Over 1/3 of pet dogs are obese.
Obesity predisposes dogs to a range of health and welfare problems including:
- Shorter lifespan
- Breathing difficulties
- Orthopaedic diseases such as arthritis
- Diabetes
- Cancer
As such, the situation in dogs mimics the situation in people where a global obesity pandemic is causing a rise in many health problems.
Some breeds of dog are more likely to become obese.
They seem to have a greater tendency to eat more than they need to maintain a healthy body weight. Labrador and golden retrievers are two such breeds.
We want to find out why: Genes are almost certainly to blame.
On this website you can find information about the project, what is already know and what we are likely to find out, and how to get involved.