Food & NutritionMy dog needs to lose weight. Is grain-free food and chicken healthy?
It's difficult to know, because it really depends on the calories. Grain free is not necessarily good for weight management and there is no good reason to feed boiled chicken if you have a formulated diet.
There are some products in the pet store that are actually formulated for weight loss and these would be the best ones to feed. I know Hills, Purina and Royal Canin all have good products, but don't know of any other.
The best thing to check on the bag is the AAFCO statement, which is just below the guaranteed analysis. This will tell if the food has actually demonstrated what it claims. I've included a link to an article below that explains all of this. Make sure you feed the food according to the bag's instructions and cut out all treats and table scraps. If you still want to feed treats, then you should account for that by feeding less food.
https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-to-look-for-when-choosing-your-pet-s-food/
The hardest thing for pet owners is that they feel like they are starving their dog. Trust me, you are not starving them, despite how bad they may make you feel. If your dog likes any vegetables like celery, carrots or green beans, then these are great, low calorie options to give as treats that can make you and your dog feel a bit better about the diet.
In the end, know that a skinnier dog will be healthier and live longer, so it's well worth it.
I hope that helps.
https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-ways-to-help-your-dog-lose-weight/
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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