Just as with humans, one of the biggest health problems today for dogs is obesity. Many owners think their pudgy dogs are adorable, when in fact they are extremely unhealthy.

Also like humans, some dogs are more prone to obesity than others. Pugs and other certain dog breeds have a harder time than others staying in shape.

Health Risks with Obesity
Overweight dogs can develop the same kinds of problems that overweight humans can, such as diabetes mellitus, which can be very tricky to treat. Obesity can also reduce your dog’s life expectancy

How to Tell if Your Dog is Overweight
If you are not sure if your dog is overweight, there is a very easy way to do so visually and by touch. A dog of normal weight should have an indentation at his waistline, and his ribs should be easily felt under his skin. An overweight dog will not have a waistline and there will be a thicker layer of fat over his ribs.

Causes of Obesity in Dogs
There are several factors that can contribute to obesity in dogs. Among these are overfeeding, not enough exercise, health conditions such as hyperthyroidism or hyperadrenocorticism, age, gender, and breed.

If your dog is overweight, the first thing you should do is have your veterinarian do a full examination. This will help rule out any underlying health conditions. My Aunt Barbara took her overweight Cocker Spaniel to the vet where he determined that Katie had a thyroid problem. After putting her on medication her weight went back to a normal, healthy weight. Sadly, Katie will have to be on the medication the rest of her life.

If no health conditions are present, the next thing you should look at is the quality and quantity of food you are feeding your dog. Many store brand and generic foods do not have the proper nutrients required to keep your dog fit and healthy.

Correction the Problem
If your dog is overweight, you will want to choose a high quality food specifically designed to be low in calories. Many prescription and over the counter diets are available. Talk with your veterinary staff to help determine which food is right for your dog.

If you will be switching to a new food, you will want to do this gradually, over the period of about a week. This will help reduce digestive problems like vomiting and loose stools. Feed your dog the amount that the label or your veterinarian recommends.
Are Treats Allowed?
While your dog is losing weight, ideally you should cut out all treats. Many people feed their dogs the appropriate amount of food, but do not realize how high in calories many treats are.

Keep track of what kinds of treats and how many you are giving your dog. You may be amazed to find out that his caloric intake of treats is greater than that in his food. If you must feed your dog treats while he is dieting, choose healthy snacks like carrots or a low calorie manufactured treat such as Charlee Bears.

Leftovers are Out
You should also never feed your dog leftovers. Not only is this unhealthy for dogs, it can lead to unwanted behaviors such as begging. In general, your leftovers do not have the proper balance of nutrients that dogs require and are often higher in fat and calories than dogs should have.

Proper nutrition is not the only factor in reducing weight in dogs. You must provide them with appropriate amounts of exercise. Many people do not understand that dogs require an awful lot of exercise to maintain proper health.

Exercise is Very Important
If your dog is overweight, you will want to go for at least one walk in the morning and the evening for up to 30 minutes each time, depending on the size of your dog. Dog parks are an excellent place for both you and your dog to get exercise.

Sign up for a class like agility or flyball to help keep your dog active. Play lots of games like fetch and Frisbee. You have to be an active partner in helping your dog reduce his weight.

Weight Loss Should be Very Gradual
Weight loss in dogs should be very gradual. Dogs should only lose between one and two percent of their overall weight per week. You should weigh your dog on a regular basis to keep track of his weight and to check your progress.

Dogs become overweight by overeating and inactivity. By following the feeding guidelines set by your veterinarian, reducing the amount of treats given, and increasing the amount of exercise and activity your dog gets, you can help your dog lose weight and become the healthy and happy dog you want him to be.

The Pug pictures above is my aunt's dog, Miss Ellie. When Miss Ellie came to live with my aunt she was overweight. But with daily walks and a strict diet Miss Ellie is not fit and trim, and feeling much better.

July 21, 2004 — More than 65 million U.S. households have pets, and maintaining a pet's health is among the greatest challenges to ownership. Pet owners spend upwards of $12 billion per year on veterinary care.

Now pet owners are going back to basics and checking label ingredients for harmful chemicals, fillers, antibiotics and steroids on the products they give their pets. A 2003 survey revealed 52% of pet owners are switching to all natural products for their pets.

The makers of Pawmax brand pet supplements hope to ease the burden of unexpected pet healthcare costs by announcing the launch of new products designed to promote a lifetime of health and wellness for your pet.

One recent survey reported that 84 percent of pet owners in the US consider their pets to be their "children". And, nearly 75 percent say they would be willing to spend whatever it takes to protect their pet's well being.

