Yes, Our Dogs Are Putting On Some Pandemic Weight

Yes, Our Dogs Are Putting On Some Pandemic Weight

Dogs mimicking their parents’ behavior is nothing new, and in most cases, it can be fascinating to see. However, this pandemic has brought about undesirable behaviors that our dogs have unfortunately caught onto, namely over-eating.

Not only have obesity rates in humans increased, but veterinarians are reporting an alarming rise in obese dogs during the course of the pandemic with an estimated 25-30% of dogs being obese. Ever since the start of the pandemic and lockdowns, movement has been heavily restricted causing the general population to stay indoors which has resulted in many dogs and their families switching to sedentary lifestyles. Couple that with the stockpiles in most kitchens and we have frequent snacking with nothing to combat its effects.

Another contributor to overeating is stress and anxiety, living day-to-day in a pandemic can be mentally taxing and the weariness often manifests itself in stress-eating. Seeing that dogs are so empathetic they are inclined to share in our anxiety and subsequent bad eating habits.

Even so, their health must be kept at bay because dogs with obesity have a higher chance of having diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, arthritis and it strips years away from their normal lifespan. Obesity is certainly preventable, but ways to determine if your dog is overweight is by checking out the size of their abdominal area. If they have a tummy that hangs low from a side profile view or they look rounder from above, then your dog needs a diet restructuring.

Image Source: CNN

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