutrition, you can help your Golden Retriever lose weight without affecting its mood and activity.
4. Add Fiber In Your Golden Retrievers Diet
Food rich in fibers is very nutritious for your pal. Besides this, this type of food also improves the digestive system of your Golden Retriever. Thus, it is the healthiest option for treats.
Furthermore, fiber-rich foods are very filling. So, after eating this food, your pet will have a lesser urge to eat more. Therefore, swipe the unhealthy treats with natural snacks to help your Golden Retriever lose weight.
5. Don’t Forget To Fill Your Golden Retriever’s Water Bowl.
Keeping your Golden Retriever hydrated is essential for its effective weight. Further, as you reduce the food intake of your pal, it is more likely to suffer from dehydration. Thus, always ensure your pal’s bowl has fresh and healthy drinking water.
Furthermore, since water fills up your pal’s tummy, it will not crave food. Thus, it helps to manage your pal’s weight.
6. Switch To Fun Reward
Usually, treats are the foods that spoil your Golden Retriever’s health. Further, no matter how many treats you give during training, it always becomes insufficient. Thus, introduce toys, hugs, pats, and cuddles as a reward instead of treats.
Although, your pal might find it hard to accept it at first. But after persistence, it gets familiar and starts enjoying the new rewards.
7. Keep Your Golden Retriever Active
If you want your Golden Retriever to lose its weight, you need to keep it active. Since your previous excising pattern failed in managing your pal’s weight, use new exercises to manage its weight. Further, increase the intensity and time of those exercises.
However, the exercises that can help your Golden Retriever lose weight are:
- Swimming
- Hiking
- Long walks
- Fetching
- Jogging
Besides this, intense training sessions also help to burn the excess calories of your pal. Thus, they will help your Golden Retriever lose weight. In addition, training also disciplines your pet and manages its behavior. Hence, you will be able to stop your pal from sneaking out food with just a command.
Moreover, the training sessions for your Golden Retriever are:
- Potty training
- Training to calm your Golden Retriever
- Bite inhibition training
- Bark control training
- Diabetic assistance training
8. Break Your Golden Retriever’s Meal
Although you feed your Golden Retriever enough, it might be pleading and craving for foods when it sees them. Further, it is an innate behavior of your pal that is difficult to eliminate or control.
Therefore, to manage your pal’s weight and satisfy its urge for food, you can divide its meal into smaller portions. In this way, your pet will get to eat frequently. Thus, it can be happy and healthy at the same time.
9. Frequently Measure Your Golden Retriever’s Weight
It is essential to measure your pal’s weight to know the progress and effectiveness of the weight loss process. Besides this, you can include new plans every week and analyze the data obtained at the weekend.
Hence, it will help to find the appropriate weight loss plan, food, and exercise pattern for your pal. Furthermore, it will also help to know whether your pal is growing as per its age or not.
10. Look For Qualitative Meal
One of the reasons for your pal’s obesity is unhealthy meals. Although, your pet is fat because of excessive calorie intake. Yet, you cannot let your pal starve.
Usually, starving your pet makes them mentally and physically inactive. Thus, you can switch to qualitative and healthy meals instead. Therefore, some of the best weightless foods for your pal are:
- Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food Adult Purina Pro Plan Weight Management Adult Dry Dog Food
- Natural Balance Fat Dogs Low-Calorie Dry Dog Food
- NUTRO NATURAL CHOICE Small Bites Adult Dry Dog
- WELLNESS CORE Marrow Roasts Natural Grain-Free Dog Treats
11. Monitor Your Golden Retriever’s Health Status
Sometimes, your Golden Retriever might be ill due to health issues like Cushing’s diseases, diabetes, or hypothyroidism. Besides this, other diseases like cancer, heart disease, eye diseases, joint problems, ear infections, thyroid disorders, etc., might make your pal inactive and lazy. As a result, your pet becomes obese.
Therefore, you must regularly take your Golden Retriever for health checkups for the proper diagnosis and treatment of health issues. Further, an early prognosis ensures effective treatment. So, it is essential to frequently monitor your pal’s health status to manage its weight.
12. Be Consistent And Patient
It takes time for your Golden Retriever to lose weight. So, weight loss is a gradual process. Further, you cannot expect your obese pet to become lean and thin overnight.
