Have you noticed your Pomeranian getting a tad bit plump around the edges? Did you and your family just finish up a nice holiday season only to see your Pomeranian waddling around more often than before? If you suspect your Pomeranian to have gained more weight than normal, then you might want to consider helping them shed those pounds (or kilos)!
Pomeranians can easily gain weight during special occasions that take place around the house, but also because it’s not always certain how much to feed Pomeranians. However, it’s certainly not uncommon to want to give our special little guys and gals extra treats from time to time. I don’t know about you, but whenever they beg it’s definitely difficult resisting their cuteness!
It’s important to keep you Pomeranians weight at a reasonable level, however, because they can develop harmful health conditions. Every Pomeranian parent should be vigilant in keeping their Pomeranians healthy and happy, so it’s important to be able to tell if your Pomeranian is overweight.
Reasons for Losing Weight
If you suspect your Pomeranian is overweight, you should keep in mind that there are several adverse health effects that can pop up. Luckily, they’re all reversible, but it’s always best to keep them at bay
Diabetes
Pomeranians can develop diabetes once they enter their adult years, which is when they’re above one year old. To keep your Pomeranian’s blood sugar low, it’s a good idea to help them drop 1 or 2 pounds.
Collapsed Trachea
One of the most common Pomeranian health problems is a collapsed trachea, which is when the cartilage surrounding your Pomeranian’s windpipe starts to degrade causing the windpipe to collapse on itself. This is rather common among Pomeranians and can cause some discomfort, but the excess weight will definitely make it more difficult for them to breathe.
Hip Dysplasia
With a little extra weight in your Pomeranian, it’s possible that they could be diagnosed with hip dysplasia, which is slippage or weakening of the hip joint and socket. Sadly, overweight Pomeranians with already sensitive joints will experience more discomfort than they otherwise would if they lost weight.
Depression
One of the most emblematic qualities of a Pomeranian is their bright and bouncy attitude! However, overweight Pomeranians (and dogs in general) are known to enter states of depression when they put on too many pounds. When it comes to Pomeranians, physicality definitely leads mentality, so keeping your Pomeranian in good shape is important.
Considerations Before Shedding Those Pounds
If the above reasons convinced you to help your Pomeranian lose weight, you might want to take into consideration some important factors. There’s no reason to change up their feeding or exercise habits if there’s a good reason for them to be a bit heavier.
For one, if your Pomeranian is still a puppy or newborn, which is below the age of one-year-old, then it’s completely normal for them to look a little plump. Pomeranian puppies are known to be rather round before entering adulthood and slimming down. One of the worst things you could do is not feed your Pomeranian puppy enough because you suspect them of being overweight.
Another consideration is that your Pomeranian has a strong number of genes associated with their distant wolf-dog relatives. These Pomeranians are colloquially referred to as “throwback” Pomeranians and are usually larger in size.
The thing is, Pomeranians historically come from a long line of Arctic work dogs that were at least double in size compared to modern day Pomeranians. If you suspect your Pomeranian is a member of the “throwback” group, there’s a good possibility they weight the correct amount.
If you’re not sure whether your Pomeranian should enter a phase of losing weight, then you should absolutely consult with your local veterinarian. There’s really no substitute for professional advice when it comes to your Pomeranian’s health.
How to Help Your Pomeranian Lose Weight
If you’re convinced your Pomeranian needs to lose weight, your concerned they may put on excess weight in the future, or you simply want to keep them in good shape, I highly suggest you read on to ensure your Pomeranian stays fit year-round.
Go on Daily Walks
Taking your Pomeranian on daily walks is one of the best ways to keep your Pomeranian’s weight in check and to drop some of those pounds. Physical activity is by far the most useful method for burning calories, so I consider it the first line of defense against excess weight in your Pomeranian. By getting their blood flowing, muscles flexing, and lungs breathing, your Pomeranian will be on the road to losing weight quickly.
