Sorry, but I don't think it's safe to do that with a dog who has HD.

I don't walk Esau anything like that amount - in fact the vet specifically told us NOT to walk him like that! Instead, he told us to give Esau three twenty-minute sessions of exercise a day, be that in the garden or on walks.

And yes, Esau still lost weight with that reduction in exercise. It's a matter of getting the right balance of food to exercise - it takes time to get that right, because every dog is different. Some dogs are 'couch-potatoes' and do nothing all day, others constantly amble around their home. Some sleep all day, some want more interaction, either with other dogs, their toys, or their owners - ie, they exercise more without it being 'official' exercise.

Myra did say she had not been given any guidelines on exersice for him, but I take your point, depending on the severity of the HD , you can temper the level of exersice in each walk to accomidate his problem.

But the basic fact is, less food more exersice, however that is achieved.

Oh yes, that's absolutely true - the indisputable laws of biology!!

Myra, you're going to have to be ruthless, I'm afraid, but it sounds as if you already know this! I know you say he gets depressed but as the weight comes off, he'll have more energy and he'll feel cooler, too - he'll get more comfortable and enjoy life more.

Make sure you are feeding according to the guidelines for his IDEAL WEIGHT, not for the weight he is now! Watch him like a hawk so he cannot sneak in extra mouthfuls from well-meaning people in the park, or discarded burgers or pizzas, etc. Do all you can to stretch meal-times out, using games, and when he needs a treat, try a carrot to gnaw on (freeze them in summer). Poach white fish or chicken breasts (no skin) and cut these up as special treats, then use the water to freeze in cubes or a Kong as a doggie-ice-lolly (block the hole in the Kong with a piece of cooked chicken first). Make sure he works for all food/treats! Use it as a training opportunity .. I have a book of dog tricks and just choose from this, it keeps Esau's interest and I love seeing him learn new things. The hungrier he is, the more he concentrates!

Re overheating - I thoroughly recommend a cooler jacket (Esau has a 'swamp-cooler') and a cooling mat for Nigredo to lay on - or, just keep old plastic bottles or cartons full of water in the freezer, and put these in his bed - 'reverse' hot-water bottles! I knew someone who kept bags of frozen peas for her dog to lay on - she just tossed a sheet over them, then re-froze them once they'd defrosted. Mark the bags so you don't accidentally eat the peas! You'd need to have space enough in your freezer for this, tho!

There is a book out called 'No walkies, no Worries', by Sian Ryan, designed for owners of dogs who are recovering from surgery or have longer-term exercise-restrictions. I don't know how good it is but it might be worth having a look? Amazon have it.

Try changing some of the amount of food by adding a carrot or two. Or other green veg like broccoli.

Then you have to take him out early morning or late evening before the day heats up, find shady places to walk him, do as PONlady suggests buy a cooling jacket,

When he was diagnosed with HD, how severe did the vet say it was, what did the xrays show, I`m guessing if he is not has not been prescribed medication them it is fairly mild.

As I have said before its really simple, you reduce the intake of food and up the exercise, don`t forget we are in control of their food, they don`t go to the chocci draw by themselves and have a sneaky bar or to.

look at the feeding chart on the food, go by an ideal weight for a Lab (for now) and feed accordingly, you may have to up or lower as you find the right amount to keep him trim.

If he had HD, he is only going to get worse, not to mention strain on heart and lungs, and other joints, overweight dogs have shorter lifespans, as already been said, the trimmer he is the better quality of life he will have.

Weighing out food really is a good thing on all fronts.

You know the amount you are feeding and also you can adjust a gram at a time so that reduced feeding doesn't come as a shock to the system.

A couple of pieces of kibble here and there really does start to make a difference over time

I have decided to knock his food down by a half cup and see that one for starters. The HD was mild when diagnosed when he was young. Only in the left hip, about 80% coverage if I recall correctly. As he hasn't shown signs of pain and he still runs, jumps, and moves perfectly fine... He has never needed pain medication. It's probably worse or bilateral by now, but so long as he isn't limping or showing pain, he is okay.

The vets know he has HD and upon examination, he was not given any restrictions. He does get glucosamine/chondroitin, fish oil, and Vitamin C for the maintenance. OH!!! One thing I forgot to mention. He takes the Puritan Super Pet Vites vitamins, should I stop these?

He won't really need the supplements if he's on a good diet, which TOTW is

The feeding guide recommends 3 1/4 - 3 3/4 cups for a 30 - 40kg dog. Obviously, that does depend on the individual dog, hi metabolism and exercise levels etc. I'd certainly be aiming for closer to 3 cups than 4.
Even then, it is only a guide. You may find he needs even less than that to maintain his ideal weight.

My Sam is an absolute food monster. (He's 13 months old now, 32"-ish and 35kg... though of course a different breed).
If I feed him from a bowl, he'll bolt it down then go on the hunt (read: rampage) for more...
If I feed him the same amount from his kong/wobbler/bottle/other treat dispenser, he takes so much longer and settles right down after.

What sort of treats does he get throughout the day?
Do you have a doggy hydrotherapy pool nearby?
Could you go out early mornings before it heats up? We've been going out at 5 - 7am before work (depending on my shifts)

You can do other things than just standard walking too - balance boards, flirt poles etc
Can you ride a bike? You can get side attachments so dogs can go adventuring too while keeping them from getting run over

Hello. It's been about a week now. I've decided to just let him be unhappy and only give him 3 cups of food. Well, he's actually not TOO bad about it... though he does beg for human food and searches his bowl. But to my surprise, his eyes are getting "sleep" in them which has never happened before, he has a weird smell (kind of like dog) which he has NEVER had and his coat is shedding a lot, which has also never happened before. He hasn't lost any weight yet, either.

He did donate blood as usual on Thursday, and got a full exam and whatnot, and everything else is normal... but Nigredo doesn't get "sleep" in his eyes or stink or shed heavily so something is up. The vet said to switch him to a "diet" or senior food, as he might be nutrient deficient with just very low amounts of full fat foods, which I'm searching for. It can't have soy, wheat, corn, or byproducts... but I can't pay a ton.

Anybody got any ideas?

Bluejay, I cannot ride (or afford) a bike. I also cannot afford canine hydrotherapy. It's $50 for only 25 minutes and no way can I afford that multiple times a week. Not that Nigredo is a true swimmer anyway, he enjoys wading and he's too heavy and awkward and his coat soaks up water, he's a poor swimmer. I've had a lot of medical bills etc. and I'm spread very thin right now.