With nutritious dog food abundant and palatable, a common cause of pet obesity isn't the food itself but the feeding. Many pet owners are too eager to please. They don't carefully monitor their pets' weight and succumb too often to dogs that beg and whimper for more. You must monitor your pet's body weight, especially if you own an older dog.

How to Know if Your Dog is Overweight:

A healthy pet's body is proportional — his ribs can be felt and folds of fat aren't easily seen. Overweight dogs have noticeable paunches, broader conformations and ribs that are not easily seen or felt. Fat dogs also don't have the “tuck" normally seen in front of the hindquarters. The solution is to control your dog's insatiable appetite and thereby control his expanding girth.

While a balanced diet and treats in proper amounts are fine, overindulgence leads to a “couch pet-tato." If your dog is overweight, a change in eating habits is in order along with increased exercise and play to help work off excess calories.

Top 9 Tips to Putting Your Dog on a Diet

1. If your dog is overweight, work with your veterinarian to develop a proper weight-reduction plan. Your veterinarian can help assess the extent of your dog's obesity problem and determine whether there are any complicating disease concerns, such as diabetes. In some cases, a prescription type of diet may be recommended.

2. A drastic reduction isn't necessary. Except in special cases, most veterinarians recommend a moderate weight-reduction plan. Weight should be lost gradually, about 15 percent over a two- to three-month period for dogs. At maximum, weight loss should occur at a rate of 1 to 1½ pounds per week for dogs. In addition to a restricted diet, you need to provide your pet with gradual increased play and exercise. Make exercise fun, not strict or stressful.

3. Make sure that all family members stick to your dog’s weight reduction plan. One person can spoil the results.

4. If excessive food intake was the source of your pet's obesity, plan on feeding the proper maintenance amount. In general, a small six-pound dog requires 50 calories per pound, a 50-pound dog requires 30 calories per pound and a 100-pound dog requires 23 kilocalories per pound. However, there are no hard and fast rules; your pet may need less food if he's less active or more if he's very active.

5. To reduce your pet's food intake, feed his normal diet in reduced amounts or a diet of reduced calories in prescribed amounts. Feed smaller portions more often so that your pet doesn't feel that he's eating less

6. Eliminate all treats, especially from the table. These are typically high in fat and calories. Praise and affection are important to offset your pet's feeling of “punishment."

7. If dry food had previously been fed ad lib (left out free-choice), leave food out in portions instead of in unlimited quantities.

8. Feed some canned food to replace some of the dry food. It will be more palatable and is lower in caloric density (since it's over 75 percent moisture).

9. There are special foods available both by prescription and over-the-counter that is higher in fiber and lower in caloric and fat density. These are especially good since you can feed your pet the same “bulk amount," while cutting back calories.

In addition to a restricted diet, you need to provide your pet with gradual increased play and exercise. Make exercise fun, not strict or stressful. Fun, play and games will not only help in reducing your dog’s weight but it will simultaneously keep your dog happy, and distract his mind from thinking about his loss of food. By keeping your dog's weight at a normal level, he'll be happier and healthier in a svelte condition. He'll also run, romp and enjoy life more.