Source: Africa Studio/Shutterstock.com Getting a dog to lose weight can seem like a tough challenge. While most dogs live pretty active lifestyles, there are some dog breeds that are predisposed to health conditions. While that shouldn’t deter you from adopting a dog, it is something to keep in mind as you journey into pet ownership. If you’re someone who already owns a dog who has some health issues and wants to help them lose a little weight to get them to be more active, here are some tips that will guide you along the way! Add Some Time to Your Walks Lengthening your walks by just five to ten extra minutes can help your dog lose weight. The extra time walking will keep them moving and burning calories for a bit longer before returning home. Just like with humans, exercise is all about pushing a little further so that your body doesn’t get used to doing the same thing over and over again. Get your dog a new dog collar and leash set so you can be sure they’re safe and secure on these longer walks! If you feel like you won’t have the time to be able to add extra minutes to your walk, consider taking your dog out more frequently. Either way, getting your dog moving more is the main way you can get them to lose weight. Visit Somewhere New Dogs like to explore! Visiting somewhere new can get them excited and wanting to sniff their hearts out exploring new things in a new space. There are lots of fun places to take your dog that will encourage them to move more and lose a little more weight. Popular places include hiking trails, beaches, dog parks and even small farmers markets or breweries. As your dog explores more places with you, make sure you pack some water and treats for them to stay hydrated and they’ll be more likely to listen to you. Source: Jaromir Chalabala/Shutterstock.com Consult with Their Vet Your dog’s vet is the most knowledgeable person on what to do or not do to help your dog lose weight. They can run tests to see if your dog’s weight gain has to do with a medical condition or just overeating, prescribe you food if needed and give you a list of exercises you can do with your dog. No matter what, before doing anything to get your dog to lose weight, make sure you consult with their vet. While you’ve probably already done so, it’s still important for us to make sure everyone is on the same page with how important your vet is in determining what you need to do to help your pupper lose weight. Shop All of Our Silicone Pet Products Take Them to the Dog Park Exercising with friends is always more enjoyable than exercising alone! Taking your dog to the dog park is a great way to get your pup to lose weight while having fun. They’ll get to socialize with other dogs, you’ll get to meet other dog parents and your pup might lose some weight. Of course, you’ll want to make sure that you equip your dog with everything they’ll need to visit the dog park. Make sure they’re up to date on all their vaccines and get them an updated silicone pet tag so they can enjoy the dog park safely. It’s important that you do everything you can to ensure that your dog is healthy before taking them to the dog park since they’ll be interacting with other dogs. Diseases and even dog bites can cause an infection or other illness in your pup, so getting them up-to-date on everything before going to the dog park can really go a long way in ensuring that your dog has a great time at the dog park and loses some weight chasing their friends around. Source: Przemek Iciak/Shutterstock.com Remove Treats from Their Diet Not all dog treats are equal. Your dogs’ treats might be contributing to their weight gain. Instead of giving your dog a separate brand of treat, consider giving them some of the dog kibble instead. This way, you already know what’s in it. Rather than giving your dog treats at random, give them treats at a specific time every day or only give them one or two at a time. This will help to reduce how much they’re consuming the not-so-healthy ingredients that many dog treats come with. Introduce New Toys Just like humans, dogs can get bored too. Swap out their current toys with new ones to encourage them to play more. If you don’t feel ready to swap all their toys out at once, replace one or two at a time so they have something fresh and exciting to play with. This will get them to play more frequently, chasing their toys around and getting more exercise.