A new study by leading dog food brand Fish4Dogs reveals dog owners develop worse habits as their dogs age, with greater exposure to calorific human food.

Most owners pride themselves on knowing what their dog should eat. But discipline slips over a dog’s lifetime – and by old age, the average dog’s diet is

unrecognisable resulting in overweight pets.

Yet, research shows that this can reduce a dog’s lifespan by five months to two and a half years.

Amid summer puppy buying season, Fish4Dogs conducted a survey on over 1,000 of its loyal customers to discover owners’ daily feeding habits, what and how often human food features in their diet, and their knowledge of exercise requirements and weight perception.

A nation of secret snack-givers

Overall, 61% of owners have given their dog human food, and two-thirds (63%) feed it daily, as a treat or reward. 89% have never considered how it all adds up.

This is likely the result of a lack of education about which foods are safe. While the majority of owners say they feel knowledgeable, the foods they deem as safe, such as cheese and processed meats are calorie-dense at 40kcal and 50kcal per portion, which soon adds up over time.

The puppy drift: how good habits slowly slip

What’s more, the findings show that the calorie drift increases exponentially as dogs age, with senior dogs exposed to twice the number of calories compared to puppies.

Owners feeding their dogs cheese – the most calorie-dense everyday treat – more than doubles, going from 4.1% to 10%. And leftovers from your dinner are a distant thought for unruly pups, rising to 6% of senior dog owners treating their dogs to what’s on their plate.

Puppy owners start off with good intentions. Less than 5% feed their dogs human food daily, and 62% measure portions carefully. By the time their dog is a senior,

portion-measuring has dropped 11% to 51%.

Unsurprisingly, nearly a quarter (23%) of dogs end up overweight. That’s 8x more overweight seniors than puppies.

This aligns with Kennel Club findings that obesity is one of the common health problems in dogs, affecting between 30 and 60% of the canine population.

The 99-minute problem: why one chip can cost your small dog an entire walk

Most overweight senior dogs didn’t start that way – the habits that lead there form gradually, often invisibly, across a dog’s lifetime. And small dogs face the steepest calorie cost of all.

While one piece of chicken, a piece of bacon, or a cake only takes a modest 23 minutes to walk off in large breeds, this eats into a typical walk for medium-sized dogs at 44 minutes, and skyrockets to 99 minutes in small pups, exceeding the average walk time of 60 minutes or less per day.

Cheese, bread, eggs, ice cream, and peanut butter require anywhere from 40-53 minutes, which is nearly a full walk for smaller breeds.

More than just a few extra pounds

Weight gain isn’t just an inconvenience that requires more walking; it can impact your dog’s overall quality of life due to other health complications. Excess weight can put a heavy strain on internal organs and joints, significantly increasing the risk of arthritis, breathing issues, diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers, according to a previous study by The Royal Veterinary College.

Additionally, there are other factors to consider when feeding your dog human food.

For example, some human foods contain hidden toxins that are highly dangerous to dogs. Some peanut butter - a popular treat for 15% of owners giving their dogs human food - contains an artificial sweetener called xylitol. Studies show that dogs metabolise this rapidly compared to humans, which can cause a release of insulin and result in a rapid drop in blood sugar.

Meanwhile, human food like cheese often has a higher fat content, which has been linked to canine pancreatitis. It is also much saltier than dog food, which can lead to issues with dehydration and even sodium ion poisoning.

Ryan Whitman, Nutritional Lead at Fish4Dogs comments on the findings, and issues helpful advice for dog owners:

“As our study shows, feeding your dog human food becomes a greater problem over time, especially with owners becoming more relaxed the older their dogs get.

“The issue isn’t feeding your dog the odd scrap; it’s that this can add up, leading to issues such as weight gain and overexposure to ingredients not in their normal diet.

“That’s why education should begin during puppyhood to ensure maximum health benefits for your dog throughout its life.

“I would recommend all dog owners to have a basic knowledge of their pup’s ideal daily calorie intake, as well as their nutritional needs.

“For example, dog food is specially formulated to accommodate these, so always check the packaging for information on its suitability for your dog’s size and recommended portion size.

“Meanwhile, consider factoring treats into the daily ration, swapping human snacks for purpose-made treats.

“Fish-based treats in particular are a great option due to their high-quality ingredients, such as easily digestible and protein-rich Omega-3, vitamins and minerals, healthy oils and fats, low-sensitivity carbohydrates and gut-friendly fibres.

“For puppies, this may be small, crunchy treats like our salmon bites, which are great for training and rewarding, while older dogs may like  banana fish wraps to satisfy their taste buds.”

You can find the full study here.