{"id":9436,"date":"2026-02-06T22:17:37","date_gmt":"2026-02-07T03:17:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/fresh\/?p=9436"},"modified":"2026-03-14T12:56:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T16:56:20","slug":"dog-obesity-and-healthy-homemade-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/fresh\/dog-obesity-and-healthy-homemade-food\/","title":{"rendered":"Dog Obesity"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_medium width_custom\" style=\"--site-content-width:1000px;\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h2>The #1 Health Issue Facing Pets Today<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_auto width_custom\" style=\"--site-content-width:1000px;\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p>If there\u2019s one health problem affecting more dogs than anything else right now, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/testimonials-reviews\/#vets\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">it\u2019s obesity<\/a>.<br \/>\nAnd it\u2019s not a small issue.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, nearly 60% of dogs in the United States are overweight or living with obesity, according to national pet obesity survey data.<\/p>\n<p>That means more than half of our dogs are carrying extra weight that can quietly strain their bodies, slow them down, and shorten their healthy years.<\/p>\n<p>The good news?<\/p>\n<p>Dog obesity is often preventable \u2014 and in many cases, reversible \u2014 with the right changes at home.<\/p>\n<p>And one of the biggest changes starts in the simplest place:<\/p>\n<p>Your dog\u2019s bowl.<\/p>\n<h5>Why Are So Many Dogs Overweight?<\/h5>\n<p>The reason is surprisingly simple:<\/p>\n<p>Dogs are eating too much processed food.<\/p>\n<p>Just like humans, dogs have been swept into a world of convenience. Many common pet foods are highly processed, shelf-stable, and packed with fillers, additives, and ingredients that may not support long-term health when fed every day for years.<\/p>\n<p>Even when the calories \u201cseem fine,\u201d processed diets can make it easier for dogs to gain weight because:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>They may be less satisfying, leading to more begging and overeating<\/li>\n<li>They often contain unnecessary fillers and additives<\/li>\n<li>Portions are easy to overestimate (especially when free-feeding)<\/li>\n<li>Treats pile on extra calories quickly<\/li>\n<li>Many dogs simply don\u2019t get enough daily movement to offset it<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Obesity doesn\u2019t happen overnight \u2014 it happens one scoop at a time.<\/p>\n<h5>Why Dog Obesity Is More Dangerous Than Most People Think<\/h5>\n<p>Extra weight isn\u2019t just \u201ca little chubby.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It can put real pressure on the body and increase the risk of serious health problems, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Joint pain and arthritis<\/li>\n<li>Reduced mobility and stamina<\/li>\n<li>Heart and respiratory strain<\/li>\n<li>Increased inflammation<\/li>\n<li>Higher risk of diabetes and other chronic conditions<\/li>\n<li>Lower quality of life and shortened lifespan<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And here\u2019s the part that many pet parents don\u2019t realize:<\/p>\n<p>The weight may be the most visible symptom, but it\u2019s not the only issue.<\/p>\n<p>What matters just as much is what\u2019s happening internally \u2014 digestion, energy, metabolism, and inflammation.<\/p>\n<h5>The Fresh Food Difference: Why Home-Cooked Can Help<\/h5>\n<p>When you make fresh pet food at home, you have a powerful advantage:<\/p>\n<p>\u2705 You control what goes into the bowl.<\/p>\n<p>That means you can eliminate many of the things dogs don\u2019t need, like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Factory processing<\/li>\n<li>Mystery meat by-products<\/li>\n<li>Excessive fillers<\/li>\n<li>Artificial additives<\/li>\n<li>Unnecessary preservatives<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And instead, you can feed real, clean ingredients that support a healthy body weight \u2014 like lean proteins, fiber-rich vegetables, and wholesome grains (when appropriate).<\/p>\n<p>For many dogs, a fresh-food routine can help support:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Better digestion<\/li>\n<li>More consistent energy<\/li>\n<li>Healthier skin and coat<\/li>\n<li>Improved stool quality<\/li>\n<li>Easier weight management through better portions and ingredients<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Fresh food isn\u2019t a \u201ctrend.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a return to feeding dogs the way their bodies were meant to eat: real food.<\/p>\n<p>The Real Challenge: Fresh Cooking Takes Time\u2026 Until Now<\/p>\n<p>Most pet parents love the idea of home-cooked dog food.<\/p>\n<p>But life is busy.<\/p>\n<p>People worry about things like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cI don\u2019t have time to cook for my dog.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cI don\u2019t know the right portions.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cIt sounds complicated.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cWhat if I mess it up?\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That\u2019s exactly why we created <a href=\"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Total Pet Kitchen<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"g-cols wpb_row via_grid cols_1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\" style=\"--columns-gap:3rem;\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-html\"><p id=\"vets\" align=\"left\"> <video width=\"640\" height=\"480\" controls poster=\"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/TPK-Vet-Video-Poster.png\">\n  <source src=\"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Vet-Testimonial-TPK.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\">\n<\/video> <\/p><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p style=\"font-size: 12px;\"><em>Dr. Chris Hallihan V.M.D. &amp; Dr. Kristen Casulli V.M.D. discuss dog obesity and importance of fresh food<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_small width_custom\" style=\"--site-content-width:1000px;\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-html\"><p><hr><\/p><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<h5>Total Pet Kitchen Makes Fresh Dog Food Fast, Easy, and Consistent<\/h5>\n<p>Total Pet Kitchen is fast, easy to use, and one of the simplest ways to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/pet-nutrition-health\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">guarantee your dog is eating fresh food made from ingredients you trust<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s how it works:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Add your fresh ingredients<\/li>\n<li>Press a button<\/li>\n<li>In less than an hour, you can have a week\u2019s worth of fresh food ready to portion and serve<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>No complicated steps.