Obesity: a bone to pick with pet owners

Obesity. It’s a hefty problem. According to government statistics, 64.3% of adults in the UK are either overweight or obese. With poor food choices and lack of activity being the main culprits for this shocking figure. With humans being responsible for the diets of their pets, it’s no surprise that this obesity epidemic is spilling over to affect our furry friends. What’s the problem? There has been an abundance of research, reports and statistics into pet obesity over the last 10 years, with the Pet Food Manufacturing Association releasing a white paper on the subject last year: https://www.pfma.org.uk/_assets/docs/White%20Papers/PFMA-Obesity-Report-2019.pdf. According to studies carried out by PFMA, 51% of dogs and 44% of cats are overweight or obese, with 74% of vets believing that obesity has worsened over the last five years. Every vet questioned reported that they are concerned about the prevalence of obesity, with pet owner’s lack of awareness and societal attitudes towards the subject of ‘fat’ being held responsible for this. Unfortunately for our pets, obesity can have a devastating effect on their health and wellbeing with overweight dogs having a reduced life expectancy of two and a half years as well as some other horrid potential side effects including arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, respiratory disease and pancreatitis. If you suspect your pet is overweight, you can consult this handy article of advice from the RSPCA: https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/general/obesity. Snack attack It is unsurprising that one part of a pet’s daily feeding routine is highlighted as particularly damaging for pet weight management: Treat Time. Many pet owners don’t realise the amount of additional calories these treats equate to. 98% of vets surveyed believe that the overfeeding of treats contributes most to the issue of overweight and obese pets. Whether you treat your pet for good behaviour, to cure boredom or just to show that you love them, you are, perhaps unknowingly, hugely increasing their daily calorie and fat intake which can lead to weight gain. Commercially produced, ‘traditional’ pet treats and table scraps (from human food) can be laden with fat, salt, sugar, calories and artificial ingredients which are potentially detrimental to your pet’s health. They are also generally very quick to consume, so you can easily overfeed your dog by giving multiple treats in one sitting. However, there is a growing demand for more natural, healthy dog treats and the good news is that Frozzys Lickable Frozen Yogurt for Dogs can help you meet this demand and ensure you offer your customers a real point of difference. Low-fat Frozzys Frozzys was created to offer dogs a healthy, nutritious and low-fat dog treat that would be nutritionally beneficial and support their health and wellbeing. Frozzys is naturally low fat and low calorie whilst being extremely nutritious. Featuring only natural ingredients, which are easily digestible for dogs, Frozzys frozen yogurt for dogs provides a rich source of calcium, vitamins, minerals and fibre in a handy, lickable pot. You can read the extensive list of benefits that Frozzys provides here https://frozzys.com/why-buy/. With only 44-53 calories and 1.1gm -2.89gm of naturally occurring sugar per pot, Frozzys is the low-fat dog treat with a difference. It’s a perfect solution for treating dogs as loving owners do, whilst actively managing their weight and contributing to their health. With a simple list of ingredients which are digestion-friendly, great tasting and nutritionally beneficial, Frozzys frozen yogurt for dogs is a natural, guilt-free dog treat. Frozzys frozen yogurt for dogs is also a low-fat dog treat which is fun-to-consume. On average, it takes a dog 10-15 minutes to consume a single pot of Frozzys. This means that you are limiting a dog’s calories and fat, without limiting the mental stimulation and enjoyment that treats can provide. Another contributor to weight gain is exercise – or lack of it - with 80% of vets believing that a lack of exercise contributes to obesity among pets. Giving your dog frequent walks is a great way to physically and mentally exercise them, which contributes to weight loss and healthy weight management. If your dog’s weight gain has led to a bit of a struggle when it comes to fitness, Frozzys can help to cool your dog down after exercise thanks to its frozen nature. Simply take off the lid and serve to your dog straight from the freezer for a cooling and low-calorie dog treat, perfect for enjoying after a session of exercise. Stocking Up With a growing demand for natural, healthy treats Frozzys is the ideal solution to help boost your sales. If you would like to stock up on Frozzys come visit us on Stand K2 at PATS Sandown where we will have some fantastic freezer and stock offers for new and existing customers, or alternatively drop Chris Clay chris@frozzys.com an email to discuss options. To find out more about Frozzys delicious and nutritious treats visit www.frozzys.com.