36 Percent of Dogs Gained Weight During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Survey Finds

Getty

Life is ruff when you're stuck home in quarantine.

A new study has found that a significant amount of dogs put on a few extra pounds while quarantining with their families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Teaming up with smart dog technology company Fi, Pumpkin Pet Insurance asked over 1,000 dog owners to answer an array of questions about the canine's quarantine life, including questions about weight gain.

According to the survey, 36% of pups gained weight during the pandemic. Twenty-five percent of the pet owners with larger pups said that their pets actually got more exercise than normal throughout the pandemic.

So what is the reason behind all the extra pooch pounds? According to the survey, 45% of pet owners said they gave their animals extra treats, while 41% admitted to giving them scraps from the table.

Similarly, according to the survey, 56% of humans said that their canine companions gained weight when they did.

RELATED: Ethan the Dog Celebrates Reaching His Goal Weight By Reuniting with the Family Who Saved Him

Getty

"We have definitely noticed a trend of weight gain during the pandemic," Dr. Ashleigh Bruno, a vet at West Orange Animal Hospital, said in a statement. "Food is love for a lot of pet owners (myself included)."

"It's easy to give a piece of table scraps or an extra treat throughout the day – especially when people have been working from home with their pets by their side," she added.

The survey also concluded that 66% of pet owners said their dogs become more active when they did too.