| Jodi,
There are all kinds of people in this board, some are the "gentle and diplomatic" type, some are like me "to the point and sometimes blunt". No harm is meant at all, it's just different ways to express personal opinions. Having said that, I hope you bear with me.
Anyway, maybe your dog is not over weight at all, maybe it's well-proportionated to its height for an adult Rottie. Be careful not to fall into the "thin-skinny" fad of today. I do not advocate big heavy dogs, but I believe Rotts are muscled set bordering with stocky, which it's far-off from being fat or obese, the latter being totally unacceptable. In any case, over snacking is no good for any Rott, try to control that.
By the way, "low calorie reduced" diets, even from premium dog food such as "Sensible Choice", uses grains as their first ingredient, thus lowering the protein intake. Check the food label and you'll see. Your 4 years old male Rott needs high quality protein to maintain muscle, specially when it exercises the way you described it. Peace on Earth!  |