New to Corgis - Overweight and Shedding Problems!
I recently adopted Little Feet from a woman who simply could not take the dog with her to her new apartment. She has owned the dog for about 5 years, but he did not qualify for the pet-weight limit of her new apartment. I am blessed to have a large enough property for him to run around and play in, but am cursed that it is deep in winter and the cold weather has my fiance and I beat.
We have rationed the amount of food that we give him at meal times and although his last owner gave him table scraps, there will absolutely be NO more of that.
I try to walk him at least twice a day when the weather holds up. And when it is too cold for me to go out with him, I let him free roam in our yard along with our Blue Heeler.
I was really just wondering what is a good food that I can feed him to help him cut down the pounds. I have read that I shouldn't buy anything with corn in the first five ingrediants.
Also, am I excercising him enough?
The shedding is absolutely crazy! I have a de-shed tool and brush him at LEAST three times a day. I must constantly keep my vaccuum cleaner on hand. Sometimes I notice an odd smell coming from his fur. I'm not really sure if it is because his skin is dry and the dander, or if there is another underlying problem.
Any advice you have on the shedding and his weight will be helpful! Please, no criticism, I am new to owning such a wonderful dog. :)
Thanks in advance!!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Yuki & Ellie on
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Don't worry, there's no criticism needed! You've only just taken in this dog and it'll take time for his weight to come down. :) You're off to a great start taking him for walks. 2-3 walks per day is a good amount of exercise. Do you have a treadmill? If you do, then you can train him to walk on that when the weather is too cold and snowy to get outside. If not, try getting him to play a little more than usual.
My Eskimo dog, Yuki, gained weight last year (for him, it turned out he had hypothyroidism) and I managed to get him to shed a few pounds by feeding him his meals from a treat ball, like this one. It worked both his mind and body and he really ended up enjoying it. As for what food to feed, try to pick one with as many "real" ingredients at the top of the list as possible. There are lots of options in all price ranges, so pick what works best for you. Here's a good site if you want to get some information.
Regarding his fur (and the smell), have you taken him to see a Veterinarian yet? If not, you should take him in for an initial visit and get him established as a patient. If he's been to see a Veterinarian, then I would give them a call and ask what they think. He might need to have a skin sample taken.
We've all been new owners, so don't hesitate to ask questions! :) There are lots of people who can help to answer those questions or point you in the right direction. Congratulations on your new addition!
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Permalink Reply by Jane on
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I wouldn't buy any special weight loss food, just ration out every meal. How much is he getting per day right now? You can use green beans as a sort of filler to help him feel more full without adding extra calories.
The shedding...well...welcome to owning a corgi! They do shed like crazy, but he may be doing it more excessively because of the stress of a new home, new owners, new dog companion, etc. I personally wouldn't use a deshedding tool on him so often, as it can be harsh on the skin and coat. I would use a slicker brush and/or a flea comb and just use the deshedder every few days.
Since he is a new dog to you I would get him in to see the vet for a check up. Corgis do not usually have an odor, so the dry skin and the odor would be something I would definitely get checked out.
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Permalink Reply by Lynne Cerny on
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Corgis do shed, I know that there is a supplement for shedding but I haven't tried it, mine really don't smell. I really don't know what to tell you about that besides get him check over by your vet if it is a bad smell (sometimes their feet smell kind of like corn chips). As far as the food, frozen green beans in with his food will fill him up and are good for him. It is so nice of you to take in this wonderful dog!
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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The exercise is good. You want to build him up gradually.
I'd find a decent quality food with a named meat/poultry or named meat/poultry meal as the first ingredient. You don't want a weight-loss kibble, but do look for one that's under 400 cal/cup if you can. I'd probably start him at about a third of a cup in the morning and a third of a cup in the evening, with either green beans or canned plain pumpkin, and see how he does with that. Maybe give him a tablespoon of plain yogurt a few times a week. Minimize treats; get some Charlie Bears or Zuke's Mini Naturals (3 cal and about 5 cal a treat, respectively) for training. Aim for slow, steady weight loss. Weigh him once a week if you can. I'd say about one-half pound per week or so would be a good target.
