Dogs will usually need to gain weight following an illness or injury. Sometimes, a dog simply needs to learn how to eat what it needs. Helping your dog to gain weight is a multifaceted endeavor.
Take a trip to the veterinarian. This is necessary for a few different reasons. Your dog needs to be checked for worms and other illnesses that may cause it to lose weight. Your dog also needs to be weighed to ensure that it really is underweight. Dogs can become obese if they gain too much weight. Ask your veterinarian to let you know the proper weight range for your dog.
Feed your dog a premium dog food. Off brand, store brand and cheap brands of dog food contain a lot of fillers. You want a dog food that has meat listed as one of the first five ingredients. All natural premium dog foods are a good choice. Your veterinarian can help pick the best brand of food for your dog.
Teach your dog to eat. It is a bad idea to leave your dog's food out all the time. When you are trying to make your dog gain weight, you should offer your dog food five to six times a day on a set schedule. If the dog refuses to eat, pick the food up. This will teach the dog to eat when food is available.
Add canned food to your dog's dry food. Canned food is available in a wide variety of flavors. Dogs, like humans, enjoy different tastes. You should try to buy the same brand of canned dog food as the dry food that your dog eats.
Ensure that your dog always has fresh water. Some dogs are underweight due to dehydration. Your dog should have fresh water available at all times to help fight dehydration.
Walk your dog. A dog that has muscle mass will look heavier than a dog who has only fat. In addition to improving your dog's appearance, you will help it to stay healthy because walking is exercise. You will have the benefit of exercise too.