<\/p>\n<p>No cooking stress.<\/p>\n<p>No guessing what\u2019s really inside your dog\u2019s food.<\/p>\n<p>Just real meals you can feel good about feeding.<\/p>\n<p>Fresh Feeding = Better Weight Control<\/p>\n<p>One of the biggest reasons fresh food can help with weight management is simple:<\/p>\n<p>It makes portioning easier and more transparent.<\/p>\n<p>When you\u2019re scooping kibble from a bag, it\u2019s easy to lose track.<\/p>\n<p>When you\u2019re serving a fresh batch you made yourself, you\u2019re naturally more aware of:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How much your dog is eating<\/li>\n<li>What ingredients are in the meal<\/li>\n<li>Whether your dog needs a little less (or more) based on activity<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Plus, fresh meals often contain more moisture and whole ingredients that help dogs feel satisfied \u2014 which can reduce constant hunger and overeating habits.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row us_custom_734c0f1a height_medium with_shape\"><div class=\"l-section-shape type_tilt pos_top\" style=\"height:5vh;\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 64 8\" preserveAspectRatio=\"none\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\">\r\n\t<path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M64 7.9 L64 10 L0 10 L0 0 Z\"\/>\r\n<\/svg><\/div><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<h5>\u201cThe Only Way to Truly Know What Your Dog Is Eating\u201d<\/h5>\n<p>At the end of the day, the truth is simple:<\/p>\n<p>Total Pet Kitchen is the only way to truly know what <a href=\"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/recipe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">your dog is eating<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>No vague ingredient lists.<\/p>\n<p>No factory mystery.<\/p>\n<p>No \u201cprobably fine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Just real food, made at home, with ingredients you chose.<\/p>\n<p>And when your dog is at a healthier weight, everything improves:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>more energy<\/li>\n<li>more play<\/li>\n<li>more comfort<\/li>\n<li>more years by your side<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That\u2019s what fresh feeding is really about.<\/p>\n<p>A Fresh Start Can Begin Today<\/p>\n<p>If your dog has gained weight over the years, you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n<p>The obesity epidemic is everywhere \u2014 but it doesn\u2019t have to be your dog\u2019s story.<\/p>\n<p>Even one fresh batch can be the first step toward:<\/p>\n<p>\u2705 better health<\/p>\n<p>\u2705 healthier weight<\/p>\n<p>\u2705 better daily quality of life<\/p>\n<p>Because the best time to start feeding fresh isn\u2019t \u201csomeday.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s today.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_auto\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><em>By Riley McGrath<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"w-socials color_brand shape_square style_default hover_fade\"><div class=\"w-socials-list\"><div class=\"w-socials-item facebook\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61570236676323\" class=\"w-socials-item-link\" aria-label=\"Facebook\"><span class=\"w-socials-item-link-hover\"><\/span><i class=\"fab fa-facebook\"><\/i><\/a><div class=\"w-socials-item-popup\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-socials-item instagram\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DJrrmHlppS7\/\" class=\"w-socials-item-link\" aria-label=\"Instagram\"><span class=\"w-socials-item-link-hover\"><\/span><i class=\"fab fa-instagram\"><\/i><\/a><div class=\"w-socials-item-popup\"><span>Instagram<\/span><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-socials-item tiktok\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@sapperhausrottweilers\/video\/7549931609571577118\" class=\"w-socials-item-link\" aria-label=\"TikTok\"><span class=\"w-socials-item-link-hover\"><\/span><i class=\"fab fa-tiktok\"><\/i><\/a><div class=\"w-socials-item-popup\"><span>TikTok<\/span><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-socials-item youtube\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@TotalPetKitchen\" class=\"w-socials-item-link\" aria-label=\"YouTube\"><span class=\"w-socials-item-link-hover\"><\/span><i class=\"fab fa-youtube\"><\/i><\/a><div class=\"w-socials-item-popup\"><span>YouTube<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If there\u2019s one health problem affecting more dogs than anything else right now, it\u2019s obesity. Learn how home-cooked food can help fight obesity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9437,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,10,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9436","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-happy-healthy-pet","category-pet-health-nutrition","category-total-pet-kitchen-multicooker"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/fresh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9436","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/fresh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/fresh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/fresh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/fresh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9436"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/fresh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9436\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9570,"href":"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/fresh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9436\/revisions\/9570"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/fresh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9437"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/fresh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9436"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/fresh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9436"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.totalpetkitchen.com\/fresh\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9436"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}