TYLER, Texas (KLTV) – A recently released survey by Purina Pro found that one in five Americans thinks their dog is overweight.
The actual number, however, is almost triple that, estimates the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, which found that 59% of dogs in the United States are overweight, with 22% of those being obese.
A big part of the problem is how we feed our animals, said Kat Cortelyou, the director of operations at the SPCA of East Texas.
“The cheaper brands of food are filled with more fillers, just kind of like eating fast food as opposed to healthy food for humans. It’s the same thing with dogs,” said Cortelyou.
75% of the over 600 survey takers reported feeling guilty when their dog seemed hungry, with 54% admitting to giving table scraps. Cortelyou said establishing a normal feeding routine that eliminates grazing can help maintain normal weight for dogs.
“If they don’t eat it all, pick it up. They’ll be hungry when you put it back down in the evening, and they’ll learn to eat on schedule,” Cortelyou said.
92% of respondents said they were upset that their dogs could no longer participate in activities they could do when they were at an “ideal” weight.
“Just find a way to let your dog get some kind of exercise because they’re just like people if they’re sitting on the couch all day,” said Cortelyou. “They get sedimentary, and it just puts the weight on, and their bones get old.”
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