Michael Rizzo, President and CEO Of Pawmax. Inc said: "Our mission is to help pets lead the healthiest and fullest life possible. A truly balanced and comprehensive health - wellness pet supplement did not exist, so Pawmax products were born.

"Pawmax brand supplements contain only the highest quality non-toxic UPS human-grade ingredients, no fillers, antibiotics, steroids or fat. Before their release, Pawmax products were tested and endorsed by pet professionals as well as veterinarians and contain over 50 nutrients and ingredients essential to proper pet health and nutrition. A product such as Pawmax has the ability to offer both, pet owners and Pet Professionals peace of mind."

What is Pawmax? Pawmax is a chewable nutritional multi-vitamin and performance supplement for dogs of all ages, sizes and breeds. Pawmax is the most complete dog health care supplement ever developed and is 100% safe and natural.

Pawmax formula is Vet recommended for daily pet health and post surgical recovery support. Mr Rizzo goes on to say: "When you give your dog Pawmax you will notice immediate results in their energy levels, mood enhancement and a general overall healthy glow".

The Pawmax formula is a high quality performance supplement for Competition and show dogs, racing dogs, breeding dogs, as well as geriatric dogs and puppies. So whether your dog is working or a household pet, Pawmax is essential for their health, wellness and happiness.

In conclusion Mr Rizzo Said: "Pawmax supplements are a win-win situation for Pet Professional's, for the public and for the pet. The pet can receive a lifetime nutritional support he needs for health and wellness, pet professionals can do their job and feel good about it, and the people who own the pet can save the animal considerable pain and suffering by treating the cause of degenerative conditions not the problems that arise from them.

"You can start your pet on the Pawmax daily program as young as 6 weeks of age. Pawmax brand supplements offer pet owners a considerable advantage against unanticipated vet costs that arise from poor health due to improper nutritional support".

For product information:Visit our website, http://www.pawmax.comCall toll free in the US 1-888-417-0994Or Write To:Pawmax133 Railroad Avenue #65Hamlin NY 14464

It seems the only way to make sure your dog is getting a good diet is to make the food yourself. One of my doctors makes his dog a mixture of ground beef and rice with a few other things thrown in for added vitamins and minerals.

I don't know if it would cost more to feed our dogs ground beef or not, since we are paying quite a bit for a top-quality dog food. But when you consider the money you could save in vet bills and the money spent on a so-called top-quality dog food, you might end up spending less.

Read this article and then decide.

Your dog's health is being compromised by the commercial petfood industry. Dog health should be of significant concern to those involved in the commercial petfood industry. But it's not.

Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of petfood manufacturers are keen to use the cheapest ingredients possible in order to keep consumer prices down and profits up. And dog health is suffering enormously as a result.

Cheap ingredients include large quantities of grain and small quantities of meat and meat byproducts. Most dogfood manufacturers have no qualms about using the meat of diseased carcasses, and parts of animals that the human meat processing plants would otherwise throw out.

Then it's processed and overcooked in such a way that no nutrients remain. And to try to fool the buying public that it's good for your pet, the package will boldly advise you of all the added vitamins and antioxidants.

Dogs need vitamins, minerals and antioxidants just as much as you and I. And as with humans, the vitamins which do the most good are the ones that occur naturally in your dog's diet.

A dietary supplement is a good thing for pets and humans alike, but the primary nutrition should come from the diet. Most commercial petfood contains very little nutrition and a lot of worthless and even damaging fillers.

Even the brands which market themselves as "premium" dogfood leave much to be desired. They may contain a slightly higher proportion of meat than their lower priced counterparts, but very few contain anything faintly resembling human grade meat, very few contain any vegetable matter, and almost all are made up primarily of grains.

Take a look at the ingredients list on your pet's food. Take a careful look. A favorite tactic of petfood manufacturers is to list a meat product first, and then list two, three, four or even five grain ingredients.

It makes you think the main ingredient is meat or chicken. But if you add up the quantity of all the grains, you'll realise that there's barely any meat or chicken at all.

For the full story on what's really in your pet's food, see http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com/DogFood

Your dog's natural diet is raw meat including bones, with some raw vegetables, herbs and fruit. A dog's natural life span, depending upon the size and breed, should be 20 to 25 years.

How many dogs do you know in that age bracket? Neither do I. Why? The number one reason why your dog's life is shorter than it should be is commercial petfood.

There are other reasons, too - the drugs we give our dogs every year in vaccinations, and every time they're sick - cortisone and antibiotics can cause significant unwanted side effects.

The chemicals we give our dogs and put on their skin to keep worms and fleas and other parasites at bay. And even pollutants such as chemical weedkillers, and petrol fumes play a part. But the number one early killer of our dogs is commercial pet food.

For further information see http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com/DogFood