I would really like your comments on Hills Science Plan Perfect Weight.   My dog needs to lose weight gradually.  She has been eating Royal Canin for the past 2 years.

Rather than use a so-called weight loss diet, I tend to prefer to just give less!!   And as the weight, hopefully, comes off, up the exercise.

I just checked Perfect Weight Mini and look what the list of ingredients shows -
Ingredients
Wheat, maize gluten meal, maize, chicken (16%) & turkey meal, ....

You have to go that far back to find ANY reference to meat and then it's just 'meal'.   Sorry, but anything listing the ingredients starting with Wheat, doesn't hold my interest.   Up to you, but I can't suggest other than avoid.

For the record, I don't do Royal Canin either!!    I'd find a product that lists meat or fish as the main (first) ingredient and something with a protein level of no higher than 24% for an adult.

I tend to prefer to just give less!!

I don't think you'll get a better reply than that ijk, maybe try it!
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She won't settle with less food.  Tried more precise exercise even though she is always on the go.  Hills Perfect Weight appears to have more wheat in the dry food than the tin food reading the ingredients on their site.  I've bought it now so see how it goes.  Failing that I have just seen Fishmongers for Dogs and might look at that. Other than that it's Chappie that I used 40 year ago.

a) appears to have more wheat, in the dry food

HP
Wheat is, especially wheat & gluten, is not generally favored at all in dry foods. Personally I use Iams chicken & rice based dry foods & non of their products are 'confusing', by that I mean some manufacturers produce numerous different 'types' of food are far to confusing as to which a person would need, excluding those for convalesance periods , Iams is quite simple & in my experience good food.
Yesterday MamaBass also gave a brand which was to me looked very good & was not in the least bit confusing as to which to use, that was Pooch & co, see link - http://www.poochandcompany.co.uk/product/wheat-free-tripe-natural-dog-food/

b) She won't settle with less food.

HP
She will not settle with less because you give into her & she has learned that >>>if she persists in whatever manipulative behaviour she does > you < get up and give her more. What that is called is a 'variable ratio reinforcement schedual', she's learned her manipulative behaviours work, all gambling systems are based on the variable ratio reinforcement schedual system

The only way to stop it is that you must break your own habit of giving in, because of the variable ratio reinforcement schedual involved in both your dogs behaviour and your own that might take quite a while - but you gave to stop giving and no matter what stick to it, it is that simple & that difficult >'for you'<...end of!
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I appreciate this isn't answering your question about the food per se but I wonder if you've tried soaking her dried food before feeding?

This way you can usually get away with feeding less.  If she prefers the texture of dry kibble you can soak half and just top up for 'crunch'.  This method worked very well for my mother in law's dog

I posted about 53 days ago about putting my dog on Hills Science Plan Weight Perfect.  She has nearly finished the 10kg bag but I won't buy it again.  She ate it with no trouble but the food really stunk and so did her poo.  Made me gag. The worst thing is her coat has lost all it's shine.  So if your dog needs to reduce their weight I would not recommend it.

> The worst thing is her coat has lost all it's shine.

That is what I meant is that I found diet foods just reduced condition on the dogs (not ideal for show dogs, but not for pets either I'd say).

I have never found the loss of muscle tone and coat quality when reducing a good quality food, even when halving the amount.

I have never found the loss of muscle tone and coat quality when reducing a good quality food, even when halving the amount.

So, in the absence of any conclusive veterinary report that a veterinary 'condition' exists causing the dog to be overweight simply feed it less (ie don't overfeed them).
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lesson learned. less food more exercise. thank you all.

Know many dogs are food orientated but hounds especially can appear to live for meal times & anything they can cadge between.
One of ours suffers mobility problems, exercise is managed on a daily basis, it's so easy to over feed, & not long ago ashamed to say he had to loose just under 7 kilos. It was suggested we change him to an exorbitantly expensive diet food but having raw fed for years the last thing I wanted was him to eat kibble, so cut back his amounts. At first by a third, then half, & then by two thirds, my husband was horrified, it wasn't easy. He'd look pathetic (more than usual), be sitting at the fridge before I even got there, sit for long periods just staring at where the 'treat' jar had previously been, started worrying an hour before meal times & had he had the power, reported us to social services!. He was meant to have a weekly weigh in at the vets but this was done monthly when he had his cartrophen injections, he did it. He currently needs again to loose two killos & I dread the looks, but it needs to be done & we'll get there & so will you, just cut back.