Pet Owners With Active Lifestyle Linked to Healthier Dogs

According to a recent worldwide study, dog owners who exercise themselves spend more time exercising their dogs, and more active owners are also more likely to evaluate their dog's body weight as optimum.

On August 24, 2022, Sydney Banton of the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, and colleagues will publish their findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.

Dogs with active owners tend to have exercise

(Photo : Chris Boland/Unsplash)

Obese dogs may develop a variety of health issues, including diabetes and heart illness, and global awareness of canine obesity is growing, as per ScienceDaily.

A previous study has found links between dog body weight and nutrition, activity, and sociodemographic parameters. Those studies, however, tended to be limited and focused on certain countries.

Banton and colleagues examined data from a survey of 3,298 dog owners in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States to gain a more global view.

The poll asked about the owners' and dogs' diets and exercise habits, as well as each owner's opinion of their dog's body weight.

According to the results of the poll, dogs were more likely to obtain more exercise if their owners spent more time exercising themselves.

More active owners were also more likely to consider their dog's body weight as optimal.

Owners in Germany exercised their dogs for longer periods of time than owners in other countries, were more likely to consider their dog's body weight to be optimum, and were less likely to report being informed that their dog was overweight.

Owners were less likely to see their dog as having an appropriate body weight if they had been informed their dog was overweight, if they claimed to attempt to control their dog's weight by limiting food consumption, and if they reported feeding dogs additional foods, such as treats, every day.

According to the research, many dog owners may try to regulate their pets' body weight through nutrition rather than exercise.

As a result, the researchers advocate for greater tools for veterinarians to assist owners in developing exercise regimens to prevent weight gain in dogs.

The Importance of Dog Exercising and Why Your Dog Needs It

Based on their weight suggestions, you may then make the necessary modifications for your dog, whether it's a change in food quantity, a change in reward kind, or just adding a few minutes to their walk. Some issues can be easily resolved with good diets and portion management, as per JetPet Resort.

While the proper weight can assist keep your dog in shape, frequent exercise will also relieve any joint problems.

Your dog's joints will keep lubricated and have fewer difficulties if it gets suitable age-appropriate exercise. At the same time, the muscles that support them will strengthen.

Regular exercise for your dog may do wonders for its mental health. For starters, it can reduce their nervousness since they will be socialized with other dogs on a regular basis.

Furthermore, dogs, like people, produce endorphins after exercise, allowing them to experience a natural high and be content.

Finally, if your dog is less stressed, he or she is less likely to indulge in self-destructive behavior such as chewing on your furniture or weeping.