Swetha Sivakumar on finding the right balance, as a first-time pet owner

It’s easy to give in and feed a pet whatever they seem to enjoy most. But my family and I found out the hard way that that way lies obesity and ill health. Here’s how we worked out the right recipe for Lulu.

Seven years ago, my daughter cried herself to sleep every night for days, because she desperately wanted a pet. I never had a pet growing up, and resisted for a long time. Finally I did what all mothers do: give in to our kids’ most heartfelt wishes.

No one thing is the answer. A mixed diet of meat and vegetables, paired with regular exercise, is the way to a healthy canine, we found. (Pixabay)

In 2016, we welcomed Lulu into our home. She was a four-year-old chihuahua mix weighing 5.5 kg. Lulu was a picky eater. We gave her kibble every day, but she always looked at the pellets with disinterest and suspicion. By this point, she had endeared herself to everyone, including me. Projecting my feelings onto her, I thought to myself, who would like to eat dry kibble everyday?

We switched to wet canned food. She really loved eating it. It was a joy to watch her get excited about her meals. Eventually, even canned food felt inadequate; we wanted her food to represent our love for her.

We decided to buy her roast chicken exclusively. We fed her this until a few years in, during a routine health check, the veterinarian pointed out her weight. It was 9.5 kg. She was vastly overweight. She now had to be put on a diet.

We started adding lots of vegetables to her food. Her exercise time was increased to three walks a day, with various family members taking turns. We added a vet-recommended weekly multivitamin.

Today, Lulu weighs a healthier 7.5 kg. Pet obesity, diabetes and arthritis are on the rise worldwide, and excessive feeding of pets is the No. 1 reason. We learnt our lesson the hard way. While it is difficult to resist their charms (trust me, I know), if it gives them a few more years, and you a few more years with them, isn’t finding the right diet worth it in the end?