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Fetch? Forget it! Britain will have the fattest dogs in the world within a decade, experts have warned.

A "very significant proportion" of the UK's 8.5million pet dogs will be so overweight that they will struggle to retrieve balls or to run for more than a few minutes without injuring themselves or taking a rest.

They will also be more susceptible to canine variants of diabetes, heart disease, strokes and cancer.

Overfeeding and a lack of exercise are said to be the two single biggest factors fuelling what is being described as a "canine obesity crisis on a shocking scale".

If the problem continues unabated, up to one-in-20 dogs could be morbidly overweight by 2027, experts fear.

The UK already holds the egregious achievement of being the obesity capital of Western Europe, with one-in-four British adults classed as obese.

Simon Booth, a leading canine nutrition expert, issued the warning this week after questioning thousands of owners over a nine-year period.

(Image: ITV)

His latest study, a nationwide poll, reveals that nearly 15 per cent of dog owners are overfeeding their pets by up to 1,000 calories per day.

Booth, the founder of holistic pet food manufacturer Green Pantry, said the survey's findings further reinforce his fears of a "fat dog Britain".

The warning comes almost exactly two years after the PDSA released figures estimating that one-in-three dogs in the UK are overweight or obese and that the proportion of overweight pets - including cats and rabbits - will continue to climb.

"The results of this new survey reflect the findings of my previous research - that a consistently increasing number of dog owners are overfeeding their animals and failing to give them the amount of exercise they require", Booth said.

"Make no mistake that this will result in a 'fat dog' country where a very significant proportion of dogs will be too unfit to run and play.

"We must take immediate corrective action to prevent the UK from becoming home to both the biggest people and the biggest dogs in the world."

Booth, the owner of Green Pantry, which produces premium pet food with 100 per cent natural ingredients, has questioned more than 3,000 British and international owners about their feeding habits since launching the Norfolk-based business in 2008.

He says the results of his most recent straw poll, which questioned 500 British dog owners last month, highlight the magnitude of the problem.

A whopping 93 per cent say they spoil their dogs, with the majority (29 per cent) feeding them titbits like biscuits or chews twice-a-day.

All respondents also give their dogs extra treats on special occasions like birthdays.

Some 24 per cent give their dogs leftovers from their own meals at least once-a-day. Of these, just over half (55 per cent) are fuelling the canine obesity crisis by giving their dogs "everything we eat", regardless of whether it could be harmful.

Just 10 per cent give their dogs extra exercise if it has overeaten or enjoyed extra titbits, with the vast majority admitting they never take their animals for a longer walk.

He fears the latest findings are "highly suggestive" of things to come.

Unless dog owners change their feeding and exercise habits, the UK is likely to be the "fat dog capital" by 2027 - where one-in-20 are seriously overweight.

"But it doesn't have to be this way," he said.

"Paying a few pence more for better quality food and taking more of an interest in what your dog eats could easily prevent this country from becoming the fat dog capital of Europe - and perhaps of the world - in a few years’ time."