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Nutrition Guides · Canine weight loss
Most guides tell you what to do. This one works out the numbers for your dog, keeps a diary of the weigh-ins, and tells you when to change something. It works for any food, ours or not, and it sends you back to your veterinarian at every decision that is theirs to make.
Protocol by Wynwood Dog Food Co.®
Reviewed by Laura Gaylord, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition), Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist®. Last reviewed 3 September 2026.
The plan tool is unavailable right now (the wynfeed.js library did not load). The protocol below still stands; use the feeding calculator for amounts.
Feeding calculator →The plan
The weight your veterinarian suggested.
No target yet. The plan still works; ask your veterinarian for one at the next visit.
On that bag or can, find the Calorie Content line. It reads like "3,600 kcal ME/kg."
Always consult with your veterinarian.
The diary
One weigh-in a week is enough. The diary tracks the rate against the 1 to 2% target, tells you when to adjust the plan, and prints a log for your veterinarian.
No diary yet. Build the plan above and start it here.
Build the planThe protocol
Feed the same amount every day. Weigh each portion on a kitchen scale and divide the daily total into two or three meals.
Treats, chews, table food, and pill pockets all count. Keep extras under 10% of your dog's daily calories. For low-calorie rewards, vegetables are an easy option.
Weigh your dog once a week using the same scale, around the same time of day. Aim to lose about 1 to 2% of starting body weight per week, and record each weigh-in in your diary.
If weight loss is too slow for two weeks, too fast, or stalled for a month, check in with your veterinarian before changing the plan. Make the adjustment, stay consistent, and keep going until your dog reaches their target weight.
Always clear a movement or exercise plan with your veterinarian to make sure it is safe and appropriate for your dog.
Exercise alone will not take the weight off. It keeps muscle on, keeps joints moving and keeps a dog happy while the food does the work.
Stiff, sore or arthritic? Have your veterinarian set the limits first. A Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner can build a safe program. Canine Rehabilitation Institute →
Heart condition? Your veterinarian sets the pace and the distance. Stop and call them if your dog coughs, tires early or breathes hard on a walk.
This is especially important if
About 1 to 2% of their starting weight. A 60 lb dog would lose roughly 0.6 to 1.2 lb per week. Losing weight faster than that can increase the risk of losing muscle along with fat. Rapid weight loss also causes hunger signs, which can show up as begging or food seeking behaviors (dumpster diving!).
Split the same daily amount into three meals. Fresh food has a high moisture content, which helps dogs feel fuller on fewer calories. Low calorie vegetables add fiber and volume if your dog tolerates them. If the hunger does not settle, ask your veterinarian whether the calorie cut is too steep and the loss should be slowed, or whether a food with more protein or a lower calorie density would give more volume and better satiety.
Small dogs can go on a kitchen scale. For bigger dogs, weigh yourself, then weigh yourself holding your dog and subtract. Be careful not to hurt yourself when lifting heavy dogs. Or stop by your vet. Most clinics will let you use their scale.
When you reach the target, the diary offers to switch the plan to maintenance and the plan above recalculates the daily amount for your dog's new weight, with no cut. Keep treats under 10% of daily calories, weigh in monthly, and ask your veterinarian to confirm the maintenance amount at the next visit. Regain is common, especially during the first year, so keep tracking their weight.
For veterinarians
This page follows the approach in the 2021 AAHA Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines and the WSAVA nutritional assessment guidelines: body and muscle condition assessment, a target weight, a defined caloric deficit, weekly weigh-ins against a 1 to 2% rate, and treat intake capped at 10%. Owners can use it with any diet. The calorie cut defaults to 10% and the page tells them anything past that is your call.
