Proper diet for Jack Russells

Question
Hi Carol:
I have a 14 month old female Jack Russell and I'm concerned about her weight. I can tell she's getting a bit too heavy. I know my husband and I have to stop giving her table food. My husband inparticular is very bad with this. I told him this has to stop. Please advise me on a good healthy diet for her with healthy treats.

Thank you,
Dawn Wideman
mwideman1@yahoo.com

Answer
Hello Dawn,
Yes, you absolutely have to stop giving her table food, it is SO loaded with calories and is really not good for dogs of any kind.
Buy dog treats, but you have to go easy on those too! One or two a day is enough.
Jacks have a tendency to get overweight and they suffer for it, so try hard (husband!) not to give in. I know their little cute faces can tempt us, but we are doing more harm than good by treating them to death!
Exercise is another MAIN factor. She is a jack and should have a MINIMUM of about 2 hours of good heart pounding exercise. This is what keeps them the happiest! Take her out for walks or to a dog park and throw a ball! You could look up your local dog school and get her involved in agility (she'd be the star!! - they are SO good at it) and I bet you would love it too.  Lastly, you can put her on a treadmill! I'm serious! Start slow, get her used to it, make her stay on there and let her jog on it for a good half hour. It's good for them (Jacks LOVE exercise), and she will look great!
For a 14 month old she should be on adult dog food, I recommend Propac Premium dog food - you can look it up online, http://www.propacpetfood.com/
it is not the junk sold in pet stores or supermarkets, but it is NOT expensive. There are stores throughout the states that sell it and if there isn't a store around you, you can buy it online. Puppy food is fattening and she should be off that by now. give 1/2 cup in the morning with fresh water and 1/2 cup at dinner time. THAT'S IT. My dogs are 8, 6, 4, 2 and that's all they get. You will be able to gauge if she needs more if she gobbles it up in less than a minute, then you can add a tiny bit more.
I don't know if you have a Parsons (bigger Jack) or a shortie (my expertise), but anything over 14 pounds for a shortie is getting too heavy.
Keep up the great work! Get her moving! :))
Take care, all the best.