Many of us are struggling to keep our dog’s weight in check throughout this pandemic, with lockdowns and juggling family life making things difficult. Dog obesity is not a new problem of course, but a recent report estimates that 51% of UK dogs are overweight.
You might be a little shocked at that figure, but it’s not all bad news. We’re becoming more aware of the health implications of overweight dogs. And new ideas to help us improve doggy diets are being developed all the time.
Now, VetChef have come up with the world’s first pet recipe planner. So you can pamper your pooch in a healthy way.
Who are VetChef?
VetChef has been created by media vet and nutrition expert Dr Joe Inglis. He hopes to inspire pet parents to improve the health of their animals through fresh, homemade food. VetChef are combining modern technology and innovative recipe ideas to help owners manage their dog’s health.
They’re hoping to launch a pet food maker this year. And they’ve already come up with a simple meal planner, that can be tailored to your dog’s needs.
A menu planner for your dog
With the rise in overweight dogs in the UK, VetChef believe it’s a great time to take a look at what our furry friends are eating. And as owners who are constantly monitoring our dog’s weight, we couldn’t agree more.
VetChef believe you can get your dog back into top condition by cutting back on processed pet food and going homemade. This is something that we as humans often get advised to do. But it’s not something we necessarily think of for our dogs.
Creating homemade meals for your dog is obviously going to be a bit more time-consuming than dishing out a scoop of kibble. So, to make life easier, VetChef has launched the world’s first pet recipe and menu planner, My VetChef.
The aim of My VetChef is to make it nice and easy for you to cook balanced and nutritional meals for your pooch at home. All you need to do is put in your dog’s details and My VetChef will recommend the best-matched recipes for your dog. Recipes tailored to your best friend’s health and dietary needs.
My VetChef allows you to record your dog’s preferences, search for recipes by ingredient, and save your favourites. Hopefully making the whole process of home cooking a lot simpler. And the best bit is, it’s all free!
If your dog has an existing medical condition or allergies, we’d recommend having a little chat with your vet first, before making any big diet changes. And if you’re changing over from kibble, to do it gradually so you don’t have any tummy upsets. But again, a vet can advise you on this.
Other ways to keep your dog a healthy weight
Of course, we all know that a healthy diet isn’t the only way to keep our dog’s health in check.
Exercise, including walks and fun activities, are essential of course. Although it’s difficult to manage this all of the time, there are tricks to help you improve your daily routine. For some handy tips, read our blog post here.
And an annual health check at the vets is also recommended. They’re best placed to spot problems and make recommendations.
Do let us know if you try My VetChef and let us know what you think!