Everything you need to know about weight gain/loss in a boarding facility
The boarding environment is a highly stimulated environment. Most dogs in their own home will spend most of the day lounging about and not expend too much energy. Most owners would exercise their dog for about an hour a day. All our dogs here gets over 2 hours play time with other dogs and/or staff throughout the day. With a day full of activity many dogs can experience weight loss.
For many dogs this is not a bad thing. A little trim down on the belly is a good thing for dogs that are over weight. Keeping your pooch in an ideal weight range is extremely beneficial to their health and can prevent a number of issues such as diabetes and arthritis. Of course this is something we'd discuss with you when you drop off.
What to expect on when you drop off your dog at Baldivis Boarding Kennels and Cattery
Upon arrival we will discuss your dog's weight with you and ask if you're happy with the weight they are at. We will weigh them on arrival if they are staying with us for longer than 7 days, then we weigh them twice a week to ensure we are feeding the correct amount with their new environment and keeping it within normal range. If you would like your dog to chunk up or slim down we also cater to that.
Feeding Requirements
At Baldivis Boarding Kennels and Cattery we feed most of our guests once a day and usually a little more than they would get at home due to the increased energy expenditure. We do of course have guests that need 2 or even 3 meals per day. But we can also do multiple feeds on request.
During the course of the stay your dog's food may change to achieve the outcomes we discussed on drop off. When you collect we will let you know how we went on reaching those goals.
Daily Changes
In all environments - even the home environment, dog's weights will fluctuate on a daily basis . If you're monitoring a dogs weight it's important to remember to weigh them at the same time each day, preferably first thing in the morning before they eat and after they toilet is best. Generally speaking it's normal for a dog's weight to fluctuate anywhere from 5% - 10% of it's total body weight.
What you can do at home to reach weight targets
Assess when and how much you feed your dog. Most owners feed a large meal in the evening and a small meal in the morning or nothing at all. Change it around to have a primary meal in the morning just as we do. This way they have the full day to burn off the energy from the food, rather than the food turning into fat overnight. Rethink the treats you give - A lot of overfeeding comes from a sneaky biscuit or 2 throughout the day, try a healthier snack like an apple or carrot!
If you're trying to put weight on ensure you're feeding a high quality food. a good balance of fat to protein is essential. We use Royal Canin Endurance 4800 which is a complete diet biscuit, as all the Royal Canin range is. This means no meat is required. For dogs that are prone to weight loss this is ideal.