Good luck!
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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on
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Congratulations and "thank-you"for helping him out. What a cute dog and name. I would start with a high quality food and maybe 3/4 cup per day with frozen green beans(maybe 1/4 cup 2 times a day and for treats) to fill him up.NOT diet food!
His diet may have something to do with his fur if he wasn't getting what he needed and also daily grooming to get the old hair out.It will take some time but it will work. Exercise and increase the amount of time will also help. Good luck and remember it will not be a quick fix but one that takes some time.
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Permalink Reply by Alison Prasavath on
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Noodles has been on low fat food for over 2 years. He gets 1/2 cup of dry food for breakfast and 1/4 cup dry mixed with either green beans or pumpkin for dinner. He gets half a jerky treat and 2 small milk bones for snacks. We jog about 2.75 miles a day. He is now down to 38 pounds and his vet is happy where he is at. He also is a large corgi. Good luck.
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Permalink Reply by Chris West on
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I thought Beth explained shedding very well in her discussion lol...
"That weather-resistant double coat comes with a price. Corgis shed a lot. I mean a lot. Most dogs shed, but double coated breeds blow coat once or twice a year, and the Corgi undercoat is very dense. You may see a tiny eighth-inch clump of dead hair sticking out of your Corgi and give it a tug only to find yourself holding a two-inch chunk in your hand as the loosed undercoat expands. When your Corgi is shedding, you will find wafting balls of hair in corners and under furniture. And on your clothes. And in your food. No amount of brushing will prevent this because the hair just keeps coming until your dog has no undercoat left. You will wonder how a dog can lose so much hair and still have a full coat on his body. In addition, light shedding can be expected year-round."
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Oh, and here is the whole discussion if you'd like to read it. Might help with other issues you have yet to experience...
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I am thinking that I should add "prone to getting fat on a ridiculously small amount of food" to my original post. :-)
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LOL!!!
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Permalink Reply by Vicki, Grace and Gizmo on
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Agree here on this. Thread mill is good. Take the weight off slowly like us humans is best
A good bath with a medicated shampoo. Be sure and attach a hose of some sort to the shower head if you don't have a laundry station. I can't say enough about being sure to rinse, rinse, rinse. Shampoo left can irritate a corgi and lead to hot spots that smell and ooz. Sometimes the weather producess them anyway.
Some Corgis are heavier shedders then others. Seasonally your dog is going to Blow the coat as we say and that is when I comb with a sack next to me for a couple days. Ususally nips most of it.
Dog food is another whole subject. I feed Purina One with chicken and rice, to me it is a above middle of the road good dog food. I am well pleased with stools, coats and skin. Some dog do not do well with lamb. If the dog was feed poorly it will also affect his smell till his body changes and becomes healthy. Cheap foods are filled with fillers like corn, byproducts, wheat, etc. and not the meats, proteins, veg. fish a dog needs. These should be amoung the first items. listed. There are many good foods out there. No question is ever a waste if you are learning. Good luck and enjoy your boy he will reward you with many more years. Corgi can live up to 17 years if well cared for and it is in his cards.
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Permalink Reply by Christine Boehner on
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I also rescued a 5 year old Pembroke last Sept. from a 20 year old who didn't know what a corgi was except that she had his papers from the original owner. All that to say, Simon was fed table scraps and anything else they "dropped on the floor" constantly. He also came to us with allergies and was in bad shape. I immediately changed his food to Natural Balance/Sweet Potato and Fish just to eliminate any grain allergy problem. He gets 1/3 cup AM and 1/3 PM. Also he loves frozen green beans, a spoonful and non-fat plain yogurt and canned packed pumpkin (without the spices etc. for pies). added to his meal occasionally. I'm happy to report, he's broken of his table scrap habits (he still hangs around the kitchen watching me) and has lost 3 pounds, Yeah! Hope this helps
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