Pandemic Pooch Pounds
As the number of dogs in the UK has increased enormously over the past year, it’s shocking to find that almost a third (32%) of them are overweight.
We undertook research that reveals Oxford is home to the most overweight pooches, as half of owners there (47%) admit their dogs are overweight. Southampton have the least number of overweight dogs, with just one in five (20%) saying their dogs are overweight.
The Top 10 cities with overweight dogs:
|
Rank |
City |
% |
|
1 |
Oxford |
47% |
|
2 |
Bristol |
38% |
|
3 |
Plymouth |
38% |
|
4 |
Cardiff |
36% |
|
5 |
Manchester |
35% |
|
6 |
Liverpool |
33% |
|
7 |
Leeds |
33% |
|
8 |
Belfast |
33% |
|
9 |
Cambridge |
32% |
|
10 |
London |
32% |
Reasons dogs are overweight
Reasons for the increase in pooch pounds are mostly down to owners buying their dog’s love with treats (43%) and a third (34%) admitting that their dogs are spoilt, so they are allowed to eat whatever they’d like. This could be because almost one in ten (8%) say that due to lockdown they’ve felt bad so treated them more.
With the nation spending an average of £63 a month on feeding their precious dogs, the main reasons for treating their pups are to make them happy (56%) and wanting their dogs to love them (20%). Lockdown has played a major part, as many owners are feeling guilty for not taking them out as much during lockdown (11%) and working from home (8%).
The UK’s pooches are definitely taken care of, as a quarter (26%) treat their dogs with human food and others are happy to spend the cash by purchasing organic meat (14%) and organic treats (13%). A further one in ten (11%) treat their dogs with their own breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
However, pet owners, especially new ones, should keep an eye on their treating, as over two fifths (41%) say they only realised their dog was overweight due to their vet’s advice – others only realised after friends and family spotted it (19%), and they were slower than usual (17%).
This may not be helped by the fact that a further one in ten (11%) say they don’t know how much to feed them – this, however, leaves the majority (89%) thinking they do know how much to feed them, despite a nationwide weight gain.
Low Fat Food for Dogs
Lauren Toal, Brand Manager from Naturo commented: “At Naturo, we understand that the bond between a dog and owner is a special one, and people want to make their pets as happy as possible. Therefore, we’re not surprised to hear that many want to treat their dogs to the best snacks, especially throughout the past year and a half. However, it’s so important to keep in mind their weight whilst doing this.
“With almost half (49%) of dog owners opting for a lowered food intake for their dogs, it’s also important for owners to know that they can provide their dogs with the same amount of food but simply a lower amount of fat content. Here at Naturo, we offer a 40% less fat food alternative, Naturo Light Chicken, which could be perfect for those dogs that may need to watch their weight.”
How to keep your Dog Fit and Active
We have teamed up with Leon Towers, television personality and expert dog behaviourist, to help keep our dogs fit and active, with an exercise video teaching them how to squat like their humans: