Expert: Kaza - 7/25/2010

Question
I have a  male bichon he will be 2 in October, he is very overweight, he weighs 14 kg i have had him to the vets they have put him on royal canin obese, dry food he has hardly eaten anything since Thursday, just a little nibble   please could you suggest what to feed him on, he use to love going for long walks,  he now only wants to go about a mile, then just sits down and will not budge, please can you help.

Answer
i cannot legally override the vets advice , however i can state that royal canin isnt one brand i would use for my bichons. I did get back an unwanted bichon from a truly nasty owner who appeared to only want the dog for breeding, she was extremely obese and severely matted. I didnt recognise her from when she went to this woman a year earlier. She was HUGE ,after shaving her a ddiet was needed to save her life. She was in excess of 20kg ,      we used a natural approach and this is it:

Breakfast between 0600 -0800

1 raw grated carrot
30g garden peas
30 g quality meat like steak or venison shredded
20 g ground oatmeal
75ml chicken stock.
mix together and serve

NO SNACKS AT ALL FOR 12 WEEKS

Lunch between 1300-1400

1 diced sweet apple like pink lady
1 small mackeral (deboned) fillet or salmon fillet
serve slightly warm.


NO OTHER FOOD DURING WEEK 1

Week 2-12
meat choose between
duck fillet, turkey breast, lamb neck fresh steak

veggies choose and alternate using
carrots, green beans, deseeded tomato, 30 g broccoli, spinach puree,

fruits choose from
apple, pear,

mixes
ONLY USE GROUND OATMEAL
STOCK FRESH ONLY

NO SNACKS
EXERCISE NO MORE THAN 1/2 MILE DAILY UNTIL WEIGHT IS REDUCED TO AVOID CAUSING PATELLA OR CRUCIATE INJURY.

USE GAMES FOR PLAY, FETCHING A BALL WILL STIMULATE HIM AND STOP HIM THINKING ABOUT FOOD

ONCE HE IS DOWN TO 6=7KG THEN STABILISE HIS INTAKE AND INCREASE HIS EXERCISE.
KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE VET AT ALL TIMES FOR HEALTH CHECKS ETC.

WWW.EUROBICHONS.COM


AVERAGE FOOD INATKE FOR THIS BREED USING A NATURAL DIET IS 170G PER DAY NO MORE