So about 2 days ago I rescued a 9 year old Pomeranian from somebody who was neglecting her and couldn't take care of her properly so I took her in, gave her a good shave ( she was completely matted down to the skin) and cut her nails (curling into her paws) and gave her a bath where the dirt was just pouring off of her, she's caught up on shots ( I made her take her to the vet before I took her) so I have her papers but she's about 15 pounds! Thats really chunky for her breed, how much should I be feeding her? Like 1/2 a cup? And I just bought healthy dog food and wet cans of healthy dog food too! So how much of each should I feed her and she's never been taken for a walk before so I took her last night and she was lacking behind the first street, how much can I walk her without putting to much on her to help get her in shape? thanks.
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That's large for a Pom, since most are significantly smaller. My little guy (who passed years ago) was all of 4 lbs., very well bred having come from an AKC champion sire and champion producing bytch. But, many Poms like other breeds, are poorly bred and do not meet the standards of the breed, but make nice pets.
If she appears to have a large, bloated belly, could be worms and I doubt that she has every been wormed. She could also have a thyroid condition, of other conditions that can cause excessive weight gain, so the vet exam is critical. Once her health is in order, get her on a good senior diet, high quality kibble and start off by feeding the daily recommended amount, split between two feedings (morning and evening). See how she does. Then you can reduce or increase the amount relative to how her weight and overall condition responds.
As to the exercise. If, in fact, her weight is a question of poor quality food and no exercise, then you will want to start that out. I would think a nice 20-30 minute walk, twice a day would suit her and shouldn't stress her physically or mentally. Sounds like she's made it to a nice, caring forever home. She is one of the lucky ones!
IMO unless she has problem eating the kibble (IE bad teeth) then avoid the wet food. It's 80%+ water and in order for it to offer any nutrition you have to feed quite a bit of it. It's fine as an occasional treat on top of the kibble, but not as a staple or regular diet. A lot of dogs become obese on it and it contributes to loose stool and dental problems if you're not careful.
If you have a good quality kibble (IE named meat sources that aren't outweighed by grains or fruits/veggies, no corn, no by-products) then you shouldn't NEED a wet food - again, unless the dog can't physically eat the kibble.
It would help to see a photo of her to tell how "over weight" she actually is. The kibble you chose should be a senior and/or weight loss diet, both of which have lower fat and will help her lose the excess weight. Since she is nine years, i strongly suggest a senior diet as it contains different nutrition and such that target senior health. Seniors need less, overall, (protein/fat/carbs/etc) than active younger dogs!
Ideally such a food will have a feeding guide on the label so you know how much to start giving her to begin the weight loss AND will have a maintenance guide so you know how much to feed her when she reaches the desired weight.
Half a cup sounds like way too little. You don't want to starve her, after all, and the weight loss should be GRADUAL. Fast weight loss can contribute to other health problems. My 17 pound dog is on Wellness Healthy Weight Small Breed (for pancreatitis - not weight loss) and she gets a cup to a cup and a half to maintain her weight. So read the food label and 1) make sure it's quality food and 2) see what it recommends to feed for weight loss.
As for walking and building her up, if she's overweight then she's also out of shape. She's also older. Start with small, frequent walks, and build up. If you said she was "lagging" your last walk then it's a good indicator that you took her too long/far/fast and that next time you take her out STOP before she lags.
Has the vet cleared her of any health concerns that would limit her activity level? That would be a good place to start if YOU haven't taken her in yet, and the vet can also advise you on feeding (though be aware many vets will promote their product or the product they get kickbacks/training from - if they try and push Science Diet or other junk on you then you might want to just research diet on your own or find a vet that is impartial when it comes to food/feeding.)
15 pounds is pretty fat for. Pomeranian haha.
Don't feed her food with too much fat and protein.
And 1/2 a cup will be fine.
Don't give her human foods either since she's kind of old and chunky.
Take her for a walk everyday if you can. And you should play with her a lot.
You did such a nice job.
Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
Going to a vet will be the best answer!
I have groomed many poms, some at proper weight and some are just oversized, throw backs to the past, and they can get up to 15-20 lbs. Your vet will be able to tell you if the dog is overweight. You should be able to feel the ribs easily, there should be no hanging belly . But canned food is not a good idea for any toy breed, if there is problem with teeth then use kibble but soak it down with water for the dog to eat it easier, much healthier than canned.