Fat dogs are funny, cute, sad and mostly unhealthy.  Your dog may be overweight due to several things, it could be genetic, dietary, exercise (lack thereof) or a combination of each.  There are several things you can do to assist your dog in regaining their health.  A dogs longevity is related to its health.

One of the first things you should do is take a look at your own habits, do you eat poorly?  Are you sedentary?  Often a dog mimics the actions of its owner, so if your dog is out of shape it may be because you are not in the best shape either.  Make a commitment to you and your dog to get healthy.  Just like you should first check with your doctor to see if you are healthy enough for exercising your dog may need to see a vet.  A vet will be able to tell you how much to push your dog, the type of food needed and can monitor the success of weight loss.

The simplest thing is to do is take your dog for walks.  Pretty simple right?  Consider taking water for your dog, stopping at the half way point to rest and recover.  If you haven't walked your dog in awhile it may take a few times for your dog to get her legs, meaning she may tire out quickly. 

Next make sure you purchase quality food for your dog and something that is both for their age and body type.  A good, quality food can help your dog digest the food better and use the food properly for energy, which means the dog will eat less and poop less (a big plus).  Often people think a more expensive food will just add more to the budget, when in actuality it the amount eaten and the extra cost balance out.

Your dog may not be morbidly obese, but a heavy dog can and most likely will get heavier.  A little extra weight on your dog can add up to a lot of extra stress and pressure on joints, so it doesn't take much.  Do your dog a favor and start now to monitor and improve their health habits.

Your dog deserves to be healthy and enjoy the lifestyle they were meant to.  Little steps can go a long way for creating a healthy and happy dog.  Consider little things that you can do, walking is fun and an adventure for a dog.  Each and every time they are excited like its the first.  Many dogs love water, so take them to a nearby lake or stream and throw sticks or balls.  Swimming is great exercise for dogs and puts little stress on their body.

Some dog breads are naturally active, while others are naturally lazy.  Consider your bread type and the demenor of your dog.  Your dog may love the idea of going for a walk or she may just want to forgo it for more sleeping.  Either way you owe it to your dog to provide exercise and activity to improve a healthy lifestyle.

Watch your activity, do you feed your dog treats that are less than good for their health?  a potato chip here, a hamburger there, leftovers nightly all add up to extra pounds and potential health problems for your dog.  Choose great treats for your dog, there are many out there that are not only tasty (as voted by a panel of dogs) but are good for them. 

Use healthy treats on walks or other play times, your dog will most likely burn off any additional calories working hard for more treats.  Since you have chosen healthy ones your dog will be gaining many of the needed nutrients to learn and live a healthy lifestyle.

Unless your dog is extremely heavy you will only need to take small steps and make small changes in order to see great results.  Do this and your dog and you will enjoy a happy and healthy lifestyle.