Slimming down

When I brought Rusty home with me he was five to seven pounds overweight. He tipped the scale at 46.6 pounds, and he did not display any of the characteristics used to describe a dog's ideal body weight (Ribs palpable without excess fat covering; waist observed behind ribs when viewed from above; abdomen tucked up when viewed from the side).

I was told that Rusty should weigh no more than 42 pounds - he was 37 pounds on November 18, 2010. That means Rusty gained almost ten pounds in five months!

The good news is that in the two weeks I've had Rusty, we've been very active and have decreased his food intake by 2/3 of a cup and it's paying off. I took him to my regular vet's office this afternoon for a weight check and he's already down to 44 pounds!

After considering the aforementioned criteria for an ideal weight, I feel Rusty's ideal weight is likely no more than 40 pounds. I plan to check his weight every two weeks or so for as long as I have him to be sure he stays healthy and doesn't lose too much weight.

So, by the end of this month we hope to be down to 41-42 pounds. As an added benefit, I'm getting more exercise, too, so fostering Rusty is turning out well for both of us!