A recent study showed that 59% of pups in the UK are overweight or obese and we want to do something about it. Simply put, dogs who are a healthy weight can live much longer and better lives.

One of the most unique aspects of Butternut Box is that we provide meals that are calculated to each dog’s needs. Using a combination of the latest scientific literature, the expertise of our veterinary nutrition consultant and data learning, we have devised our very own algorithm or "nutritional calculator". This accounts for each dog’s age, weight, breed, body condition score and activity level. It even adjusts for treats and calculates daily feeding requirements to the closest 50 calories.

Having daily portions that are exactly matched to what each dog needs mean pet parents won’t have to do any measuring and there is no scope for overfeeding. Also, the fresh nature of the meals means that they’re often more filling and offer much better satisfaction for both pup and pet parent. (The pet parent doesn’t feel mean about only giving their pup a small handful of dried biscuits for supper and then proceed to give them unhealthy table scraps and treats ‘to make up’).

We have four delicious low-fat meals which are ideal for dogs who need to lose a bit of weight - chicken, turkey, game, veggie, and chicken with quinoa and pearl barley. Our fish treats are also less than 5% fat, so these are a great compromise if you don't want to cut treats out of your dog's diet completely.

Our beef, pork, lamb, duck and chicken, salmon and pork with quinoa and pearl barley recipes are not low in fat.

Transitioning dogs who are carrying a little extra weight is nice and simple. We'd suggest feeding your dog a very small amount of Butternut initially (a few spoonfuls), mixed in with what they're currently eating. You can gradually increase the amount of Butternut each day, and if your dog has any runny poops then it's often a sign that they need to take things a little slower. Some dogs can take a week or more to move over to Butternut completely, so it's totally fine to go at your own pace here, swapping out their old food as you go until they're on their full portion size.

Our chicken, turkey, game and veggie meals are our leanest recipes and contain fewer calories. Feeding just these recipes to your pooch can sometimes be enough to help them lose weight. Some dogs may need an adjustment to their portion size if they're struggling to lose weight. If you need to discuss your dog's needs further, our in-house Vet Nurse team is always on hand to give some extra tips and advice.

If your pooch gobbles down their food quickly, it's worth trying a puzzle feeder or a LickiMat in place of their regular bowl to try to slow them down and help them to feel satisfied for longer after eating a meal.

Please note these are feeding guidelines only. We understand you know your pooch best so it's totally understood that you may need to make some changes to suit them.