Most dogs tend to be of a weight proportionate to their size. Sometimes, though, a dog can become overweight. Usually, this is through overfeeding, lack of exercise, or by feeding them the wrong thing. Kale Chips is one such dog. He was overfed to the point that he was in a great deal of pain. Fortunately, he was given a second chance at life and has become a new dog.

One fat dog

Weighing in at 86 pounds, Kale Chips could barely move. This greatly reduced his quality of life. His owner was not abusive in the truest sense of the world. The problem was that his owner suffered from memory loss and accidentally overfed him all of the time.

Surrendered by his original owner, the search was soon on for a foster family for Kale Chips. It was also important to find a family who could provide for his dietary needs while also making sure he got the exercise he needed to lose weight.

Taken in by One Tail at a Time, a Chicago-area animal rescue group, the portly pup’s obese weight was shocking to the staff at the shelter.

“Our jaws dropped when we saw that number. He’s the most overweight dog we’ve ever seen,” Heather Owen, co-founder of One Tail, told The Huffington Post. “He literally had to be wheeled out in a wagon, he was so heavy.”

Taken in by a loving foster family

Kale Chips was taken in by a loving foster family with the Happy Dog Barkery and who had a goal of getting his life back on track. Following a strict diet, the family made sure that Kale Chips got lots of exercise. Eventually, he had lost half his weight, reaching his 44-pound goal weight.

Kale Chips was soon half the dog he had been before

His diet and rigorous exercise regiment ensured that he was back to being a regular dog again. It also transformed him. Anyone who knew Kale Chips before would not recognize him today. In addition to his new look, kale Chips also ended up being adopted by the foster family who had helped him lose his weight.

Developing healthy eating habits for your pet

A great way to ensure that your dog, or any pet for that matter, does not gain too much weight is to measure out the portions you feed them. You should also keep an eye on the number of treats you are feeding your pet. The type of food and snacks you feed your pet is also important.

You should also monitor your dog’s weight and if you notice they are putting on the pounds, you should make adjustments to their diet. Exercise is also an important factor when it comes to weight gain. Just like people, dogs that lead a sedentary lifestyle can put on extra pounds.

To combat this weight gain, approach your pet’s exercise routine just like you would your own. This means counting the calories they are eating daily and make sure that they get enough exercise to accommodate those calories.

Be careful when getting an obese dog back into shape

But, there is a downside to excess weight gain. Until they are at a more healthy weight, you should start your obese dog on a slow-weight loss plan. This also includes limited activity. This is because their joints are overloaded and putting too much strain on them can cause problems in other areas.

Take a proactive approach to your dog’s health

As long as you are proactive with your dog’s health, you can avoid what happened to Kale Chips. Here is a video with a story about another fat dog in Houston, Texas.

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Source: Inside Edition