Dogs on Ozempic? Addressing Weight Problems in Our Pets

I know many of us have considered, even just a little bit, jumping on the Ozempic or Wegovy bandwagon. Or maybe that's just me, learning to live with love my post-partum body and all its changes. While it's common for us adults to be constantly concerned with our own weight management, it’s an added burden trying to manage the weight of your pet. Personally, I've struggled to help my beloved dogs stay at their fittest, healthiest, and happiest selves.

 Our journey to weight-gain

My mind often drifts to Watson, my first dog, when I think about weight loss and gain. I was young when I got him, with a carefree college student schedule that allowed us countless adventures together. He was my right-hand man, accompanying me everywhere from hikes to bike rides along the American River Bike Trail in Sacramento. My whole life revolved around him and thus I was able to give him LOTS of exercise, attention, and good food.

In those days, exercise wasn't something we worried about—it was simply part of our daily rhythym. I had the flexibility to spend entire mornings or afternoons with him, ensuring he got plenty of activity, attention, and nutritious food. Most weeks he was getting a long multi-hour walk or hike 4 days a week, on top of daily river walks. People often commented on how fit and shiny his coat looked, a testament to his healthy lifestyle. Looking back, I realize how important those moments were for both of us. While I may have been a bit heavier back then, I felt genuinely healthy and fit, thanks in part to our active lifestyle. Watson and I were in sync, enjoying the world together, one walk, hike, or bike ride at a time.

Then the dreaded thing in life happened —I graduated college and entered the workforce. This shift drastically altered my schedule, mindset, and overall outlook on life. In addition to fulltime work, I often found myself clocking in extra hours on weekends and overtime shifts. As an Environmental Scientist, my job involved fieldwork in the San Francisco Bay and SJ Delta, which meant enduring 10-14 hour days under the sun, wind, and rain—especially during drought periods, when special weekend sampling on boats was required.

With such demanding work hours, my personal drive for outdoor adventures with Watson dwindled. After long days spent in the field, the last thing I wanted to do was take off on a night hike with my pup, knowing I had to be up at 5:30 AM the next day. Our once-frequent hikes became a rare weekly river walk.

While I managed to maintain my weight through fieldwork and yoga, Watson's weight started to creep up. Spending long days with my parents and following my dad around the house, who showered him with treats, led to a significant change in his physique—from a trim Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to a pudgier "cookie monster." Even worse, he began refusing his regular diet in favor of an all-treats menu. It wasn't my parents' fault; they were simply spoiling their grand-dog. I had to face the truth: my lifestyle was impacting my fur-baby’s health.

Our journey to weight-loss 

To make things right, I knew I had to overhaul my own habits. By prioritizing disciplined workouts, better scheduling, and meal planning, I could provide the care and attention my pup deserved. It was time to step up and be the best pet parent I could be.

I wish I could say I had an epiphany and became a super responsible, type-A personality overnight. But truth be told, I only made my schedule more hectic by pursuing a Ph.D. and a career in Stem Cell Biology after leaving my job as an Environmental Scientist with the state. Despite loving my grad school experiences, I found myself missing my sweet Watson terribly. I missed the innocence of our simple schedule and daily walks at the river.

Initially, I could only spend weekends with him. Eventually, I brought him to live with me in Merced, where I was working on my Ph.D. Things improved for a while—we resumed our daily walks, and I even enrolled him in dog daycare, though it stretched my budget. However, his health took a turn when he started having seizures, complicating his existing heart murmur issues.

I never seriously considered his diet until then. I just wanted to ensure he ate, offering a variety of human-grade foods from rotisserie chicken to fancy raw diets. He refused vegetables like a fussy human toddler. Little did I know, this inconsistency was harming him. His seizures ceased miraculously overnight when I introduced a pure CBD-for-dogs product, but inadvertently, I overloaded him with fat from the olive oil base. This led to pancreatitis and further health complications. Gone were the seizures but along came digestive issues, and once I realized the issue I immediately got his diet under control. I’ve reflected a lot on how it’s all too easy to get in a cycle of offering too many treats, especially when using them for training and positive behavior reinforcement.

After Watson passed away, I swore off getting another pet, needing time to heal. Losing him was an intense experience. But then, the Universe brought Allie into my life—a senior rescue English Springer Spaniel with boundless energy and anxiety issues. At first, Allie’s high energy kept her lean and I didn’t have to worry about offering too many treats. Managing her anxiety meant lots of positive reinforcement training with treats, which, combined with my changing schedule and pregnancy, eventually led to weight gain for her. Allie wasn’t getting the exercise and food regulation she needed daily.

I initially joked about it as my "sympathy weight," but a serious talk from the vet made me realize the issue lay with me. Now, eight months post-partum, I'm relearning how to manage both my own weight and Allie's. Back to basics—simple walks and measuring her food—are the starting points. I'm still a work in progress, but we're on this journey together.

Ultimately, I turned to the Kaizen method first. While typically used in manufacturing or tech businesses, I found its principles applied well to managing daily lifestyle. Kaizen, a combination of two Japanese words meaning "good change" and "improvement," emphasizes making small, purposeful changes in daily processes. It involves mapping out your goals, enabling you to set achievable milestones for long-term progress.

Applying these principles to mine and Allie’s weight gain issues, we began with small changes, like establishing a morning walk routine. As our mindsets evolved, we scaled up or adjusted accordingly. It’s incredible how even a simple 10-minute walk each morning has made a world of difference. Rather than drastic changes, the focus is on small, consistent adjustments leading to a healthier lifestyle for both me and my fur-baby companion.

Video of my English Springer Spaniel Dog, Allie, being huffy, bark-ey, and expressing her opinion.

Will I put my dog and myself on Ozempic?

 So, no, I did not put my dog or myself on Ozempic. For now, we are focusing on slow and consistent changes in our lives. While the temptation for quick fixes like Ozempic is there, I find greater satisfaction in the slow and steady progress of daily habit changes. Witnessing Allie’s energy and happiness at its fullest is its own reward. Of course, now I face the challenge of managing an even more high-energy pup! Maybe that means we will pick up hiking and hot girl walks in the Santa Cruz Mountains and redwoods again! With each small, consistent change, our lives gain more value than any quick-fix solution could offer. I’m excited to see where this journey takes us.