Developing and evaluating a health pack to support dog owners to manage the weight of their companion animals.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Obesity is a serious and prevalent problem in dogs. The causes are multifactorial, but owners play a key role and so this paper reports the development and evaluation of a health pack designed to help owners to manage the weight of their dogs.

Method

The pack was informed by previous research, behavior change theory (i.e., the COM-B model), and interviews with 12 veterinary professionals to identify challenges and potential solutions. Six workshops with a total of 28 dog owners provided feedback on the initial ideas. The pack included information on the importance of weight management, how to weigh and assess body condition score (BCS), a journal to track progress, an infographic illustrating the calorific value of treats, cards to help owners manage difficult s

SUBMITTER: Webb TL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11746120 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature