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Every year thousands of us make the pledge to be healthier.

With Lent just around the corner as well, theres another opportunity to ditch the chocolate and snacks, and make healthier food decisions if you want to. But what about a dog diet plan for our furry friends?

If youve never put your dog on a diet plan, now might be the time.

It turns out that as were snacking, our dogs are snacking too. Research conducted by Natural Instinct, the premium pet food brand, revealed that a staggering 90 per cent of us feed our dog food scraps and leftovers. And its not just occasionally, apparently we pass nibbles down from our plates an average of 11 times a month!

As much as this happens because of their big brown eyes and expectant faces, the research reveals another reason. A third of us dont really know what our dogs can and cant eat, and 1 in 3 of us have little understanding of what size meals to feed their dog.

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This means that without even knowing why, our dogs are piling on the pounds leading to conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.

A spokesperson for Natural Instinct says, The last five years has seen a concerning increase in pet obesity, with an astonishing 51 per cent of dogs overweight. It has never been more important to look after our canine friends.

So if youre one of the hundreds of people who want to improve the health and wellbeing of your dog, youre in luck weve got the perfect doggy diet plan.

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Just like humans, if your dog needs to lose some weight for the good of their health, its going to be a calories in versus calories out situation. That means lowering their calorie intake and upping the exercise.

Heres what Natural Instincts Doggy Diet Plan advises

Kate Bendix is the author of The Dog Diet. She says, Feed them roughly 2 to 3% of their bodyweight per day making sure the food they get is what they need, not what those begging eyes want.

This means that if your dog weighs 70lbs (roughly the size of a retriever), then you should only be feeding them a maximum of 1.95lbs of food every day.

And that food needs to be healthy. Put away the sausages and bacon, as these types of food are high in fat and salt the two things that will lead to weight gain and health problems for your dog.

Instead, opt for a whole food diet. But importantly, check with your vet for advice on how to safely transition your dog to a whole food diet before making any changes.

If possible, feed your dog raw meals rather than cooked. Raw meals, including meats, are better as they contain plenty of whole proteins, good fats and carbohydrates.

Or if you want to buy whole food for your dog and kick-start their diet plan, why not try store-bought whole food like this Beef and Chicken?

Every dog needs a boneand a treat once in a while!

Credit: Getty

Bones are great for dogs. They help to relieve stress and prevent boredom, as well as help maintain healthy teeth and gums. But remember to choose the right size bone for your dog, always supervise them when feeding and separate any rowdy dogs to prevent them squabbling.

There are some foods that dogs should never eat. While some will just give them an upset stomach and you give you the subsequent clean up, others contain toxins will can be fatal.

When it comes to fitness, going out for a 20-minute walk around the block and letting your dog meander and sniff every lamppost is the best thing, especially if youre strapped for time. Our expert Kate Bendix says, Sniffing is extremely for good mental health, as is the physical exercise and fresh air. Go at their pace and take a moment for yourself too.

Other easy ways to get your dog exercising include:

At the end of the day, as long as there are less calories being consumed by your dog and more calories being burnt off, theyll lose weight!

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Has your dog piled on the pounds? Heres how they can lose weight - goodtoknow