Thus, you need to be consistent in your pal’s diet plan and exercise routine. Moreover, a sudden and drastic decline in your pal’s weight isn’t a sign of good health. Therefore, wait patiently for the result.
While some dogs show a remarkable decline in their body weight within few weeks, others might take months. Thus, be persistent and calm when you help your Golden Retriever lose weight.
How To Plan Your Golden Retriever’s Diet?
Generally, weight loss depends more on the food you feed your Golden Retriever than the exercise. Therefore, a proper diet plan is necessary to manage your pal’s weight.
Further, every dog has its preference and personality. Thus, the diet plan of my pet might not be as effective for your pet as mine. However, you can use this as a guide to making one for your pal:
| Golden Retriever’s weight in pounds | Up to 3 months | 4-6 months | 7-12 months | Over 12 months |
| Amount Of Food To Feed In Cups Per Day (1 cup = 8 oz.= 250 grams) | ||||
| 5 to 10 | 1 and ¼ to 2 | 1 to 2/3 | ||
| 10 to 20 | 2 to 3 and ¼ | 1 and 2/3 to 2 and ½ 2 | ||
| 20 to 30 | 3 and ¼ to 4 and 1/3 | 1.2 to 3 and 1/3 | 2 and ¼ to 2 and ¾ | |
| 30 to 40 | 4 and 1/3 to 5 and ½ | 3 and 1/3 to 4 | 2 and ¾ to 3 and 1/3 | 2 and ¼ to 2 and ¾ |
| 40 to 60 | 5 and ½ to 7 and 1/3 | 4 to 5 | 3 and 1/3 to 4 | 2 and ¾ to 3 and ½ |
| 60 to 80 | 7 and 1/3 to 8 | 5 to 6 | 4 to 5 | 3 and ½ to 4 and ¾ |
| 80 to 100 | 6 to 7 | 5 to 6 | 4 and ¾ to 5 and ¾ | |
| 100 to 120 | 6 to 7 | 5 and ¾ to 6 and 2/3 | ||
Furthermore, you can use this article- How Can You Help Manage The Weight Of Your Golden Retriever to help your Golden Retriever lose weight.
Why Is Your Golden Retriever Obese?
Like humans, there are many reasons for obesity in your Golden Retriever. And, some of them are:
- Lack of adequate physical activities
- Genetics and hereditary problem
- Birth control surgery
- Side effects of medication (corticosteroids, NSAIDs, antithyroid medicines, etc.)
- Diseases (Cushing’s disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism, etc.)
- Overfeeding
- Ignorance of owners
No matter what is the cause. If you think your pet is obese and shows abnormal behavior like biting, chewing, barking, etc., you should immediately consult with the Vet.
Why Does Your Golden Retriever Need To Lose Weight?
Obesity in your Golden Retriever is a health complication that invites many other medical conditions. And thus, complicates your pal’s health. Besides this, even a few more pounds of weight can put extra pressure on your pal’s joints, ligaments, and tendons.
As a result, your Golden Retriever might suffer from dangerous strains and injuries. Moreover, these breeds are also susceptible to hip and joint dysplasia. And, obesity can worsen this medical condition. Furthermore, the list of fatal health issues that may develop due to obesity are:
- High blood pressure
- Heart diseases
- Respiratory problems
- Arthritis
- Diabetes
- Digestive disorders (bloating, constipation, diarrhea, allergies, etc.)
- Weakened immune system
- Different types of cancer
- Kidney and liver disease
- Heat intolerance (Gets cold faster)
- Damage to joints, soft tissues, and bones
Further, obesity in your pal reduces its lifespan by two years. Therefore, if you don’t want these health issues, you need to help your Golden Retriever lose weight.
Summing up, Golden Retrievers are very needy dog breeds. And they have unlimited hunger for food. So, if you leave them to eat, they can eat up to death. Therefore, as an owner, it is your responsibility to manage your pal’s weight.
Furthermore, obesity invites fatal health problems in your pal. So, cutting up few pounds from Golden Retriever helps to keep it happy and active. And, this also increases the lifespan of your pal.
Therefore, you should try your best to help your Golden Retriever lose weight.
I hope this article helped you to find the best ways to manage your pal’s weight.
Do you have any suggestions?
Please share them in the comment box.
