Thousands of UK residents have dogs at home, often viewing them as more than just pets.
However, vet Amir Anwary, known to his TikTok audience as @amirthevet, suggests up to 70% of dog owners might be keeping an “overweight” pet without their knowledge, something many are either unaware of or don’t quite understand the reasons behind.
Dogs can easily pack on extra pounds, but there are ways to address the issue. According to Amir, one key factor contributing to weight gain is “the second reason is you’re over-feeding treats.”
He added: “Treats should not exceed 10% of your dog’s daily nutritional requirement, and most people are feeding significantly more treats by the owners.”
The vet advises against using “scoops” to measure dog food because most feeding guidelines are in milligrams. For correct portion sizes, he recommends weighing your dog and determining the exact amount of food they require for optimal health since every dog’s nutritional needs differ.
He mentioned: “The second reason is you’re over-feeding treats. Treats should not exceed 10% of your dog’s daily nutritional requirement, and most people are feeding significantly more treats.
“So cut down on the treats and the table scraps – that’s by far the easiest way to get your dog to lose weight. Third is very simple. You are just simply not exercising your dog enough.
“When I speak to owners and say ‘well, your dog is overweight, how much are you exercising him?’ ‘Well look, it’s tough, I manage to get them out once a day for 15 minutes, or once every second day’.
“Well, guys, that is not enough. Once every two days is not enough. Unless your dog is geriatric, or has a heart problem, you should be exercising them twice a day between half an hour and an hour.”
He said some breeds do require more exercise than others, but it’s super important. Amir implied it’s always better to exercise them more rather than less.
The video has been viewed more than 2,000 times since it was shared. People also had all sorts of thoughts to share with the vet.
One person said: “I fixed my dog’s weight issue by no longer feeding her 25% of most things I ate on top of her actual feeding plan.” Another remarked: “Listen my dog is a bully when it comes to treats.”
Adding to the conversation, a third shared: “We cut down to one treat a day. No scraps. The Aussie has lost weight, and the JRT is is 14, so we are not so strict with her.”