Paws N' Pounds Plan
Social Environment
Many factors significantly influence the human-canine bond which may affect feeding practices and consequently, the prevalence of obesity. Within the diverse demographics of dog owners, various specific subgroups that interact with each other play equally important roles in determining the interactions between owner and dog. Factors such as age, cultural beliefs as well as practices in a dog's upbringing have strong connections with how an owner and their dog view food as a necessity versus a luxury.
Owner Age
An owner's age can easily influence the outcome of obesity due to the way they interact with physical exercise as well as feeding regimens. An older owner may not engage in much physical activity themselves, and this directly affects the amount of exercise their pet receives. Along with aging, many health concerns or limitations such as mobility issues or chronic conditions can limit an owner's ability to take their dogs for long walks or physically demanding activities such as play. Not only do these exercises strengthen the human canine bond, they are good ways of promoting healthy bodily tissues in dogs.
On the flipside, lifestyle changes such as retirement allows owners to spend more time with their dogs and this may actually increase the amount of exercise that a dog receives. Additionally, increased knowledge of the importance of regular exercise and proper feeding regimens, and awareness of issues such as obesity in older owners, often gained through increased vet visits, can also drastically reduce the prevalence of obesity. While empirical data on the link between older owners and increased cases of obesity is lacking, proactive and preventative measures should be implemented by less active or older owners.
Income
An owner's income level may also alter the maintenance of dog health. Limited funds for veterinary care (regular check ups and medication) and lower quality/less regulated pet foods in lower income households may pose challenges. However, lower rates of purchasing and providing treats due to the lower income may act as a balancing effect, compensating for the lack of nutrients provided by premium pet foods. Studies conducted in highly industrialized societies such as Australia, France and the United States were compared to a study conducted in Hungary, and prevalence of obesity was found to be universal, and this shows that there are tradeoffs and by taking the beneficial aspects of both systems, indicating there is room to decrease obesity.
Culture & Native Climate
Cultural beliefs and attitudes towards feeding practices can determine the method of feeding, as well as the amount of food a dog receives. In a study that compared the feeding practices of Thai and Dutch dog owners, dogs living in Thailand were fed ad libitum at a higher rate compared to their Dutch counterparts. This could reflect cultural norms stemming from Buddhist beliefs that feeding dogs is a virtuous act, reaffirming the human-canine bond through feel-good acts. While it is expected that rates of obesity would increase with higher rates of ad libitum feeding, the geographic location intertwines with cultural beliefs and can offset this effect. In the same study conducted, it was found that Thai dogs exercised more regularly due to the tropical climate, as well as the presence of maids that took dogs out for walks more often, something that is less common in the Netherlands. This resulted in a balancing effect and there was not a noticeable difference in the rates of obesity between countries. Depending on the native climate and perhaps native cultural beliefs, there is a bit of leeway in the feeding practices as long as regular exercise is maintained
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