I have a 5 year old bitch who had terrible problems with Phantom Pregnancy's, I decided to have her spayed after a really bad one. She had put on a a bit of weight while in phantom, almost like she was pregnant.  I waited the obligatory 3 mths to be sure she was clear before having her spayed.  Everything went well, except I cannot get her to loose her weight.  The vet has sayed she is still hormonal and it could take upto a year to settle down. 

I show this little dog, and would like to continue when she reaches veteran age, but I really need to get the weight off her.  I have tried the R/D diet recommended by the vet, for four and a half months, she didn't loose an ounce.  I took her off it and her weight has remained stable, not down but definitely not up.

Can anyone suggest anything else I can try? 

Regards JHH

Lack of hormones affects the metabolism, so that immediately after neutering (whether castrating or spaying) you need to cut the food intake by at least a third - permanently! The only answer is less food and more exercise.

To actually reduce weight I would cut her rations to half of a good quality food, not the reducing ones. 

I have a bitch here for rehoming who arrived  Stone overweight and she has lost weight noticeably in the nearly two weeks we have had her.

The first day she literally sucked her ration down so we now scatter her half ration on the ground for her to have to pick up a piece at a time, this way she takes as long as the others to finish her meal.

when i had my staffie rescue bitch spayed I reduced her rations straight away, she has just stayed the same weight.