How to Help Food Obsessed Beagles Lose Weight

Beagles are not particular about the food they eat. This is one of the reasons they are used so often as laboratory animals. Beagles with weight issues have been featured in the Animal Planet series "It's Me or the Dog." But obesity in beagles can ultimately shorten their lives. Extra weight puts extra strain on the beagles' heart, joints and blood sugar. They can lose the weight if they are helped.

Things You'll Need

  • Vet
  • Child proof cabinet door locks
  • Bike lock for refrigerator (optional)
  • Prescription low-calorie dog food
  • Interactive dog toy (optional)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Get any food out of the beagle's reach. Beagles are very intelligent as well as hungry. This is because they were bred to go by themselves into fox dens and get the fox out. Beagles can figure out how to open cabinet doors or refrigerator doors, jump up on shelves or pull down a tablecloth to get at food. Use childproof locks on cabinet doors, do not leave food on cabinets, and put a bike lock on the refrigerator.

    • 2

      Think like a beagle, which has one of the best noses in the dog world, according to the Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds. Beagles can sniff out termites, smuggled goods or food. Victoria Stillwell of "It's Me or the Dog" describes a beagle named Hattie that could sniff out the lunch boxes of the family children and empty them. Even if the food is in a closed container, the beagle will smell it and chew it open.

    • 3

      Change part of the beagle's diet to low-calorie foods. Beagles on the Web recommends giving raw vegetables such as carrots and broccoli instead of calorie-laden commercial dog treats. Ask your vet to recommend a prescription diet food for your overweight beagle.

    • 4

      Get the beagle moving more. Beagles on the Web notes that one reason beagles are so popular is that beagles do not need as much exercise as many other breeds. But the tendency to lie around can lead to fat beagles. Go for two walks per day instead of one. Play more with the beagle. Teach the beagle tricks to help keep it from getting bored and going snack hunting.

    • 5

      Make sure everyone in the household knows about the beagle's diet. Make sure they do not sneak the beagle food or leave food within the beagle's reach.