After my vet gave me a thumbs up last week for keeping myself in tip top shape I thought it would be the perfect time to share some of my tips for keeping trim. And just in time for Thanksgiving too!

The ideal weight for a dog can be determined by being able to feel the ribs slightly, having an abdomen that is tucked when viewed from the side, and a visible waist behind the ribs when viewed from the top.

My ideal weight for my size is around 18 pounds, and at my most recent check-up my vet could feel my ribs and I have a visible waist as seen from the photo above. It’s not easy keeping weight down (especially when you love to eat like I do), but hopefully with some of my tips you’ll be on your way to keeping your pet at a healthy weight for them!

Tip 1: Keep Active

Now I’m the first to admit that I don’t actually go on a daily walk everyday, but that doesn’t mean I’m not active!

I visit the family farm about 4 days a week – where I run my heart out! I enjoy running from groundhog hole to groundhog hole and I’m never in one place for very long. This sort of mental and physical stimulation help keeps me in shape.

5 days a week I work at mom’s shop, and while it may not be an intense workout, just being active and greeting customers helps keep me on the move. I’m a strong believer that mental stimulation is just as important as physical stimulation to keep your pet fit.

On the weekends I tend to go on one or two adventures, whether it’s a trip to lowes or a walk on the trail it’s a great way to keep me active.

Tip 2: Feed the Right Amount

Currently I eat two brands of food, Wellness Small Breed and Blue Buffalo Wilderness Small Breed, which I alternate with each bag. Both are grain free dry foods.

Now you’ll notice that on the back of all dog food bags they list recommended feeding amounts:

Based on my ideal weight of 18 lbs both bags recommend that I eat about 1 – 1 1/2 cups of food per day. But you will also notice that both bags note that dogs are individuals and these are just recommendations, and what you should feed your dog might vary from the chart.

In actuality I eat 1/3 a cup twice a day, which is much less than the recommended amount for my weight.

My mom has chosen this amount for me over the years by monitoring my weight and cutting my food back slowly until she found an appropriate amount that was able to keep me at a healthy weight. She watches my waist line closely and always cuts my food back if it starts to look a little less trim.

This amount of food might not look like enough to you, but you have to remember that us dogs keep food in our bellies for a long time. (Evident by the fact that hours upon hours after eating we can still throw up some pretty undigested food….yuck!)

When in doubt about how much you should feed your dog, you should always consult your veterinarian.

Tip 3: Take a Class

Typically once a week I take a dog agility class at my local training center. This helps keep me fit and keeps me thinking and learning too!

Taking any sort of class, even just a basic obedience class, is a great way to keep your dog active. Not just for puppies, any dog, any age, can benefit from training classes!

Tip 4: Use Treats Sparingly

I review a lot of treats on the blog, but that doesn’t mean that I’m allowed to have them whenever I want. Mom keeps a tight watch on the cookie jar and I’m only allowed to have small treats when we are training.

I also try to keep most of the treats I eat on the healthy end of the scale, like eating sweet potato treats.

Tip 5: Limit Table Scraps

As a general rule I’m not allowed to have table scraps (although that doesn’t stop me from trying). The only exception to this rule is when mom will let me have bits of apple and carrots when she’s cutting them up. But for the most part it’s best for me just to eat the food that was designed for dogs.

So I hope you enjoyed my tips for keeping your pet fit and trim! Here’s to hoping we all live long and healthy lives!

Disclosure: This is supposed to be a general guide on how I keep myself fit, but you may need to consult your veterinarian as to what and how much to feed & exercise your own pet. Each pet is different!