So Rover is panting, not from the heat, but from the exertion of hauling himself up the stairs. How do you put your dog (or cat) on a diet?

While there are diet pet foods, that’s not the best answer, said Brandie Craig, technician manager at Butler Veterinary Associates.

“There are no real guidelines,” she said. “There are too many foods, too many breeds.

“For most of the commercial foods, the dog-feeding guidelines are very liberal and quite too much food for a 6-year-old dog that gets six bones a day and lies around the house.”

A better alternative would be for your dog to eat his veggies, she said.

Dogs will eat fresh vegetables, said author and pet expert Christy Howard of Dallas.

Howard and Craig both suggest filling the dog dish with baby carrots, broccoli and green beans. And instead of commercial pet food for cats, plain old tuna fish from a can.

However, Craig said, keep grapes and raisins off the menu because they’re actually poison to dogs.

If you must use commercial pet food, said Howard, “baked is always better. Do not use extruded food because that will expand in a pet’s stomach.”

Avoid products with the words byproduct or filler in the ingredient list, Howard said.

And just as human dieters have learned, portion control and exercise are key to any weight loss.

“Start with adding an extra meal, not food,” said Howard. “Smaller portions throughout the day.

“Ease into exercise,” said Howard. She recommended switching to all-natural treats that take longer to consume.

“All-natural chewing bones burn more calories than they provide. It’s like eating celery for us,” she said.