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Obesity is one of the great health challenges in the Western world. So it is perhaps not too shocking that people who overeat and don’t exercise tend to overfeed their dogs and don’t give them enough exercise.

Sad news coming out of the UK today says that half of British dogs will die of obesity. That’s a claim made by The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals and while there are no similar stats available for America right now, we can only assume that there is some correlation. Sadly, like people, dogs are getting fatter.

Now, franchising is helping to pioneer one solution to the epidemic of dog obesity: the dog fitness center. It may come at a cost, but across the country, franchises like Zoom Room and The Dog Room have popped up to offer an opportunity to re-invent the dog walk. As a former dog owner myself, my first instinct was to cringe at the popularity of such places. I find there are few things better than experiencing the quietude of nature with man’s best friend. That said, these days, people don’t have the time to spend in parks, especially after a hard day of work, and a dog fitness centre is the ideal compromise. It gets exercise for the dog while the owner can chat with a few other dog owners.

Will these dog fitness franchises cure the problem of dog obesity? Maybe so, maybe not. But the spread of these businesses shows the scale of the problem of the country. We know how much people will spend on their pets. Hopefully news stories like this will make those who overfeed their pets realize that, in line with dietary changes, dogs need to be walked. For those who don’t like to walk through their local neighborhood, dog fitness franchises offer a great exercise alternative.