Vets Give Thumbs Up As Pets And Owners Get The Exercise And Food Diary Treatment

Personal Trainer comes up with new initiative to promote healthy living for dog owners and their animals as obesity in both humans and animals reaches bursting point. Acclaimed Personal Fitness Trainer Simon Lovell ‘Aka The Heat’ is giving his web site visitors a free doggy food diary to try and help bring down obesity levels in dogs. He’s also brining awareness to owners of the importance of exercise which can be the cause of our podgy canine friends. Visitors simply download the diary, fill it in for a week and take it to their vets for a nutrition assessment. The diary provides all of the necessary information a vet requires to determine whether the animal is overeating. From the type of food consumed, to the frequency and whether the animal has been neutered. There’s also space to fill out exercise information, a vital part of a dog’s bid to stay fit, healthy and slim. But although the diary is a handy resource for both owners and vets, the creator Simon Lovell says it’s important to be honest with the results: “Just like my human clients, we need to be honest with our food diaries for pets too. If we make poor choices just include them – it’s up to a fitness professional (humans) or vet (animals) to discover what is causing cravings or behaviour that is making us treat our animals which can be harmful. Let us come up with the solution!”. The major cause of obesity in dogs stems from lack of exercise and over-treating from owners. Giving your pets too many treats can cause a begging habit, or ‘variable reinforcement’. The dog may not be hungry but it’s just got into a routine of accepting food. The snowball effect can have long-term damaging effects as the way in which a dog’s body operates changes when unnecessary weight is put on. The web site also provides useful information to owners about the importance of exercising with their animals to build fitness levels and develop a better bonding between the two. To access the Doggy Food Diary for free in the The Heat Personal Training Web site simply visit www.theheatfitness.co.uk/pages/pets.html Vets can download the food diary and print it for their clients if they wish.

More from

• IVC Evidensia assembles expert team to run new £10m referral hospital
• Home delivery service can increase pet health plan sign-ups by 25%
• Research reveals vital clues to help fight anthelmintic resistance
• Lifetime Achievement Award recognises Harrogate vet’s dedication to improving the health and welfare of rabbits
• Bake sale at Leicestershire vet practice for good cause