obesitynationalproblem

Overweight Dogs - A National Problem

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Take a look around at the dogs in your neighbourhood and the chances are you'll see at least one dog that's grossly overweight and several that could do with being put on a diet. Sadly, this nation of animal lovers has developed into what's fast becoming a dog's worse enemy.

Obesity amongst dogs is a steadily increasing problem that simply isn't taken seriously enough by owners. By offering our canine companions all kinds of titbits, we may believe we're being kind but the truth is we're slowly killing our faithful friends.

Dogs Are Natural Scavengers
Life in the wild is often a matter of feast or famine. Because wild dogs never know when the next food shortage will be, their instincts tell them they need to build up a fat reserve in order to survive periods where food is in short supply. The result is that they'll feed whenever food's offered, even when they've just fed.

Of course, our domestic pets never need this reserve but still they continue to eat whatever's offered, eventually developing health problems such as arthritis, heart disease and respiratory problems. Overweight dogs are also less resilient towards disease and infection and have a significantly shorter life expectancy.

Over Humanising
Unfortunately, in almost all cases of canine obesity it's the dog's owner who's responsible for the problem, often through a misguided show of affection for their pet.

Owners argue that they love their dog so much that they can't possible deny it larger than recommended meals and extra treats. In fact it's often found that owners of overweight dogs feel it's more important to feed their pet titbits than to give it regular exercise and occupation. These same owners often insist that sharing a meal with their dog gives them the opportunity to bond, as does allowing the dog to sleep on its owner's bed. In other words, dogs that are most likely to suffer a weight problem are those that have been over humanised by their owners.

Responsible Feeding
It's important that dog owners understand that, as much as we love our pets and enjoy sharing our lives with them, a dog's needs are very different to our own. Responsible feeding and regular exercise are absolute necessities if a dog's weight is to be kept at a healthy level.

Responsible feeding isn't just about the amount of food a dog is fed, though; it's also about the type of food. Unsurprisingly, studies have shown that owners of overweight dogs are more concerned with the amount of food they offer than whether or not the dog is receiving a balanced diet.

Only when dog owners understand just how much damage they're doing by over-feeding their dogs can we ever turn this scourge of obesity around and enjoy owning healthy, lively dogs that enjoy regular exercise and are rewarded with play instead of food.

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