Most people suggest that dogs, including Pomeranians, should be walked twice per day for an average of 20 minutes per walk. However, I’ve found that to be a little too often, so I keep it to a simple one walk per day for 20-30 minutes.
It’s not only good for my Pomeranians to go on daily walks but a great way for me to stay active and to spend time with my little joys. It’s really a win-win for you and one of your cutest family members!
Take Your Pomeranian to a Dog Park to Play
Like I mentioned before, physical activity is key in ensuring your Pomeranian not only lives a long and healthy life but keeps that excess weight at bay. Taking your Pomeranian to a dog park is a great activity for both you and your Pomeranian since getting fresh air in a social setting is both physically as well as mentally stimulating. It’s also great because it can easily combine both walking and play in one activity!
My Pomeranians really enjoy going to our local dog park because it really gives them a chance to let loose and meet other dogs in our local area. Giving them the freedom to run around without their harness gives them the opportunity to tap into their primal dog and just have fun.
They also get to meet other dogs (and Pomeranians!), which is always a blast to see! On top of that, it’s nice to get to know the other dog owners in your own area, especially if you ever want to set up play dates.
Stop Feeding Your Pomeranian Human Food
It can be nearly impossible to resist the utter cuteness of a Pomeranian when they’re begging for food. Those little whimpers, and more often barks, are hard to ignore, often leading my family and me to give them some scraps from the table or little finger foods here and there.
While I’m not entirely against giving my Pomeranians some human food from time to time (as long as it’s safe human food), if they’re a little on the pudgy side it’s time to put on the breaks.
Feeding our Pomeranians human food can be fine if it’s healthy human food for Pomeranians. However, if they’re looking a little fat it’s best to stop spoiling them and reduce the number of calories coming from human food so they can eat more of their healthy dog food.
This can be tough if they’re used to getting small scraps sometimes, but it’s something that will definitely help your Pomeranian lose weight.
Feed Your Pomeranian Healthy, High-Quality Food
We are what we eat, and that is absolutely the case for Pomeranians and dogs alike. Eating healthy, high-quality food from dog food brands that have a good reputation is a great way to keep your Pomeranian’s weight in check.
This can be easily overlooked because it’s thought that most dog food isn’t very different, but that’s most definitely not the case. Dog food can have a multitude of different ingredients from one brand to another, so it’s important to purchase good dog food for your Pomeranian.
Nowadays, dog food has become less all-natural and organic and has moved toward food that contains numerous additives and preservatives. While all dog food brands will state whether or not they’re organic, no brand will ever mention they use unhealthy ingredients for dogs.
Pomeranians are prone to certain food allergies, so make sure you keep an eye on how your Pomeranian reacts to certain food brands after they have their regular meals. A great way to ensure they’re safe and healthy is to feed them good dog food from trusted brands.
Measure the Quantity of Food Your Pomeranian Eats
It makes sense that the more you eat, the more weight your gain. Well, it also depends on the quality of the food and their ingredients, but, generally speaking, this is the case for Pomeranians.
When you feed your Pomeranian, it’s best not only to be consistent with the amount you feed them but to keep the quantity of food you feed your Pomeranian at a reasonable level. Of course, only you’ll know how much that is, since you’ll be feeding them every day.
It’s not only important to measure the quantity of the food your Pomeranian eats, but also to keep the number of meals per day at a good amount. Once your Pomeranian enters adulthood, you really don’t want to feed them more frequently than twice a day.
I keep my Pomeranians on a regular schedule, which simply consists of breakfast and dinner. As a matter, they always eat when my family is having breakfast and dinner!
Record How Much Food Your Pomeranian Eats
A great way to keep on top of the quantity of food your Pomeranian is eating is to keep track in a notebook or spreadsheet how much food they eat per day. This’ll no doubt help you have a solid quantitative measurement to the amount of food your Pomeranian’s consuming relative to the amount of weight they become stable at.
This is very effective because it becomes clear rather quickly how much food your Pomeranian needs to eat to stay at a consistent weight. By knowing this, you’ll be able to better understand the amount of food they should be eating so they can stay in shape without any guessing!
Of course, each Pomeranian is different, so treat each of your little joys differently when experimenting and keeping these records.
Weigh Your Pomeranian Once a Week
If you end up measuring the amount of food you’re feeding your Pomeranian while also recording this amount, you most certainly want to keep track of their weight. Being able to find the right weight for your Pomeranian with respect to the amount of food you feed them is an important way to ensure your Pomeranian is fit and healthy.
Being able to weigh your Pomeranian, however, isn’t always the easiest task. Sometimes it’s not so easy to keep them sitting still, especially on a scale, so I suggest putting a container on top of your scale, measure the weight of the container, then put your Pomeranian inside so they don’t jump off. That way you can subtract the weight of container from the overall weight to find out your Pomeranian’s weight. Or you can just buy a dog scale!
Alternate Between Wet and Dry Food
Some say that dogs can live a more healthy life if they completely drop wet food and move entirely to dry food. From my experience, this is just not the case because not only have I not seen it to be true but your Pomeranians will end up eating the same amount of calories to stay at their healthy weight. Maybe you’ll end up feeding them more dry food than wet food in terms of quantity, so it doesn’t make much sense.
However, I do believe it’s a good idea to alternate between wet and dry food because these different food types could provide them different nutritional value. On top of that, it instills a little discipline in your Pomeranian’s eating habit since they’ll know that they don’t always get to eat the super tasty wet food they grow accustomed to.
One trick to get them to eat food they might not particularly enjoy is to drop a little rich omega-3 salmon oil drops onto their food. I like to use Zesty Paws Pure Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil (link to read reviews on Amazon). Works every time!
Cut Back on the Treats
I’d say every living creature on the planet could do with a little less treats, and there’s no difference when it comes to a Pomeranian trying to lose weight. If your goal is to have your Pomeranian shed that unwanted weight, it’s likely time to cut back on giving them treats throughout the day.
I’m actually a big fan of giving my Pomeranians healthy dog treats when they obey a command or do something good. This is an extremely effective way to get them to behave properly and in accordance with your house rules. If you end up cutting back on giving your Pomeranian treats, I would suggest cutting back on the random treats and still give them the “good boy” treats.
Play with Your Pomeranian More Often
Staying physically active is arguably the most effective way at keeping excess weight at bay for Pomeranians, so setting some time aside during the day for play is a great way to encourage healthy weight. The great thing about playing with your Pomeranian is that you can do it practically anywhere in your home, so there’s no excuse to have fun and watch them bounce up and down.
One way to encourage your Pomeranian to play more often is to get them fun toys to play with. Better yet, get them toys that allow you to enjoy the fun! Not only is this healthy for you and your Pomeranian, but it’s a great way to spend time with them and to grow the strong bond you’ll have with your Pomeranian for years to come. I think one of the best toys to play with is a tug a war rope!
Get Advice from Your Veterinarian
I mentioned this previously, but there’s absolutely no better alternative than getting professional advice from your local veterinarian. They’ll be able to give you pinpoint advice based on years of experience, which really can’t be replaced by anyone else’s advice, including the advice here!
Keep Your Pomeranian Fit
I hope I was able to help you get a better idea of how best to get your Pomeranian to their natural weight if you suspect them to have gained a few extra pounds.
Overweight Pomeranians are not uncommon due to the fact that they’re normally indoor dogs that aren’t expected to go outside too often. Not only that, but they’re so cute and irresistible, so spoiling them when they beg can be difficult for anyone!
Well, now you know how to keep your Pomeranian in tip-top shape. So whether you suspect they’re overweight, that they could be in a phase of gaining weight, or you just want to keep them in shape, get to implementing these tips today!
