When you hear the words "excess weight," what’s the first thing that comes to mind? For most of us, it’s probably a few extra pounds around the belly and the impact that has on our health and appearance. We often think about it in terms of human health, but what about our dogs?
More importantly, is there a connection between excess weight, a long life, and the food you feed your dog? Stick around, and by the end of this post, you’ll have a better understanding of how these are connected and why a healthy, cold-pressed dog food might be just what your furry friend needs.
Not Good for Dogs, Either
Over the last few decades, we’ve become much more aware of how bad excess weight is for human health. But guess what? Carrying extra weight is just as bad for dogs as it is for us.
Studies have shown that even being moderately overweight can shave up to 2.5 years off your dog’s life. And when you consider that a 12-year-old large-breed dog is roughly equivalent to a 77-year-old human, losing more than two years is a big deal.
Excess weight in dogs has been linked to:
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Arthritis
- Urinary problems
Just like with humans, high blood pressure and heart disease are two major concerns when it comes to excess weight in dogs. Both conditions can seriously cut down on your dog’s lifespan. This brings us to the benefits of cold-pressed dog food.
Dogs Are What They Eat, Too
We’ve all heard the saying, "you are what you eat." Well, it applies to dogs, too. And just like with humans, how much they eat matters. Overeating is a leading cause of excess weight, and eating too much of the wrong kinds of food only makes things worse.
We’re not here to say that kibble is bad across the board. But the way kibble is made—through high-temperature cooking—can strip away a lot of the natural nutrients. That means that kibble companies are sometimes adding more nutrients after it has been cooked.
Cold-pressed dog food is different. It’s not exposed to the high heat that kibble is, so it retains more of its natural nutrients. It is also more nutrient dense than kibble, this means you can feed your dog less while still giving them everything they need. How much less? It depends on their current diet, but some dogs can be fed up to 30% less food.
Cold-Pressed Food Is Healthy Food
We’re not saying kibble is unhealthy, but we will say that cold-pressed dog food is designed to be a healthier option. We carefully select ingredients that are optimal for canine health, combine them in the right proportions, and press them into crunchy pieces—all without the need for fillers or unnecessary additives.
The biggest factor to maintaining a healthy weight is controlling the number of calories being fed to your pup but not all calories are created equal. If the calories that are being fed are from less healthy ingredients, it can still shorten the lifespan of your pup. With Nextrition cold-pressed dog food, your dog gets top-notch nutrition which if fed the proper amount will support better overall health.
Excess weight isn’t good for dogs. It can shorten their lifespan by years, and that’s a lot of time lost. If you’re concerned about your current dog food and its impact on your dog’s weight, maybe it’s time to switch to a cold-pressed brand like Nextrition.
