A Canine Obesity expert says that if the problem continues, as many as 1 in 20 dogs will be overweight within 10 years.
A high percentage of dogs are affected by canine obesity that they are unable play and run for a few minutes.
This will put them at a higher risk of developing canine diabetes, heart disease and even strokes or cancer.
Lack of exercise and overfeeding are the biggest factors that are fuelling the canine obesity problem.
The UK already holds the embarrassing achievement of being the Human Obesity capital of Europe.
A leading canine nutrition expert, Simon Booth, has issued this warning after carrying out 9 years of research and surveys.
Overfeeding, a serious problem:
A poll showed that as many as 15% of dog owners are overfeeding their dogs by 1000 calories a day.
Two years ago the PDSA released news that 1 in 3 dogs are already overweight and quickly approaching the obese classification.
After a recent survey of 500 people Simon found that 93% ‘spoil’ their dogs,
- 29% of these people give treats, biscuits or chews throughout the day.
- 24% give their dogs scraps from there own meals at least once a day.
- 10% did give their dog extra exercise if they had scraps, but the majority didnt.
Unless feeding habits are changed, the UK will become the Canine Obesity Capital of Europe.
Its Not just people that have lack of exercise:
1 in 5 dog owners in the UK are to lazy to give their dogs a walk everyday.
Despite constant advice from vets and other welfare experts, about 2 million dogs don’t get enough exercise.
The Kennel Club survey of around 1000 dog owners and found that a third of them are obese themselves.
Too many dogs are not getting the exercise that they need, which can reduce both the length and quality of their life.
Many people think dogs get enough exercise in the garden through out the day.
If dogs don’t get enough exercise, they can become bored, depressed and cause havoc in the home.
Dogs need a walk of at least 30 minutes a day, and ideally a second one of the same time.
The PDSA warned that half of Britain’s dogs will suffer a painful and early death because their owners make them fat.
Owners are the sole reason for a fat dog, it is unlikely that a dog can obtain enough food itself to become overweight
If you have any concerns about your dogs weight lots of information can be found here
