76% OF BRITISH DOG OWNERS HAVE ALLOWED THEIR PETS TO OVERINDULGE AT CHRISTMAS – DESPITE THE POTENTIAL HEALTH RISKS
Dr Beckmann / Dr Petmann Christmas dinner for dogs in a pouch.
Brits are being asked to put their pups on a diet this New Year, as research reveals that pets have overindulged at Christmas.
New research of 2,000 UK dog owners by pet food brand Edgard & Cooper has found that more than three quarters of dog owners (76%) admitted to letting their pets overindulge this Christmas, with 73% giving their dogs Christmas dinner.
This New Year as we move into Veganuary, Edgard & Cooper is encouraging dog owners to adopt the flexitarian lifestyle, a diet that consists of heaps of vegetables, meat and fish, giving our dogs a balanced diet and improving their health.
Despite 52% of Brits eating more plant-based foods themselves over the past few years, only 37% know what a flexitarian diet is and even less (29%) know that this can be applied to their pets too, showing that there is much to learn about how this emerging trend caters to canines.
With only 27% of owners looking to restrict their dog’s diet after the festive feed, Edgard & Cooper’s pet nutritionist, Mikki Koot, explains why it’s important to watch what our pups eat:
“Many foods we humans love to eat, chocolate, grapes, garlic etc. are actually toxic to dogs. Not being aware of which foods are toxic to dogs can mean you end up at an emergency vet during the holidays. Another thing to consider is that what might seem like a small treat in our eyes, can actually mean a calorie overload for your pup. Did you know that when you give a 20kg dog 1 cube of cheese (60gr) the human equivalent is 2 doughnuts? And 1 rawhide bone (190gr) equates to 7 doughnuts!”
Ella Mills, the mind behind the plant-based brand Deliciously Ella and a partner of Edgard & Cooper, has already seen the benefits of a flexitarian diet for her family, including their dog Austin:
“Most of us know that a plant-based approach for humans is incredibly powerful, with vegans in the UK having half the carbon footprint of carnivores, but there’s still a real stigma around a flexitarian approach for dogs. I’ve certainly noticed a nervousness around a plant rich approach for dogs, but the science is clear, it can be a very healthy diet that has a very positive impact on our planet. I’m really enjoying learning more about a flexitarian approach for dogs and have switched to a doggy diet very rich in the plant based Edgard & Cooper options.”
Edgard & Cooper’s Mikki backs this up: “Since being domesticated more than 30,000 years ago, dogs have evolved considerably from their wolf ancestors. Their digestive tracts have adapted to successfully digest plant-based ingredients, making them able to extract essential nutrients from them. There are many scientists who consider the modern dog more omnivore, capable of thriving on a plant-based diet, than carnivore like their wolf ancestor.”
Introducing more vegetables into a pet’s diet is an easy addition to their meals, with the research showing that our dog’s already love crunching on carrots, broccoli, sprouts and peas – all important ways to incorporate healthy vitamins and minerals.
Edgard & Cooper is on a mission to make pet food better for our best friends, and this is part of their ongoing campaign to change legislation to make pet food labelling clearer for owners, so we all understand the ingredients in our dog’s dinner.
Sign the petition now.
