How To Select the Best Dog Food for Overweight Dogs

The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) estimates that nearly 60% of all dogs in the United States are overweight or obese. Extra weight can cause a wide range of health issues for your dog, so if your furry friend needs to drop a few pounds, selecting the best dog food for overweight dogs can be a smart move. Here are a few facts about dog obesity, along with tips to help you select the best food options for your pup.

The Dangers of Dog Obesity

While your dog might look adorable with a few extra pounds on them, this extra weight can make a significant impact on your dog's overall health, comfort, and lifespan. Some of the common risks of obesity include:

• Joint Problems & Arthritis – When a dog carries extra weight, this places additional stress on joints. Not only can this worsen arthritis, but it also can increase the risk of ligament injuries.
• Reduced Mobility – Overweight dogs tend to become tired more easily, and they often have difficulty climbing stairs. This can make them less willing to head outside for a walk or play, creating a cycle that leads to more weight gain.
• Heart & Respiratory Issues – Excess weight makes it harder for your dog's heart and lungs to work efficiently. Heart and lung issues can make a dog lethargic and often unwilling to exercise because they either lack energy or have difficulty breathing.
• Increased Risk of Diabetes – When dogs carry excess weight, their cells are less responsive to insulin, which is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps move sugar (glucose) from the bloodstream and into the cells for energy. Over time, as the pancreas has to work harder and harder to produce more insulin, this can lead to diabetes.
• Increased Risk of Other Diseases – In addition to diabetes, excess weight has been associated with an increased risk of other health issues, including high blood pressure, urinary tract infections, and even some types of cancer.
• Higher Risk During Surgery – Obesity can increase the risks associated with anesthesia and surgery by making breathing more difficult, placing additional strain on the heart, and slowing recovery. Maintaining a healthy weight can help reduce these risks if your dog ever needs a surgical procedure.
• Shorter Lifespan – A study in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, which included medical records from more than 50,000 dogs, showed that overweight dogs lived up to 2.5 years less than dogs with a healthy body weight. While this does not prove that excess weight directly causes a shorter lifespan, the researchers noted that the association between obesity and a shorter lifespan was consistent among all 12 breeds included in the study.

For many dogs, even losing just a small amount of excess weight can improve mobility, increase energy, reduce joint pain, and enhance overall health. Combined with regular exercise, choosing the best dog food for overweight dogs is one of the most effective ways to help a dog maintain a healthy weight.

Which Food Is Best?

There are so many dog foods on the market that it can be difficult to pick the best fit for your unique dog, especially if they have a health condition or need a special food for weight management. In general, as veterinarians, we encourage dog parents to focus on these factors:

• The type of ingredients
• The quality of these ingredients
• The way ingredients are prepared
• The intent behind each ingredient

For instance, many commercial dog foods, especially canned dog food and dry dog food (kibble), contain poor quality ingredients as well as chemical preservatives and artificial flavorings and colors. Often, these foods contain cheap fillers such as corn or wheat and fatty proteins.

These ingredients are not the best option for any dog, whether they are at a healthy weight or obese. Often, these foods contain more carbohydrates than necessary. Low carb dog food can be a better option because it can help control blood sugar. Dogs do need some carbohydrates, but, generally, a high protein low carb dog food diet is recommended.

Of course, even on a high-protein diet, it's important that the protein truly supports your dog's overall health. Many dog foods include organ meats, which we do not recommend, especially for overweight dogs.

Organ meats do have nutritional value, but they also contain high levels of fat. This can be a poor choice for weight management, and it also can be a poor choice if you are searching for dog food for digestive problems, as these fatty proteins can be difficult to digest. Additionally, organ meats are high in copper, and for dogs with copper storage sensitivity, which is quite common, a low copper dog food is a better choice.

Of course, we also recommend that you assess the quality of each ingredient. As veterinarians, we recommend opting for dog foods that contain only human-grade whole foods that meet or exceed AAFCO standards.

In general, gently cooked, human-grade fresh dog food is the best option for most dogs. Raw, human-grade food can be difficult for older dogs and those prone to gastrointestinal issues to digest. Gentle cooking preserves nutrients and moisture, yet is a bit easier on the digestive system.

At Chi Dog, we offer five vet developed dog food diets, and each was created to support specific health needs. If you are looking at an option for weight loss, our Earth Diet can be a good option.

This plant-forward, low-fat meal includes egg and tofu as its protein sources, as well as sweet potato, spinach, green peas, and mushrooms. This recipe combines lean protein, fiber-rich vegetables, and moderate amounts of complex carbohydrates while remaining low in fat. The protein helps preserve muscle mass during weight loss, while the fiber from the vegetables and sweet potato may help dogs feel satisfied between meals.

Keep in mind that while this diet can be ideal for dogs that need weight management, portion control is crucial. Even a healthy recipe can lead to weight gain if your dog is overfed.

When portion control is implemented, any of our five holistic dog food diets can be a good option. For instance, if you are looking for a renal diet dog food but your dog also needs to lose weight, our Water Diet was designed to support healthy kidney function. For weight management, you would simply need to alter the portion size.

Before switching to a new dog food, we recommend consulting with your veterinarian. They can provide you with good advice about ingredient choices as well as caloric needs so that you can provide your sweet dog with the optimum nutrition.

We also recommend talking to your vet about exercise, which is a crucial component of any weight loss plan. Daily walks and playtime can help your dog burn calories, and activities such as swimming and agility also might be a good fit, depending on your dog's overall physical condition.

In the final analysis, the best dog food for overweight dogs is generally fresh holistic dog food with high-quality, human-grade ingredients. At Chi Dog, we make it easy to provide your dog with a diet that meets all of their nutritional needs. To discover which diet plan is the best fit for your furry companions, head to our homepage and click on the Get Started tab.

FAQ's

1. What is the best dog food for overweight dogs?

The best dog food for overweight dogs is a nutrient-dense, high-protein, low-fat recipe made with human-grade whole-food ingredients. Fresh, gently cooked diets that avoid fillers, artificial additives, and excess carbohydrates can help dogs lose weight while maintaining lean muscle mass and overall health.

2. Is high-protein dog food good for overweight dogs?

Yes. High-protein dog food can help overweight dogs preserve muscle while losing body fat. When combined with moderate calories, lower carbohydrates, and proper portion control, a high-protein diet supports healthy weight management and helps dogs feel fuller between meals.

3. How can I help my overweight dog lose weight safely?

Safe weight loss starts with feeding measured portions of a balanced, veterinarian-approved diet and increasing daily exercise. Regular walks, playtime, and low-impact activities like swimming, along with routine veterinary checkups, can help your dog lose weight gradually and safely.

4. Should overweight dogs avoid foods with organ meats?

Many veterinarians recommend limiting foods high in fatty organ meats for overweight dogs. While organ meats contain nutrients, they can also be high in fat and copper, making them less suitable for dogs that need weight management or have digestive or liver-related concerns.

5. Does fresh dog food help overweight dogs lose weight?

Fresh, gently cooked dog food can support healthy weight loss because it often contains higher-quality proteins, whole-food ingredients, and fewer processed fillers than many traditional kibble diets. Combined with portion control and regular exercise, fresh food can help overweight dogs achieve and maintain a healthy weight.