The American Veterinary Medical Association reports that 25 percent of our pets are just plain obese. And it's our fault:
- We're not exercising as much, so they aren't either
- Our long hours at work increase the time they lie around waiting for us to come home
- Feeling guilty once we are home, we toss them a treat, and the pounds get packed on
This article goes over some very reasonable things we can do to fix the problem:
- Realize that food is not a substitute for love and affection
- Ice cubes and low-calorie vegetables (green beans, carrot slices) may be fine substitute treats for your dog
- If you do give them a treat, take out the equivalent portion in their next meal
- Consider changing their food to help them lose the extra poundage.
Yes, they do mention the exercise thing, and also why even 2-5 pounds can be too much for your pet.
This summary was taken from a full article on MSNBC (no longer available).
