My beagle is obese and getting leg problems, I;m trying to get him to lose some weight but its not working any tips i love my dog i don't want anything to happen to him.
I have a Basset Hound that is prone to putting on the pounds. I have been able to get her to lose weight by cutting back on dog food (dry) and adding veggies -- mostly cans of green beans (Costco sells by the case)-- to her food. I also went to the weight control dry dog food. Just like people, less food, more exercise helps to burn calories.
My boxer is on the high end of her weight. We also add green beans to her diet to give bulk without adding a lot of extra calories.
You may want to take him to the vet and have him checked over; there is always the possibility that he has a medical problem such as hypo-thyroid disease (which is easily maintained with meds).
In addition to having him checked out for medical issues, there are two ways to lose weight: increased exercise and less food. In the case of a dog, you will see them drop the weight once you switch from dry kibble (full of useless starch) to a raw diet, which has a greater percentage of protein. You do want to ease him into that kind of diet but it will improve his overall health and he'll drop the excess weight. As for treats, you can give him low/zero calorie veggies. There's another thread on this board about healthy treats that you should check out.
It is so easy for beagles to get overweight. They're chowhounds, it's just what they do. I recommend limiting food, cutting out any human food he might get. It also helps to break up feedings. Serve him half of his food in the morning and half in the evening. I know it's hard, and he's going to whine, but in the end I promise he'll still love you. You can also switch him to veggies for treats. My beagle LOVES green beans and carrots. Exercise is extremely important. I think the dog park is great for helping with weight loss because they can go at their own pace.
Just as with humans, less food, more exercise! Adding veggies to their food to supplement and feeding a good quality food (the cheap stuff tends to have crud that increases weight but lessons nutrition).
I also will add in to take your dog to the vet to have him checked over for any kind of underlying conditions and to work together on an exercise plan. If you can, cut down on the dog's food, and put him on the highest quality food you can afford. A food with more real nutrition and less filler is a good thing. As other have said, add in some filler to the food. Green beans, canned pumpkin, carrots and cucumber are favorites of my dog. Can you feed your dog from a slow down bowl or a Kong Wobbler? If he eats slower, he may not notice a decrease in food. You could also freeze a Kong with kibble, soft food, plain yogurt or canned pumpkin to slow him down and have him work at it. There are lots of puzzle feeders that may work. I also have my dog sometimes work for his kibble. I will take some out and use it for training rewards or have him find it. Your beagle would probably love to use his nose to find his dinner in installments. Make sure you ease him into exercise and that he is capable of doing what you want to do. Don't put him at risk, but walking, trick training and swimming are all great!
Take a look at your dog's kibble or diet! You want the first ingredient to be meat (like chicken, beef, venison, etc) and one of the next few after that to be an organ meat (like chicken liver) or a meat meal or by-product (which sounds unhealthy, but the organ meats and other animal parts used to make meat meal contain important vitamins and minerals). Eggs are fantastic too. If your dog's kibble doesn't already include eggs, giving your dog an egg per week can supplement their protein intake and be a good source of the essential amino acids dogs need but can't make within their bodies. The egg shell is a great source of calcium, but I wouldn't give them the shell without drying it out (by baking it in the oven on a low temperature, for example) and then grinding it up to a consistency like salt or flour.
A lot of kibbles will have large amounts of corn, rice, or wheat (or by-products or meals of them) as a filler ingredient- those are carbs and give a lot of energy with little nutrition. It's important for your dog to have a certain amount of carbs, but you generally don't want to see grains and other primarily carbohydrate foods in the first three ingredients or so. At least two of the first three ingredients should be forms of protein.
For dogs who don't have allergies, digestive dysfunction, or other special dietary requirements, the most easily digestible proteins tend to be eggs, chicken, and organ meats like liver, heart, or gizzard. Organ meats are perhaps the most healthy when considering the vitamins your protein supplies, but they also contain more phosphorus than calcium, meaning that if your dog receives organ meat aside from their kibble on a regular basis, you'll need to talk to your vet about a calcium supplement. (Eggshells can be used as a calcium supplement, but it can be hard to get the balance right.)
If your dog's kibble is primarily grain and you aren't in a place to switch kibbles, consider supplementing the dog's diet instead. You can look into raw or home-made diet plans and forums for advice on what kind of things to give. (Note that giving raw meat to a dog who's never had it before may cause stomach upset until they get used to it.)
The dog's diet overall (including kibble, supplements, home-made, and human food) should be around 40% protein. This can vary between 30 and 50 percent, but note that high protein diets (especially when applied to large breed puppies) can cause overgrowth and, by extension, many other health issues. Research thoroughly and consult your vet before going over 40%.
Carbohydrates like corn and rice should be 15-25% of the diet, as they give your dog short term energy. Think of a diabetic human experiencing a drop in blood sugar; they might eat a cupcake ...
Limit kibble and treats, add veggies (green beans are best). Exercise more (swimming is great with leg problems)
You can give him less food or healthier food and exercise more.
I have had very helpful people at the pet stores steer me to the more healthy dog food. No matter what kind of problem you might have with your pet, the food can be the answer. It would be worth a try.